Hearty, cheesy chicken enchilada soup has all of your favorite Tex-Mex flavors in an easy to make dish that's almost a stew! This quick dinner idea can be made on top of the stove in about 20 minutes or in the slow cooker where it can simmer all day long. Imagine what your kitchen will smell like when you walk in the door!
Try this creamy potato soup, too!
Find more quick and easy soups in the soup category!
For this recipe you'll need: chicken stock, chicken breast, cream of chicken soup, enchilada sauce, milk, black beans or pinto beans, white hominy, cumin, cilantro, Pepper Jack cheese, optional garnishes
Cozy Family Dinners at Home
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 feed the soul with warm, fuzzy memories for years to come. Extra points if they are as quick and easy as this enchilada soup.
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 and just slow cook it for 8 hours -- you don't even need to cook the chicken first if you're going to use the slow cooker.
🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
Chicken Enchilada Soup Tips
- 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!
- If you don't like hominy you can substitute corn.
- Turkey or pork can be substituted for the chicken.
- Make it even faster by picking up a rotisserie chicken and using the meat from that.
- Put a scoop of cooked rice in the center of the bowl before adding the soup.
- Substitute pinto, cannellini, or Ranch style beans for the black beans.
- Use Cheddar instead of Pepper Jack cheese.
- Garnish with Cojita cheese.
- Top with crumbled tortilla chips.
- Try serving it with this easy whole wheat beer bread!
Enchilada Soup Instructions for a Slow Cooker or Instapot
You can easily make this cheesy chicken enchilada soup recipe in a slow cooker or instant pot if you wish.
In a Slow Cooker
To make this creamy soup in a slow cooker -
- 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.
- Add the remaining ingredients.
- Stir
- Cook on low for 8 hours, or until chicken is done.
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.
- Put the broth and enchilada sauce in the Instant Pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the milk.
- Stir well.
- Put the lid on and seal.
- Hit the soup button and set cook time to 25 minutes.
- When the timer goes off immediately release the pressure bu turning the knob to venting.
- When the pressure has fully release remove the lid carefully.
- Remove the chicken and chop or shred.
- Return the chicken to the pot.
- Add enough milk to thin the soup as much as you like.
- Set to saute for a couple of minutes to heat through.
More Quick Dinner Ideas
I like to have the ingredients for a couple of easy recipes like this enchilada soup recipe on hand so that when I do have a day that's insane... or more insane than usual... I can throw something on the table quickly.
Here are a few of my favorite quick dinner ideas-
- Smoked Sausage Shepherd's Pie is a cheesy twist on the classic! Sausage, peppers, onions, and green beans are smothered in a cheese sauce and topped with a thick crust of mashed potatoes.
- Chicken Alfredo Ravioli is just right when I'm looking for a quick weeknight dinner idea! It takes about 30 minutes if you’re cooking the chicken OR only about 15 minutes if you’re using cooked, leftover chicken. Creamy and satisfying.
- Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet is a great weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Similar to the boxed “Helper” dinners, this homemade cheeseburger casserole is quick comfort food in every gooey bite.
- Frito Pie is a classic Texas recipe that’s found at nearly every high football concession stand as well as in many high end restaurants. It’s quick and easy, has many variations, and is addictively good. This is the original Frito Pie recipe, created by the wife of one of the Fritos executives in the 1950s. Plain, simple, and delicious!
- Tuna Tacos are quick enough for lunch or busy weeknight dinner but yummy enough that you’ll want to make them often! Big chunks of albacore tuna are tossed in lime juice and cilantro, then added to a warm, soft corn tortilla. Tangy cumin cream, salty Cojita cheese, and crunchy red cabbage add to the color and flavor of this dish.
[clickToTweet tweet="Making this tonight! Creamy chicken enchilada soup in 20 minutes! #comfortfood" quote="Making this tonight! Creamy chicken enchilada soup in 20 minutes! #comfortfood"]
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If you love Mexican food but you’re pressed for time you are going to love my Mexican Slow Cooker cookbook! Published by Rockridge Press in 2015 – 145 reviews averaging 4 ½ stars out of 5.
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
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.
Like this recipe? Please leave a comment and filling in the star rating in the comments below. 🙂 Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest!
Quick and Cheesy Enchilada Soup
Equipment Needed
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 in a Slow Cooker
To make this creamy chicken soup in a slow cooker -- 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.
- Add the remaining ingredients.
- Stir
- 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.- Put the broth and enchilada sauce in the Instant Pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the milk.
- Stir well.
- Put the lid on and seal.
- Hit the soup button and set cook time to 25 minutes.
- When the timer goes off immediately release the pressure bu turning the knob to venting.
- When the pressure has fully release remove the lid carefully.
- Remove the chicken and chop or shred.
- Return the chicken to the pot.
- Add enough milk to thin the soup as much as you like.
- Set to saute for a couple of minutes to heat through.
Erin K. Wright
I made this last week, using dried black beans and hominy cooked from scratch, and it was delicious! Shared some with my mom and best friend and they loved it too. So flavorful without being too spicy. Perfect comfort food for these days. Can't wait to make it again!!
Marye
Sounds amazing!
bonnie stone
I am retired from working and 70 years old. I do not have a photo cell phone or instant pot. But, I enjoyed making your enchilada soup the old fashion way. I am a true Texan and now live in New Mexico. It is snowing outside, so I searched for your published recipes. Thanks again.
Marye
I am so glad you did, Bonnie! Welcome!
Laura
Absolutely delicious! I loveeee this soup! And when my husband gets home from work he is going to love it too. I wanted some red onion in it so I tossed some in with it and instead of hominy I chose to put fire roasted corn in. I'm sure it would be amazing without my changes. Thanks for this share.
Marye Audet
I bet the fire roasted corn is amazing!