Chicken Enchilada Soup
Updated Oct 01, 2024
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This slow cooker chicken enchilada soup is easy to make, packed with hearty, bold Tex-Mex flavors and classic enchilada ingredients, including shredded chicken, corn, black beans, and smoky enchilada sauce. Load up your crockpot in the morning, and come home to a delicious, cozy enchilada soup that’s ready to eat by dinnertime!
Cozy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Prepared in a slow cooker, this easy enchilada soup recipe captures all the flavors of classic chicken enchiladas in a delicious, comforting soup recipe! It has a rich, creamy tomato broth infused with enchilada sauce and Tex-Mex spices, packed with juicy chicken, hearty black beans, and sweet corn.
What I love most, though, is how simple this slow cooker enchilada soup is to make: Toss the ingredients into your slow cooker in the morning, and by dinnertime, this smoky, spicy chicken enchilada soup is ready to serve with chips and guacamole for a fun family meal.
All About This Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
- This enchilada soup is easy to make in the slow cooker, freeing up your day (and hands!). I also include stovetop directions in case you need them.
- Every bowlful packs the rich, familiar flavors of chicken enchiladas with red sauce.
- Shredded cheese and a splash of cream make the zesty broth extra rich.
- Easily adjust the spice level or customize this slow cooker chicken enchilada soup with ingredients like leftover chicken, bell peppers, or fresh tomatoes to make it uniquely yours.
If you love the flavors in this chicken enchilada soup recipe, I think you’ll also like my chicken tortilla soup and taco soup recipes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gather the ingredients below to make this easy slow cooker chicken enchilada soup for dinner tonight. See the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Olive Oil – Or whichever cooking oil you prefer, like butter, vegetable oil, or ghee, used for sautéeing the aromatics before you load the crockpot.
- Onion and Garlic – Any mild cooking onion, or shallot, works. If needed, substitute fresh garlic with garlic powder. ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder is equivalent to one clove of garlic.
- Seasonings – Chili powder, sweet paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and freshly ground pepper. This mix infuses the soup with its distinctive, warm, and Mexican-inspired flavors. You can use taco seasoning or even fajita seasoning as an alternative to the individual spices.
- Red Enchilada Sauce – Key to the classic, smoky, spicy enchilada flavors in this chicken soup recipe. I love to use my 10-minute homemade enchilada sauce, or I’ll pick up a jar from the store in a pinch.
- Corn and Beans – Canned corn kernels and black beans (or red kidney beans), rinsed and drained. You could also use fresh or frozen corn.
- Diced Tomatoes – Plain diced tomatoes work well. For even more flavor, use a can of fire-roasted tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes with green chiles.
- Chicken Broth – You can also use vegetable broth. I opt for low-sodium broth to better control the soup’s overall saltiness.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – Chicken thighs are a great alternative. You could also use a turkey breast, leftover shredded chicken, or make my air fryer rotisserie chicken.
- Bay Leaf – Adds a subtle layer of flavor. If you don’t have any, replace the bay leaf with about one teaspoon of dried thyme or dried oregano.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Provides a creamy, melty texture and rich flavor. Feel free to use Monterey Jack cheese or a shredded Mexican cheese blend instead.
- Heavy Cream – Thickens the soup and makes it extra creamy. Evaporated milk or half-and-half are good substitutes.
Best Enchilada Soup Toppings
Take inspiration from my taco bowls and serve this slow cooker chicken enchilada soup with a variety of topping ideas. Everyone can customize their bowl to their liking!
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced green chiles
- Slices of lime
- Sliced avocados
- Crushed tortilla chips
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Use a rotisserie chicken as a shortcut. Shredded rotisserie chicken makes the prep for this slow cooker soup recipe even quicker. Stir it into the soup towards the end of cooking to warm through. You can do the same with any cooked leftover chicken.
- Thicken the soup. If you prefer a thicker texture, lightly blend the enchilada soup with an immersion blender, or transfer portions to a blender with an open lid and purée for a few seconds. It’s a great way to thicken soup without adding extra ingredients.
- Adjust the spice. Tailor the soup to your taste by adjusting the amount of chili powder or adding diced jalapeños for an extra kick.
- Vegetarian. Swap the chicken for a mix of additional beans, lentils, or cubed tofu to make a vegetarian enchilada soup. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
What to Serve With Chicken Enchilada Soup
Topped with cheese, cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream, this slow cooker chicken enchilada soup is a very tasty, filling meal the whole family loves. Here are more favorite ways to serve it:
- Tex-Mex dishes: Offer a side of warm tamale pie or Southwest egg rolls.
- Bread: Serve with crusty focaccia bread, sweet potato cornbread, or Texas Roadhouse rolls for dunking.
- Appetizers: Enjoy a basket of tortilla chips or wonton chips with salsa, or crumble them over the soup for added crunch.
