Chicken Enchilada Soup (Easy, One-Pot Recipe)

Creamy, One-Pot Comfort Food for Busy Weeknights

This creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is easy, hearty, and made in one pot. Loaded with shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, beans, corn, and cheese. It’s perfect for busy weeknights.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

When I need a cozy dinner that checks all the boxes: easy, filling, and something the whole family will eat, this Chicken Enchilada Soup is what I make. It’s creamy without being heavy, packed with flavor, and comes together in one pot with very little effort. The kind of soup you can throw together on a busy night and still feel like you cooked something special.

This is also one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day, which makes it perfect for leftovers or meal prep.

What Is Chicken Enchilada Soup?

Chicken Enchilada Soup takes all the flavors you love from chicken enchiladas and turns them into a hearty, creamy soup. It’s made with shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, beans, corn, and melted cheese.

How Is It Different From Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Chicken enchilada soup is creamy and rich. Chicken tortilla soup is usually brothy and tomato-based. If a soup has enchilada sauce and cream cheese, you’re firmly in enchilada soup territory.

Pro Tip: If a recipe doesn’t use enchilada sauce, it’s not really chicken enchilada soup.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Enchilada Soup

• One Pot and No Fuss: Everything cooks in a single stockpot. No pre-cooking the chicken and no extra dishes.
• Creamy Without Being Heavy: Cream cheese melts into the broth and gives the soup body. Cheddar adds richness without overpowering everything else.
• Big Flavor With Simple Ingredients: Enchilada sauce and Rotel do most of the heavy lifting here, which means less measuring and more flavor.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Butter – Adds richness and helps build flavor at the start.

• Olive oil – Keeps the butter from burning while sautéing the onion.

• Yellow onion, diced – Creates a flavorful base for the soup.

• Minced garlic – Adds depth and savory flavor.

• Red enchilada sauce – The main flavor booster that gives the soup its signature enchilada taste.

• Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies – Adds acidity, texture, and mild heat.

• Black beans, drained and rinsed – Makes the soup more filling and adds protein and fiber.

• Canned whole kernel corn, drained – Adds sweetness and texture.

• Chili powder – Enhances the enchilada flavor without making it spicy.

• Onion powder – Adds extra savory depth.

• Chicken broth – Forms the base of the soup.

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Cook directly in the soup and shred easily.

• Cream cheese, softened – Creates a creamy, silky texture.

• Shredded cheddar cheese – Adds richness and that classic cheesy finish.

• Tortilla strips, sour cream, and cilantro for serving – Add crunch, creaminess, and freshness.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup

1. Add the butter and olive oil to a large stockpot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
2. Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Pour in the enchilada sauce, Rotel, black beans, corn, chili powder, onion powder, and chicken broth. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let the soup gently boil for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.

4. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese until fully melted, then add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
5. Serve topped with tortilla strips, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.

How Thick Is Chicken Enchilada Soup?

This soup is naturally creamy and spoonable, not overly thick. It will thicken more as it cools.

If you prefer a thicker soup, add a little extra cheese. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of chicken broth.

Favorite Toppings

• Tortilla strips or tortilla chips for crunch

• Sour cream for extra creaminess

• Fresh cilantro for brightness

• Add a dollop of sour cream

• Sliced avocado

• Jalapeños or hot sauce if you want to increase the spice level

• A squeeze of lime juice

• Top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• Add some diced red onions 

Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Make Ahead – This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors have time to blend.
• Storage – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheating – Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring often.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

• Use rotisserie chicken and stir it in after simmering

• Swap chicken breasts for chicken thighs

• Use mild or hot enchilada sauce, depending on your heat preference

• Make it in the slow cooker by cooking on low for 6 to 7 hours, then shredding the chicken and adding the cheeses at the end

• Add in some ancho chiles for more heat

What to Serve With Chicken Enchilada Soup

• Jiffy Mix Jalapeño Cornbread

• A simple green salad

• Quesadillas or grilled cheese for dipping

More Easy Soup Recipes

• Chicken Taco Soup
• Crockpot White Chicken Chili
• Sausage Kale and Potato Soup
• Zuppa Toscano Tortellini Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup

FAQs about Chicken Enchilada Soup

Can you freeze chicken enchilada soup with cream cheese?

You can, but the texture may change slightly when thawed. Stir well while reheating to help bring it back together.

What’s the difference between chicken tortilla soup and chicken enchilada soup?

Chicken enchilada soup is creamy and uses enchilada sauce. Chicken tortilla soup is typically broth based and tomato forward.

Can I use green enchilada sauce instead of red?

Yes. Green enchilada sauce will give the soup a slightly tangier flavor and a lighter color.

An Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup for Busy Nights

This Chicken Enchilada Soup is one of those recipes that earns a permanent spot in the dinner rotation. It’s easy, comforting, and loaded with flavor without a lot of work. Perfect for busy weeknights, leftovers, or feeding a hungry crowd.

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Chicken Enchilada Soup (Easy, One-Pot Recipe)

Melisha Kreppein

This creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is an easy one-pot dinner made with tender shredded chicken, red enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, and plenty of cheese. Comforting, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights or leftovers.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6 servings

Calories 497 kcal

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 10 oz red enchilada sauce
• 10 oz Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
• 15 oz canned whole kernel corn drained
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
• 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 oz cream cheese softened and cubed
• 2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• tortilla strips, sour cream, cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

 

• Add the butter and olive oil to a large stockpot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Pour in the enchilada sauce, Rotel, black beans, corn, chili powder, onion powder, and chicken broth. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let the soup gently boil for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
• Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese until fully melted, then add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
• Serve topped with tortilla strips, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.

Notes

Favorite Toppings

• Tortilla strips or tortilla chips
• Sour cream
• Fresh cilantro
• Sour cream
• Sliced avocado
• Jalapeños or hot sauce
• Lime juice
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Diced red onions 

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 34gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1787mgPotassium: 790mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1118IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 344mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Chicken Enchilada Soup

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