This Chicken Enchilada Soup can be made on the Stove Top or the Crock Pot and is easy to make with chicken breast, thighs, or leftover chicken! It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, and it’s made with simple ingredients. Perfect for cozy soup weather.
Be sure to try my Chicken Enchiladas, Steak Fajitas, and Baked Tacos next!
Chicken Enchilada Soup
This is definitely one of my favorite cozy soups to make in the Fall and Winter months. It’s fun to play around with different ingredients. I like to UP the spice factor with some spicy cheese and an extra pinch of cayenne, but you can steer clear of spicy ingredients if preferred and just keep it mild.
This is a great recipe to make with chicken breast, chicken thighs, or even leftover chicken. Check out how to make it below and don’t miss my PRO tips below!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Note: See notes section of the recipe card for crock pot instructions.
Sauté onions, peppers, and garlic in olive oil/butter until softened. Add seasonings, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, hot sauce, chicken broth, and chicken.
Boil gently for 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken and use 2 forks to shred. Return to soup. Add softened cream cheese and stir to combine.
Stir in the shredded cheese and serve!
Pro Tips
Cheese:
- To soften the cream cheese quickly: Heat 2 cups of water in the microwave. Place cubed cream cheese in the microwave and close the door. Let it soften for 5 minutes.
- Feel free to spice it up with 1/2 cup Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese or another kind of spicy cheese if you like heat. (This would be in place of the Monterey jack.)
- Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese.
- Make sure the base isn’t too hot when the cheese is added or the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
Chicken:
- Cooking the chicken: You can let the chicken simmer over very low heat for a longer period of time. This makes the chicken extra juicy and the broth extra flavorful. Bone-in chicken thighs may also be used and create a very flavorful broth. If you plan on simmering for an extended period of time, add the black beans and corn when you remove the chicken from the soup to shred it.
- Using rotisserie or leftover chicken: 2 cups cooked chicken can also be used. You can add it at the same point as the chicken breast is added in the recipe and simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavors blend, but no need to bring it to a boil.
Enchilada Sauce:
- An 8 oz. can of tomato sauce may be used as an alternative to enchilada sauce but I prefer the depth of flavor that enchilada sauce adds. My homemade enchilada sauce tastes great in this soup.
- You can also try my Chicken Taco Soup which uses salsa, or try my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (This soup freezes well!)
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4.5-Quart Dutch Oven– this is the one I use the make this soup.
- Box Cheese Grater– Shredding from a block tastes and melts much better than packaged cheese.
- Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time.
- Soup Ladle
- 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
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Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 pinch cayenne, optional
Soup
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced with seeds removed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 oz. red enchilada sauce
- 10 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. canned whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 small.), see notes if using cooked chicken
- 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded. (Can also use more cheddar.)
Instructions
- Prep Work: Combine the seasonings and set aside. Take out the cream cheese and allow it to soften. (See notes for a quick way to do that.) Shred cheddar and Monterey jack cheese from a block and set aside.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and the peppers. Soften for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pat the chicken dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Add it to the soup pot along with all remaining ingredients except for the cream cheese and shredded cheese
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil and allow the chicken to slowly cook through (a rapid boil will make it tough). About 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken and use two forks to shred. Return it to the soup.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the softened cream cheese until combined, then stir in the shredded cheese until melted.
- Taste and add any additional seasonings as needed, then serve!
Notes
- To soften the cream cheese quickly: Heat 2 cups of water in the microwave. Place cubed cream cheese in the microwave and close the door. Let it soften for 5 minutes.
- Feel free to spice it up with 1/2 cup Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese or another kind of spicy cheese if you like heat. (This would be in place of the Monterey jack.)
- Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese.
- Make sure the base isn't too hot when the cheese is added or the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
Chicken:
- Cooking the chicken: You can let the chicken simmer over very low heat for a longer period of time. This makes the chicken extra juicy and the broth extra flavorful. Bone-in chicken thighs may also be used. Any variety of bone-in chicken creates a very flavorful broth as well.
