Description
Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is a flavorful and comforting Tex-Mex dish combining tender shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and green chiles simmered in rich enchilada sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes. Finished with cream cheese, heavy cream, and shredded cheddar cheese, this one-pot soup is perfect for a quick weeknight meal and can be customized with various toppings like avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 small red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken broth (950 ml)
- 10 oz red enchilada sauce (300 ml) canned
- 14.5 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes (430 g) canned
- 4 oz diced green chiles (118 g) canned
- 15 oz black beans (450 g) canned, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups frozen or canned corn (drained)
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works well)
- 4 oz cream cheese (118 g) softened and cubed
- 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml) or half-and-half
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
Toppings
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced avocado
- Sour cream
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
- Lime wedges
- Canned or fresh jalapeños or chilies
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables and spices: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell pepper and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add liquids and simmer: Pour in chicken broth, red enchilada sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and diced green chiles. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add beans, corn, and chicken: Stir in black beans, corn, and shredded cooked chicken. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
- Add cream and cheese: Reduce heat to low. Add softened cream cheese and heavy cream, whisking until the cream cheese is fully melted and the soup becomes creamy. Then stir in shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese continuously until melted smoothly into the soup.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with your choice of toppings such as chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips, lime wedges, and jalapeños.
Notes
- This soup is a quick, one-pot meal perfect for weeknights, ready in about 30 minutes.
- Rotisserie chicken can be used for convenience, or cook your own shredded chicken ahead of time.
- You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream for a lighter option.
- Use canned or frozen corn and black beans for ease and to save prep time.
- Toppings are optional but add layers of texture and flavor to the soup.
- This recipe can also be adapted for slow cooker or Instant Pot methods if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 617 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1530 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
