Chicken Enchilada Soup

Cheesy enchilada soup is cream with a bold south of the border flavor. Make it on top of the stove in less than 30 minutes or toss everything in the slow cooker and let it simmer to perfection while you run errands. It's perfect for busy weeknights - just make a quick salad and set out a bowl of tortilla chips to go with this family-friendly soup!

Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Jump to Recipe

Imagine walking into your kitchen and being greeted by the rich aroma of a hearty, cheesy chicken enchilada soup that has all your favorite Tex-Mex flavors.

This easy-to-make dish is almost a stew and can be on your table in just 20 minutes or left to simmer all day in a slow cooker.

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

🗝️ Key takeaways

• Quickly make this creamy Tex-Mex comfort food on the stovetop or let it simmer in the slow cooker all day to fit your schedule.
• Ideal for busy weeknights or lazy weekends, this soup is a crowd-pleaser.
• Learn techniques to tailor the soup to your taste, from adjusting the spice level to swapping ingredients.

As the weather changes and cools down I start looking for cozy dinner ideas - recipes like this easy, cheesy chicken enchilada soup - to warm my family right down to the center of their souls.

My favorites are dinner recipes that aren't just about feeding the body but that feed the soul with warm, fuzzy memories for years to come. Extra points if they are as quick and easy as this enchilada soup.

Cheesy chicken enchilada soup is a quick and easy dinner idea that the whole family will love. Add a salad and some tortilla chips and you're ready to put dinner on the table.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

📖 Variations

1. If you don't like hominy you can substitute corn.
2. Turkey or pork can be substituted for the chicken.
3. Substitute pinto, cannellini, or ranch-style beans for the black beans.
4. Use Cheddar instead of Pepper Jack cheese.

🍴 Equipment

• slow cooker or stockpot
• chef's knife
• cutting board
• measuring cups and spoons

🎥 Video

🥫 How to store leftovers

💭 Things to know

1. You can dump everything into a slow cooker and just slow cook it for 8 hours -- you don't even need to cook the chicken first!
2. Put a scoop of cooked rice in the center of the bowl before adding the soup.
3. Garnish with Cojita cheese.
4. Top with crumbled tortilla chips.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!

📚 Related recipes

🍽️ Serve with...

Whole wheat beer bread is a hearty addition to this simple meal. It's no-knead so it's super easy.

Honeydew salsa is crisp and refreshing - perfect with tortilla chips. It's a great addition to the creamy chicken enchilada soup meal.

Try the apple spice bundt cake to end the meal on a sweet note! It's full of apples and spice.

🍽️ Repurpose leftovers

Got leftovers? here are some great ways to use them.

• Nacho Topping: Spoon the soup over a plate of nachos, then add cheese, jalapeños, sour cream, and guacamole.
• Rice Bowl: Serve the soup over a bowl of rice for a hearty and comforting meal.
• Casserole: Combine the soup with cooked pasta or rice, top with cheese, and bake for a comforting casserole.

📞 The last word

Who doesn't love soup? It's one of my favorite quick and easy dinner ideas!

Most soups, like this one, can be on the table in a half hour or less which makes them perfect for busy weeknights. Simple meals give tired moms and dads a little extra downtime AND make it look like you've got it all together with your delicious home-cooked family meals!

We all have those crazy nights when it's too overwhelming to get dinner and you can't emotionally handle another takeout pizza. When that happens, you just pull out this recipe, and you're ready to go.

You can also dump everything into a slow cooker in the morning, run errands while it slow cooks for 8 hours, and come home to a yummy dinner.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Cheesy Enchilada Soup

4.62 from 21 votes

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Cheesy enchilada soup is cream with a bold south of the border flavor. Make it on top of the stove in less than 30 minutes or toss everything in the slow cooker and let it simmer to perfection while you run errands. It's perfect for busy weeknights - just make a quick salad and set out a bowl of tortilla chips to go with this family-friendly soup!

Course Main Dish (Quick and Easy)

Cuisine Tex-Mex

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings:6 servings

Calories:457

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

Soup

• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock
• ▢ 1 pound chicken breast
• ▢ 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup
• ▢ 1-½ cups enchilada sauce
• ▢ 2 cups milk
• ▢ 15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 25 ounces white hominy, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ ¼ cup cilantro , chopped
• ▢ 2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Toppings

• ▢ Avocado, diced
• ▢ Onion, Chopped,
• ▢ Sour cream
• ▢ Cilantro, chopped
• ▢ Tortilla chips, crushed
• ▢ Tomato diced
• ▢ Cheese, shredded
• ▢ Lime

Instructions

• Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.
• Saute chicken in a little oil until it just starts to color - about 5 minutes.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is well blended, about 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
• Serve with one or more of your favorite toppings.

Notes

 

Make this even quicker  by using a rotisserie chicken from the deli. Toppings are not added into the nutritional information.

Make in a Slow Cooker

To make this creamy chicken soup in a slow cooker -

1. Cut the raw chicken breast into chunks if desired. You can also put them in whole and shred before serving, it depends on the texture you like.
2. Add the remaining ingredients.
3. Stir
4. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until chicken is done.

Make in an Instant Pot

I think it's easier to make this on the stove or in the slow cooker - you're not saving any time using the Instant Pot. Saying that - here's how to do it if you want to.

1. Put the broth and enchilada sauce in the Instant Pot.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except the milk.
3. Stir well.
4. Put the lid on and seal.
5. Hit the soup button and set cook time to 25 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off immediately release the pressure bu turning the knob to venting.
7. When the pressure has fully release remove the lid carefully.
8. Remove the chicken and chop or shred.
9. Return the chicken to the pot.
10. Add enough milk to thin the soup as much as you like.
11. Set to saute for a couple of minutes to heat through.

 

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1409mg | Potassium: 694mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 755IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 416mg | Iron: 3.2mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

First published September 27, 2017. Last updated August 5, 2024 to improve readability and add helpful tips and information.