- If you plan on simmering for an extended period of time, add the black beans and corn when you remove the chicken from the soup to shred it.
- Using rotisserie or leftover chicken: 2 cups cooked chicken can also be used. You can add it at the same point as the chicken breast is added in the recipe and simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavors blend, but no need to bring it to a boil.
Enchilada Sauce:
- An 8 oz. can of tomato sauce may be used as an alternative to enchilada sauce but I prefer the depth of flavor that enchilada sauce adds. My homemade enchilada sauce tastes great in this soup.
- You can also try my Chicken Taco Soup which uses salsa, or try my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe!
Crock Pot Method
- Place all ingredients in the slow cooker except for the shredded cheese, cream cheese, corn, black beans, and garnishes.
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Turn off heat. Remove the chicken, shred it, and add it back to the soup along with the corn and black beans.
- Gradually mix in the softened cream cheese and shredded cheese and stir to incorporate.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (This soup freezes well!)
If I’m making with cooked chicken breast in the crockpot does that change the cooking temp or time? If I only have 4 hrs should I put on high or low?
You can stir in the chicken during the last 15 minutes. You’ll want to cook it on high for 4 hours.
What if I already put the chicken in?!! 🙁
That’s fine, no biggie! 🙂
Can this be made in the Insta pot?
Hi Abi, I don’t have tested instructions outlined for the Instant Pot at this time.
Made soup on a cold, rainy March evening. A lot of flavor. Used garlic powder–I didn’t have any other. Got lots of compliments.
Wahooo! Sounds like you nailed it Amy, nice work! Thanks so much for the great review!❤️
Fantastic! Really delicious. I used slightly less cheese because I did not have the entire amount called for, but I think the taste was still rich and super savory. Perfect for a chilly, rainy day!
Definitely a great one for a chilly, rainy day! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Kate, thanks so much for the review!💜
Love this! It is definitely our new go to chicken enchilada soup. We like it better than our favorite restaurant’s chicken enchilada soup. I made it in the instant pot and it was perfect!
I’m so happy this one’s better than your favorite restaurants version! Thanks so much for the great review Erin💗
I’ve made this soup twice now. I use light cream instead of cream cheese. The first time I cooked the chicken in the soup. The second time, I used some chicken that we had smoked. I do not add any hot sauce as I don’t like the heat. The heat from the enchilada sauce (canned) and spices is the perfect level.
I’m so happy that you enjoy this recipe and control the heat per your preferences Irene! I love how you switch it up with the chicken (uncooked and also smoked), as well! 🙂
This is a real family favorite. I have made it several times and we love it. Makes enough for a meal and a freezer portion. I always use a rotisserie chicken, and I find that the chicken is way more than enough for the soup so I make chicken salad with the rest….two meals from one chicken! I serve it as a main course with some chips. If I don’t have enough for a main course, it makes a GREAT soup to serve with some quesadillas on the side. It freezes really well!
Hi Lisa! I am so happy to hear that you love this soup recipe, thank you for sharing how you make use of 1 rotisserie chicken to create multiple dishes! I agree, this is one of my favorite freezer soups! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! -Stephanie
We loved the chicken enchilada soup. Grandson had 2 bowls of it and I had enough to freeze 2 pint size containers. the soup had a nice kick to it which we all love .. thanks for the recipe.
You’re very welcome June! I’m so happy it was a hit and extra happy to hear you’ve got some for the freezer. My husband thinks I have a bit of a problem with all the soup I freeze lol. Thanks so much for the review!💖
This is my absolute favorite kind of soup! I made this recipe a few months ago and it was the most delicious soup I’ve ever made! The flavors were so good, I even added more spice to it. The recipe was easy to follow and the taste was amazing!
Im so glad that you enjoyed this one! I love making big batches of this one, I can’t get enough! Thank you for the review!! 🙌🏻
First time I’ve made it and it was fast, easy and delicious. My husband really liked it..he had 2 bowls. Thank you for a great recipe!
Sounds like you nailed it Carol, nice work! I get so excited when my husband goes for seconds, it really is the ultimate test. Thanks so much for the great review!💖