Chicken Enchilada Soup

4.67 from 3 votes

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This easy stovetop chicken enchilada soup has everything you love about chicken enchiladas in soup form! Made with shredded chicken, flavorful spices, black beans, corn, and of course, enchilada sauce! It’s a hearty, one pot, comfort food meal!

If you love chicken enchilada inspired recipes, then give this green chile chicken enchilada skillet a try!

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Chicken enchilada soup in a white bowl with avocado slices and cheese on top.

Why you’ll love it

One pot dinner – This stovetop soup is all made in one pot! Making it easy to cook and even easier to clean up.

Hearty soup – Some soups leave you wanting more after you eat them, but not this enchilada soup! It’s packed full of chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and green chiles.

Freezer friendly – This soup freezes wonderfully. I like to make a pot of it and freeze half for a night when I don’t have time to cook. See below for freezing and reheating instructions.

Comfort food – This soup is like a hug in a bowl on a cold fall or winter night. Nothing warms me up more than a big bowl of this enchilada soup!

Ingredients used to make chicken enchilada soup on a sheet pan.

The ingredients

  • Onion – White or yellow onion can be used.
  • Garlic – I like to grate garlic with a microplane zester so that it melts into the soup.
  • Cilantro – A flavorful (but polarizing) herb used in frequently in southwest and Mexican cooking. Omit if you’re not a fan.
  • Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano – Dried spices that make up the homemade taco seasoning.
  • Black beans – Flavorful and help to bulk up the soup and make it heartier.
  • Fire roasted tomatoes – More flavorful than regular canned diced tomatoes.
  • Corn – Frozen or fresh corn can be used. For extra flavor use frozen fire roasted corn.
  • Green chiles – Canned green chiles are what I use unless fresh fire roasted are in season. Unless you want the soup to be spicy, use mild green chiles.
  • Red enchilada sauce – I like to use either the Hatch or Frontera brands. Mild or medium heat is what I recommend.
  • Chicken broth – I always recommend low sodium broth to prevent the soup from being too salty.
  • Chicken – Cooked and shredded skinless chicken breasts or thighs can be used.
Ladle holding up a scoop of chicken enchilada soup.

How to make chicken enchilada soup

Sauté the onion in a large pot until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and dried spice blend and sauté another minute until fragrant.

Stir in the cilantro and pour in the rinsed and drained can of black beans, green chiles, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and chicken broth.

Bring the soup to a boil then partially cover it with a lid and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes and then stir in the cooked, shredded chicken. Bring the soup back to a boil and then serve with your favorite toppings or any of the suggestions below.

Enchilada soup toppings

I love to serve this soup topped with avocado slices, shredded cheese, and cilantro.

Other toppings that would be delicious are plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, diced tomatoes, black olives, and shredded lettuce.

Variations and substitutions

  • For extra flavor use frozen fire roasted corn.
  • Substitute red enchilada sauce with green enchilada sauce. If you love green chile enchilada sauce I highly recommend making my popular slow cooker creamy green chile chicken enchilada soup.
  • Use pinto beans instead of black beans.
  • Short on time, use rotisserie chicken, but remove the skin.
  • Add some extra carbs to the soup and stir in cooked white or brown rice to each individual serving.
  • Make this enchilada soup vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and using vegetable broth. Bulk up the soup by adding in an additional can of black or pinto beans.
Closeup photo of chicken enchilada soup topped with melted cheese and avocado slices.

How do I make enchilada soup creamy?

If you want to make this chicken enchilada soup creamy, add in 4-8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese. Low fat or full fat can be used. I recommend cutting it into small cubes so it mixes in easier.

Leftovers and storage

The chicken enchilada soup will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can also cool the soup completely and transfer it to a freezer safe container and freezer for a later date. The soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat the soup, either microwave it for 30 second intervals until hot or put it in a saucepan and heat it over medium heat on the stove.

If reheating frozen soup, let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then use either the microwave or stovetop method to reheat it.

Two bowls of chicken enchilada soup with avocado slices and cheese on top.

More soup recipes

Did you make this chicken enchilada soup? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.

Chicken enchilada soup in a white bowl with avocado slices and cheese on top.
4.67 from 3 votes

Chicken Enchilada Soup

By Danae Halliday
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 -6 servings
This easy stovetop chicken enchilada soup has everything you love about chicken enchiladas in soup form!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic grated or minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 14 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 4 oz cans diced green chiles
  • 15 ounce can red enchilada sauce Hatch is what I used
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper, and sauté another minute until fragrant.
  • Stir in the cilantro then add in the black beans, green chiles, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and chicken broth. Stir everything together.
  • Bring the soup to a boil then partially cover it with a lid and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes then stir in the chicken. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve the soup with your favorite enchilada toppings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 39gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 1291mgFiber: 11gSugar: 13g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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1 Comment

  1. Barbara Melillo says:

    Nice site