Description
This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is a comforting and flavorful Tex-Mex dish made with tender shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and green chiles simmered in a rich and creamy broth featuring red enchilada sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes. Finished with cream cheese, heavy cream, and shredded cheddar, it’s a quick and hearty meal perfect for chilly nights.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 small red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Spices
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Liquids & Sauces
- 4 cups chicken broth (950 ml)
- 10 oz red enchilada sauce (300 ml, canned)
Vegetables & Beans
- 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)
Protein & Dairy
- 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 aromatics: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper, cooking for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano, cooking for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add liquids and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth, red enchilada sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and diced green chiles. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Incorporate beans, corn, and chicken: Stir in the drained black beans, corn, and shredded cooked chicken. Allow the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavors can meld together.
- Add creaminess: Reduce heat to low. Add the softened cream cheese and heavy cream, whisking continuously until the cream cheese is fully melted and the soup becomes creamy.
- Melt cheese and season: Stir in the shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese until melted evenly into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips or crushed chips, lime wedges, and jalapeños or chilies as desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- This recipe is ideal for a quick weeknight meal, providing restaurant-quality Tex-Mex comfort food in just 30 minutes using one pot.
- Rotisserie chicken makes for an easy and flavorful shortcut for shredded chicken.
- You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream for a lighter version.
- The soup can be adapted for slow cooker or Instant Pot methods for convenience.
- Adjust spice level by adding more or fewer jalapeños or chili powder according to your preference.
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