- Salad: This soup also pairs nicely with a light, fresh green goddess salad.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 19 ounce can of red enchilada sauce
- 15 ounce can of corn, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can of black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup heavy cream, or to taste
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream, for serving
- Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley, for serving
- Sliced lime, for serving
- Other toppings may include sliced avocados and crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Sauté. Heat olive oil in a skillet; add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and season with salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder.
- Deglaze. Pour in 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce; scrape up all the bits at the bottom of the skillet and pour it all into the bowl of your slow cooker.
- Load the slow cooker. Combine the remaining enchilada sauce, corn, beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and bay leaf in the crockpot; stir. Arrange the chicken breasts on top.
- Cook. Cover with a lid and set on LOW for 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. You can also set it on HIGH for 3 hours or until the chicken is done.
- Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred it. Stir it back into the slow cooker.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the cheese and heavy cream. Ladle the chicken enchilada soup into bowls and top with sour cream, cilantro, limes, and cheese before serving.
Notes
- Use leftover shredded chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- If you want a thicker consistency, slightly blend the soup with an immersion blender.
- For stovetop cooking, sauté the onions and garlic in a soup pot. Add the seasonings, then the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, and finish with cheese and heavy cream.
- Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for up to 4 days or freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it over medium heat.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
This soup requires very little prep work. I like to quickly sauté the onions and garlic in a skillet beforehand to release their flavor. If you’re short on time, however, it’s fine to skip that step and add the veggies to the crockpot raw.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions until soft, then add garlic and seasonings, cooking for an additional minute.
- Load the crockpot. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the enchilada sauce, corn, beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf, and chicken, then stir everything together.
- Cook. Set the slow cooker to cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
- Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it, shred it, and return it to the pot.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the shredded cheese and heavy cream just before serving. Ladle the chicken enchilada soup into bowls and top with garnishes or your favorite toppings, such as tortilla strips, cheese, fresh herbs, etc. Enjoy!
Can I Make This On the Stove Instead?
Yes! If you’re without a crockpot or slow cooker, follow these steps to make a stovetop chicken enchilada soup:
- Sauté the onions and garlic in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the seasonings, then the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese and cream).
- Bring to a boil, then simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, and finish with cheese and cream.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. Transfer the cooled enchilada soup to freezer bags and freeze it for 2 to 3 months. To thaw, remove it from the freezer and defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the soup in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat until it’s thoroughly warmed through.
My family LOVES this soup, but I found i had to tweak the measurements in order to have an even broth to filling ratio and to also elevate the flavor. I basically doubled everything except the amount of chicken (bc i use 4 large chicken breasts bc the recipe did not specify how much chicken to use which is weird.. i assume the recipe is only for about a pound of chicken while i use about 2.5-3lbs) and i use 1 +1/2 more the amount corn, and i use 3 cans of tomatoes instead of 2. I also found that if you season/marinate the chicken in the same spices used for the broth…it really elevates the flavor profile of the dish instead of just getting a plain jane chicken taste… i also use half medium half hot enchilada sauce because i believe its not spicy enough for a mexican style dish.
It says to use four boneless skinless chicken breasts but what is that in weight? Just want to make sure I’m using the right amount of chicken
That’s about 1 to 1.5 pounds.
This was amazing. My whole family loved it. It’s been added to my cook book to make in the future. (Also, you can easily omit the cream if your looking for a gluten free, dairy free meal)
That’s great to hear! I’m very happy you and your family loved it! Thank you so much! 🙂
Making this tomorrow during Richmond vas ice storm. Got regular chicken broth not low sodium. Hope that works out ok!
Yes, that will work just fine! I just use low sodium chicken broth because I like to have more control over the amount of sodium I use in my food. 😊
Hope you’ll enjoy the soup!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Can you use frozen chicken breasts?
Yes, that will work.
Fabulous and easy! My family put it on the Top 5 Best ever meals. I did cook chicken breast in Air Fryer for 10 minutes while mixing other ingredients and cooked for 3 hours.
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Well… this was annoyingly delicious. ;’D Every week when it’s my turn to cook, I do meticulous research, spend hours going through recipes and videos, put together a list, spend hours in the kitchen, and without fail half the family complains. It’s a sore subject.
THIS week the person who shopped said they couldn’t find my ingredients. And it was the day-of. So I searched for ingredients I knew we had on-hand, and this is the first recipe that popped up. I made it in one hour, with little-to-no thought.
And my family all said, “This is the best thing you’ve EVER made!!!” And I was like, “No, but, I didn’t research or read all the comments or make things from scratch!” and they all said over and over it was the best thing I’d ever made.
Which… is great. And annoying. ;’D And thank you. And… GAAA!!!#$#@&
That’s wonderful! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I wish more than anything, that when a soup is posted or any meal, that the AMOUNT of the serving was listed. It sure would help, dieting, or not. This is the first time making this soup. I hope mine turns out to be as delicious as everyone states it is. Very simple to make, in the crock pot know. Will update my comment when it’s finished. Thanks.