Chicken Enchilada Soup

Prepare this creamy, easy chicken enchilada soup in the Crock Pot or on the stovetop!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword chicken enchilada soup, creamy chicken enchilada soup, crock pot chicken enchilada soup, easy chicken enchilada soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings cups

Calories 328kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

4 cups chicken broth (use low-sodium broth or homemade broth if you want to control the salt in the finished dish)
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breast
2 cups frozen corn
1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup total)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and diced into small cubes
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup grated cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
Optional garnish for serving: crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips, additional shredded cheese, sliced green onions, lime wedges, lime juice, cilantro, sliced avocado, diced red onion, sour cream

Combine chicken broth, chicken, corn, onion, diced tomatoes, black beans, green chilies, enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, cumin, and garlic powder in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
Remove the chicken and shred with two forks or chop. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and give everything a good stir. Add the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and cheddar cheese to the slow cooker; stir, cover, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese melts smoothly into the broth.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with optional toppings.

Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook, stirring regularly, just until chicken is browned (it doesn’t need to be cooked through).
Add the chicken broth, corn, onion, diced tomatoes, black beans, green chilies, enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, cumin, and garlic powder to the pot with the chicken. Stir well.
Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce heat to a low simmer. Let soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and cheddar cheese. Stir or whisk until the cheese melts smoothly into the broth. Ladle into bowls and garnish with optional toppings.

- I use a mild enchilada sauce so that the soup isn't too spicy, but any variety will work.

- All slow cookers run on slightly different temperatures, so the total time required will vary. My Crock Pot tends to cook dishes pretty quickly, so my soup is always done after 2-3 hours on HIGH. Just keep an eye on your chicken the first time that you prepare the dish, and get to know your individual slow cooker.

- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature and dice into cubes before stirring it into the pot. This will help the cheese melt smoothly into the broth, giving the dish a delicious creamy texture.

- Use blocks of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese that you grate by hand for the smoothest texture.

- We prefer chicken thighs over white meat chicken breasts, since the dark meat thighs stay juicier, more tender, and more flavorful over the long cooking time.