Description
Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is a cozy, enchilada-inspired bowl with tender shredded chicken, red enchilada sauce, beans, corn, and warm spices in a silky creamy broth. This easy slow cooker soup finishes with cream cheese (or Greek yogurt) plus lime and cilantro for bright flavor. Perfect for meal prep, weeknight dinners, and topping-bar nights with cheese, jalapeños, and tortilla strips.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 20–24 oz red enchilada sauce (mild/medium)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups corn (frozen or canned, drained)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (adjust to sauce)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Optional: 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp adobo sauce or chipotle powder for smoky heat
- Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream/Greek yogurt, sliced jalapeños, tortilla strips, avocado, diced tomatoes
Instructions
- 1. Add enchilada sauce, broth, onion, garlic, green chiles, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, pepper, and salt to the slow cooker; stir well
- 2. Nestle chicken into the soup base, cover, and cook on LOW 6–7 hours or HIGH 3–4 hours until chicken shreds easily
- 3. Remove chicken, shred with forks, and return shredded chicken to the slow cooker
- 4. Turn heat to LOW/WARM and stir in softened cream cheese until fully melted and smooth
- 5. Stir in lime juice and cilantro; taste and adjust salt, spice, and acidity
- 6. If thicker soup is desired, mash some beans against the side or cook uncovered 15–20 minutes on HIGH
- 7. Serve hot with toppings like cheese, jalapeños, tortilla strips, avocado, and sour cream
Notes
- Cream cheese gives stable creaminess and freezes well; add it on LOW/WARM to prevent curdling
- If using Greek yogurt or sour cream, temper it with hot soup before stirring in
- Enchilada sauce salt levels vary—taste at the end before adding more salt
- For smoky heat, add chipotle powder or a little adobo sauce; go slow
- To thicken naturally, mash 1/2 cup beans or blend 1 cup soup and stir back in
- Keep crunchy toppings separate until serving so they stay crisp
- Reheat gently; avoid boiling once dairy is added
- Store up to 4 days; freeze (no toppings) up to 3 months
- Add extra lime after reheating to refresh the flavor
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup, chicken enchilada soup, slow cooker enchilada soup, creamy enchilada soup, shredded chicken soup, enchilada sauce soup, crockpot soup