One Pot Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

This creamy chicken enchilada soup comes together in one pot and is filled with all the flavors you love from chicken enchiladas – red enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, black beans, and corn – in a hearty comforting soup! Top with crispy tortilla strips, sour cream, and plenty of green onion, and dig in!

Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe

• The best part of this chicken enchilada soup recipe is that it’s all made in one pot. The sauteed onion and garlic are seasoned with cumin and chili powder and then combined with tomato paste. Stir in enchilada sauce Rotel tomatoes, roasted corn, black beans, and chicken breast. Let everything simmer together, shred the chicken, and stir in heavy cream for the most delicious one-pot dinner you’ve ever had!
• Use this recipe as a blueprint and make it your own! This chicken enchilada soup recipe is super versatile so feel free to use it as a “clean out the fridge” recipe and add whatever you’d like! Switch up the veggies, protein, and spices and easily customize it for a delicious dinner your family will love!

Ingredients for Chicken Enchilada Soup

• Onion & Garlic: Yellow onion and minced garlic create the aromatic flavor base for this enchilada soup. You can use white onion in place of the yellow. Try 3/4 of a teaspoon of garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic.
• Spices: Ground cumin and chili powder add a ton of flavor. Use as much or as little as you like. You can also substitute it with taco seasoning!
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds a delicious depth of flavor and gives it a “cooked all day” flavor in just minutes. If you don’t have any on hand, you can omit it.
• Rotel Tomatoes: Rotel tomatoes are canned diced tomatoes with green chilies and spices mixed right in. You can substitute with fire-roasted diced tomatoes and canned green chilies along with a few extra pinches of cumin and chili powder.
• Red Enchilada Sauce: I love the flavor that enchilada sauce adds to this soup. Feel free to use green enchilada sauce in place of the red if you prefer.
• Black Beans: You can use black beans or pinto beans for this soup.
• Corn: Canned corn, frozen corn, or fresh corn from the cob will all work well for this recipe.
• Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best for this recipe but you can also use chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well. If you use chicken tenders or cut the chicken breasts into smaller pieces, the chicken will cook more quickly which can save you a few minutes in the kitchen! Rotisserie chicken is another great option in place of the raw chicken.
• V8 or Vegetable Juice: I love to use V8 for this recipe but any type of tomato-based vegetable juice would work. The V8 creates a more robust flavor base for the enchilada soup and a creamy texture when combined with the heavy cream.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream (AKA whipping cream) is what makes this creamy enchilada soup so deliciously creamy! If you want a lighter soup, feel free to omit it but it adds a really delicious richness that makes the soup extra cozy. You can substitute half and half but the consistency will be thinner.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently for about 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and tomato paste, and cook, stirring frequently for another minute.

Add 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, and 1 can Rotel tomatoes.

Add a 28-ounce can of enchilada sauce and 2 cups V8 (vegetable juice) along with a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Nestle 1 pound chicken breast into the pot.

Simmer, covered, for about 25-30 minutes and shred the chicken. Stir in heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garnish with tortilla strips, sour cream, cilantro, and green onion. Enjoy!

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup in the Crock Pot

• This soup works well in the crock pot or slow cooker too!
• Combine all ingredients, except heavy cream in a large slow cooker.
• Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
• Shred chicken with two forks. Stir in heavy cream.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best One-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

• Season liberally! There are some flavor-forward spices in this recipe, but it’s also got some pretty simple, fresh ingredients. Adding a moderate amount of salt and pepper each time you add a new ingredient is going to go a long way in boosting the overall flavors of the soup.
• Cut the chicken into smaller pieces if you’re in a hurry. Smaller pieces of chicken will cook through in about 15-20 minutes and can be easier to shred as well.
• If you’re not sure if the chicken is cooked through, carefully use tongs to squeeze each chicken breast. If it starts to shred and fall apart, you’ll know that the chicken is cooked through. It may take more or less time depending on what type of pot you use. I like to use my large Dutch oven for this recipe and it usually takes about 27-28 minutes for the chicken breasts to be fully cooked through depending on how large they are.
• Don’t overcook the chicken! Check the chicken after about 20 minutes to see if it’s cooked through and then every few minutes after that until it shreds easily with two forks.
• You can also use rotisserie chicken in place of the raw chicken breast in this recipe. Because a lot of the cooking time for this recipe is braising the chicken, using rotisserie chicken is my favorite time-saving hack when I don’t have much time on a busy weeknight. I’d recommend using 2-3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken in place of the raw chicken breast.
• To stretch this soup a bit further, add 2 cups of chicken broth. This will yield a thinner consistency of soup but it will still be delicious!

Variations

• Use beef instead of chicken. After sauteing the onion, garlic, spices, and tomato paste, add raw ground beef to the pot. Brown the beef, crumbling it with a spatula until it’s cooked through. Then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stir in heavy cream and enjoy!
• Spice it up. Try adding 1-3 teaspoons of diced chilies in adobo for a delicious smoky, spicy flavor! 1 teaspoon will add just a hint of heat and smoke while 3 teaspoons is going to be a more pronounced spicy smokiness. Adjust according to your family’s taste. You can also add a couple pinches of cayenne pepper.
• Make it vegetarian. I love the added protein of chicken but I’m a real sucker for a hearty vegetarian soup as well. If you want to keep this enchilada soup meat-free, add 1 cup of uncooked split red lentils in place of the chicken. This will cut down on the cooking time considerably as the lentils will cook through in about 10-15 minutes or so. Follow the recipe instructions as written but replace the chicken with split red lentils and just simmer until lentils are cooked through before stirring in the heavy cream.

FAQ

What is enchilada soup made of?

This creamy enchilada soup is made with sauteed onion and garlic combined with cumin, chili powder, and tomato paste. Add enchilada sauce, roasted corn, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, and chicken breast. Simmer it all together until the chicken shreds easily then stir in heavy cream and enjoy! This soup is simple, delicious, and easy to make!

How do you thicken enchilada soup?

Cooking the chicken breast in the soup and then shredding it will help soak up lots of the cooking liquid resulting in a thicker texture. The heavy cream in this recipe is also going to thicken the soup as well. If you want a super thick and creamy chicken enchilada soup, you can stir in a cornstarch slurry towards the end of the cooking process. Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon cold water and stir into the soup during the last few minutes of simmering. This will thicken the soup as it simmers.

Making Enchilada Soup Ahead of Time

This enchilada soup is the perfect make-ahead meal! Prep a batch over the weekend and then reheat throughout the week for easy lunches or dinners. The flavors of this soup just get better with time!

Storing Leftover Chicken Enchilada Soup

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Freezing Enchilada Soup

Freeze enchilada soup in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating Leftover Chicken Enchilada Soup

Reheat leftover enchilada soup in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. You can also microwave it in 30-60 second increments until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Try these easy soups next!

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