Soup with chicken enchiladas
This is one of my favorite soups to cook when it’s cold outside. It’s enjoyable to mix and match different ingredients. I like to add some hot cheese and an extra sprinkle of cayenne to make it spicier, but you may skip the spicy ingredients if you want and keep it mild.
You can make this EASY Chicken Enchilada Soup on the stove or in the Crock Pot. You may use chicken breast, chicken thighs, or leftover chicken with easy pantry items.
Look at the recipe card below this post for the amounts of each item and the full directions.
Note: For crock pot directions, look in the notes area of the recipe card.
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, diced with the seeds taken out
- 10 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 3 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon spicy sauce (optional)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
- 15 ounces black beans, strained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 big boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 2 little ones). If you’re using cooked chicken, check the notes.
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and melted
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese. (You can also use more cheddar.)
Preparation and Cooking Instructions
Get ready: Mix the spices together and set them aside. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge and let it warm up. (See notes for a quick way to do it.) Cut up a block of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese and set it aside.
- Put the butter and olive oil in a big soup pot and cook them over medium heat. Put in the peppers and onions. Let it sit for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and heat for 1 more minute.
- Dry the chicken off and add salt and pepper to both sides. Put it in the soup pot with all the other ingredients, except for the cream cheese and shredded cheese.
- Bring the broth to a moderate boil and let the chicken cook through slowly (a quick boil will make it tough). Around 15 to 20 minutes. Take the chicken out and use two forks to break it apart. Put it back in the soup.
- Turn the heat down to low. Mix in the softened cream cheese until everything is well blended, then add the shredded cheese and toss until it melts.
- Taste and add more spices if you want, then serve!
Additional Tips
- To quickly soften the cream cheese: Put 2 cups of water in the microwave and heat it up. Put the cream cheese cubes in the microwave and shut the door. Give it five minutes to soften.
- If you want things hot, you can add 1/2 cup of Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese or any kind of spicy cheese. (This would take the place of the Monterey jack.)
- Shred cheese from a block; it will melt and taste better than cheese that comes in a packet.
- When you add the cheese, make sure the base isn’t too hot. If it is, the dairy will separate and the consistency will be gritty.
- Cooking the chicken: You can let it simmer on very low heat for a longer time. This helps the soup taste better and the chicken taste better. You may also use chicken thighs with bones in them to make a very tasty broth. Add the black beans and corn to the broth when you take the chicken out to shred it if you plan to boil it for a long time.
- You can alternatively use 2 cups of cooked chicken from a rotisserie or leftovers. You may add it at the same time as the chicken breast in the recipe and let it simmer for 15 minutes so the flavors mix. There’s no need to bring it to a boil.
- You can use an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce instead of enchilada sauce, but I like how enchilada sauce adds more flavor. This soup tastes excellent with my homemade enchilada sauce.
- You may also make my Chicken Tortilla Soup or Chicken Taco Soup, which also contain salsa.
Serving and Storage
Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. (This soup freezes wonderfully!)