Nothing beats the cozy comfort of a bowl full of warmth and flavor, especially when it’s packed with layers of smoky, creamy goodness. That’s exactly why my Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe is a go-to whenever I want something soul-satisfying yet easy to whip up in no time.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This soup has a way of turning any ordinary night into a delicious experience. The blend of fire-roasted tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and creamy cheese creates a luscious texture and bold flavor profile that always impresses everyone at my table.
- Speedy prep: You can have this ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- One-pot wonder: It’s all made in one pot, which means minimal cleanup after enjoying your meal.
- Customizable heat: You control the spice level easily by adjusting chili flakes and powder.
- Freezer-friendly: It stores and reheats beautifully, great for meal planning or leftovers.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic of this Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe comes from ingredients that balance smokiness, creaminess, and hearty textures. Fresh veggies, flavorful spices, and cream cheese all bring something special to the bowl.
- Olive oil: A healthy fat that helps soften veggies and develop flavor early on.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and depth when sautéed until translucent.
- Red bell pepper: Adds subtle sweetness and a pop of color.
- Garlic: Infuses the soup with classic aromatic warmth.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies: These bring a smoky heat and tang that’s essential for enchilada flavor.
- Enchilada sauce: Concentrates that signature enchilada taste right into the soup.
- Chicken stock or broth: Forms the savory base and keeps the soup rich.
- Black beans: A hearty addition providing fiber and texture.
- Corn: Adds sweetness and a pleasant bite—frozen or canned both work fine.
- Cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken is my shortcut for juicy, tender meat that saves time.
- Spices (cumin, chili powder, oregano, red chili flakes, black pepper, salt): These create a balanced, warm, and slightly spicy profile.
- Cream cheese: The secret to that ultra creamy finish that holds everything together.
Make It Your Way
I love experimenting with this soup depending on what I have on hand or how spicy I’m feeling. You should feel free to tweak the ingredients to make it your own—that’s half the fun!
- Variation: For a vegetarian twist, swap the chicken for extra beans and corn, and use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. It’s just as comforting!
- Spice level: If you want to mellow things out, leave out the red chili flakes and use mild enchilada sauce—perfect if you have kids around.
- Extra creaminess: Go ahead and use a full 8 ounces of cream cheese for an ultra rich texture that feels indulgent.
- Make it smoky: Try adding a splash of chipotle in adobo sauce or smoked paprika to take that smoky enchilada flavor up a notch.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
Step 1: Sauté the Veggies
First, heat up that olive oil in your big pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the finely chopped onion and red bell pepper, stirring occasionally until they soften—usually about 5 minutes. You’ll start to smell those sweet, roasted aromas filling your kitchen, which always makes me eager for the next step. Then add the minced garlic and keep sautéing for another couple of minutes. Just be careful not to let it burn—stir often!
Step 2: Build the Soup Base
Now it’s time for the star ingredients: pour in those fire-roasted diced tomatoes right with their juices, add the enchilada sauce, chicken stock, black beans, and corn. Stir everything together, then toss in your shredded chicken and spices—cumin, chili powder, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir to combine all the bold flavors.
Step 3: Simmer to Perfection
Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer uncovered for about 15 to 30 minutes. This slow bubbling lets the flavors marry and the soup thicken beautifully. If you’re busy, 15 minutes works fine, but I like to let it go the full 30 if I have time—it makes the flavor deeper and the texture richer.
Step 4: Make it Creamy
Here’s the game changer—stir in the softened cream cheese. I usually warm it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to help it melt smoothly into the soup. Keep stirring over low heat for about 5 minutes until the soup is creamy and luscious. This final step transforms it into that comforting, silky bowl you’ll savor.
Top Tip
I've found a few little tweaks that really boost this Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe to the next level—trust me, they make a difference!
- Warm the cream cheese: Don’t skip warming it up a bit—it makes blending into the soup silky smooth without little lumps.
- Use rotisserie chicken: It saves time and adds juicy, flavorful chicken with minimal prep.
- Adjust thickness with broth: If your soup gets too thick, just stir in an extra cup or two of chicken stock until it’s exactly how you like it.
- Don’t rush the simmer: Letting the soup simmer longer really deepens the flavor and lets the spices shine.
