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
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 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 1/2 pounds raw)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (omit or reduce for less spice)
- 1/4 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 1/2 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
