Chicken Enchilada Soup

Enjoy a big bowl with all your favorite toppings like cheddar cheese, tortilla strips, and avocado. It’s a hearty meal in itself! You can also pair chicken enchilada soup with other Mexican-inspired dishes like rice or chips and guac for a full dinner spread. If you want more hearty soup recipes, try my recipe for taco soup, homemade lasagna soup, or hamburger soup recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Chicken – I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Alternatively, you can use bone-in chicken thighs to make the broth more flavorful. Enchilada Sauce – prepared red enchilada sauce adds a delicious depth of flavor to the soup. Alternatively, you can use equal parts tomato sauce. Tomatoes & Green Chiles – canned diced tomatoes with green chiles add some tasty heat to this savory dish. If you can’t find canned tomatoes with chiles, you can also substitute 1 cup of canned tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of canned green chiles. Corn – canned corn makes prep super easy! Be sure to rinse and drain it before using. Don’t have canned corn? No problem, 1 ½ cups defrosted frozen corn also works. Black Beans – canned beans are perfect to add to this recipe. Drain and rinse them before adding to the pot. Cream Cheese – full-fat cream cheese makes this soup extra creamy! Make sure it is softened before adding for easy mixing. Seasonings – chili powder and ground cumin add a hint of spice and delicious earthy flavor.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until softened, for about 6 minutes.
2. Add the chicken breasts, chicken stock, and enchilada sauce.
3. Add the corn and black beans.
4. Add the canned tomatoes.
5. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, for about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Shred using two forks.
7. Add the shredded chicken back into the soup.
8. Add the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Soften the cream cheese. The cream cheese melts easiest if it is softened before adding it to the soup pot. Quickly soften it by placing cubed cream cheese in a microwave-safe dish and heat on low for 10-15 seconds. Batch cook. This is a great easy recipe to prepare ahead for busier weeks because it freezes well! Make a batch (or double it!) to eat throughout the week and freeze some to enjoy a quick meal later. Optional variations. Mix up the protein by subbing the chicken 1:1 with shredded turkey or ground beef. Or make it vegetarian by omitting the meat and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth. Additionally, you can swap the black beans for pinto beans or use a mix of both.

If you’ve tried this Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!