How to Serve Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
Garnishes
I’m a huge fan of adding shredded cheese and dollops of sour cream right on top—it’s like the final cozy hug your bowl needs. Fresh cilantro and sliced jalapeños add brightness and a little extra punch. When I’m feeling fancy, I toss on crunchy tortilla strips or a squeeze of lime juice for that zesty lift.
Side Dishes
Serve this soup alongside some warm cornbread or simple tortilla chips for dipping. A fresh salad or even a Mexican street corn salad works nicely if you want to round out your meal without too much fuss.
Creative Ways to Present
For gatherings, I like to bring out mini bowls with an array of toppings so everyone can customize their own soup. Serving it in small hollowed-out bell peppers or avocado halves makes a fun, colorful presentation too—guaranteed to impress your guests!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and it’s good for about four days. It thickens in the fridge, so I usually add a splash of broth when reheating to bring it back to that perfect creamy consistency.
Freezing
This soup freezes wonderfully. Just portion it into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove with a bit of broth to loosen it up.
Reheating
To reheat, I prefer gently warming it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If using a microwave, add a splash of broth, cover loosely, and heat in short bursts, stirring in between to keep it creamy and even.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Substitute the chicken with extra beans or veggies and use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. It still turns out hearty and delicious.
This soup has a mild to medium heat due to the chili flakes and powder, but you can easily reduce the spice by omitting the red chili flakes and using mild enchilada sauce. It’s very flexible to your heat preference.
Yes! Frozen corn works great—just be sure to thaw and drain it well before adding to avoid excess water in the soup.
Using forks to pull apart cooked chicken breasts or thighs works well and gives you nice, bite-sized shreds. Alternatively, a hand mixer on low speed can speed things up and create fluffy shredded chicken quickly.
Final Thoughts
This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe holds a special spot in my kitchen repertoire. It’s one of those dishes I love to make for family or a casual dinner party because it’s easy, full of flavor, and so comforting. I hope you give it a try—you’ll love how it fills your home with amazing smells and your belly with warmth and satisfaction, just like it does for me every time.
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Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is a comforting, flavorful dish packed with shredded chicken, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, beans, corn, and a creamy blend of cream cheese and enchilada sauce. Perfect for a cozy meal, it offers a slight kick of heat, which can be adjusted to your preference. Serve it with your favorite toppings like avocado, shredded cheese, and cilantro for a delicious Mexican-inspired dinner.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, about 1 cup, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tablespoon minced garlic from a jar)
- 2 (14 ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies, not drained, with juices
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can corn, rinsed and drained (if canned) or 1 package frozen corn
- 2 to 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (approximately 2 chicken breasts, 1 to 1 ½ pounds raw)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes (omit or reduce for less spice)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces full-fat or light brick cream cheese, softened and slightly warmed (optional: use full 8 ounces for creamier soup)
Optional Toppings
- Shredded cheese
- Avocado
- Tortilla strips
- Fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeño
- Lime juice
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and red bell pepper, sautéing for about 5 minutes until softened. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add Main Ingredients: Stir in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, enchilada sauce, chicken stock or broth, black beans, corn, shredded cooked chicken, and all the spices including cumin, salt, chili powder, oregano, red chili flakes, and black pepper. Mix well to combine all flavors.
- Simmer Soup: Lower the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. This allows the soup to thicken and the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Incorporate Cream Cheese: After simmering, stir in the softened cream cheese until it melts completely into the soup, creating a rich, creamy texture. Continue cooking uncovered for another 5 minutes.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your favorite optional garnishes such as shredded cheese, avocado slices, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, or a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Slightly warm the cream cheese in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, unwrapped, on a microwave-safe plate to help it mix into the soup more easily.
- Slow Cooker Option: After sautéing onion, bell pepper, and garlic, transfer everything except the cream cheese to a crockpot. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. Stir in cream cheese during the last 20 minutes.
- Instant Pot Option: Use the sauté mode to cook onion and bell pepper until tender, add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add remaining ingredients except cream cheese and cook on manual for 20 minutes. Perform a slow steam release, then stir in cream cheese until melted.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on stovetop or microwave.
- If sensitive to spice, omit red chili flakes and reduce chili powder to 1 teaspoon or use regular diced tomatoes without green chilies.
- For thinner soup consistency, add 1 to 2 cups more broth as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
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