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 Enchilada and Baked Taco recipes 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!)
This soup was a huge hit with my family! I only omitted the green chiles and some of the spices since I knew my kids would find it spicy! But my husband added a dash of hot sauce into his own bowl to suit his taste! My 3 and 4 year old littles loved the soup! Glad it was family friendly. It was so flavorful!
I’m SOOOO happy that it was a hit with the family Hannah, nice job adjusting the heat for your kids- I’m glad that your husband also kicked it up a notch. Thank you so much for the review, I really appreciate it!! -Stephanie
This was delicious!!!! It was so easy and my 1 year old son ate so much of it!! Thanks for all of your recipes, and I appreciate the nutrition facts. I appreciate this for all creators who add this part. I have loved your website and recently found you.
Thanks so much for your support Courtney, I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes! I love that your 1 year old enjoyed this one! Thanks again!💗
I typically don’t write food reviews, however this one needed to be done. Wow! It was delicious. I had my FIL over for dinner because he has a soup addiction. He had theee bowls and said it was the best enchilada soup he’s ever had. Between my FIL, my son and husband, it was totally wiped out. I chopped up some avocados to put as a garnish with some sour cream. This will definitely be in our rotation. Thank you.
This makes me so happy Jennifer, especially since I’m soup obsessed just like your FIL is! It’s literally my favorite thing to eat, and to cook. I’m so happy everyone enjoyed this one so much. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and review!💖
It was good, very flavorful 🙂
Thanks for a great, quick 1 pot appetizer.
I made your recipe soup for a pot luck event and it was a big hit, the only comments mentioned besides delicious was beans were too soft.
Fyi: The corn and beans were a bit mushy.
It would be nice to mention on the crock pot version not to include the beans and corn until you remove the chicken upfront like right before you say add all remaining ingredients, cause by the time you get to your notes or tips, by then it’s too late, all ingredients have been completely added in.
Otherwise thumbs up!
Hi!! You are absolutely right and it was my oversight for not mentioning that the beans/corn should be added later on with the crock pot version. I appreciate you letting me know- I have updated those instructions! Thank you again, and I’m glad that you were still able to enjoy the soup! ❤️
Great soup. I like to add some garnishes at the end…chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, a squirt of fresh lime, some pickled jalapeños. Whatever I have on hand. Tanks. It’s s a keeper.
Those garnishes at the end are perfect, especially the pickled jalapenos. My husband would love those! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review Colleen!💖
Soup so good good I went three bowls in! Great flavor mix with the cream cheese!! Piece of cake to throw it together in no time! Crowd pleaser for sure! Thank you again for yet another winner winner chicken enchilada dinner🎉✨🍀💐
The pleasure is all mine Bridgette! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💗
I made the soup Sunday night with your HOMEMADE enchilada sauce! I grew up in the Tex-Mex area and this was the best ever soup! Made both exactly as read but SLOW cooked chicken thighs in soup broth. After all ingredients I turned the heat off and waited for hubby to come home to reheat. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
You’re very welcome Barabara! I’m so happy to hear such great comments, especially from someone who grew up in a Tex-Mex area. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖
BEST SOUP EVER!! I’m making this on repeat!
Can I substitute Greek yogurt for the cream cheese? Will that work?
Hi Kristine! I believe that should work, yes!
I have made your Chicken Enchilada Soup, LOVE IT!!!!!! My whole family did. Yum, thank you!!!
Such a victory when the whole family approves, nice work Michele! Thanks so much for the great comments and review💖