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Home » Recipes » Cozy Crockpot Soups

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Published: Aug 5, 2024 · Updated: Mar 26, 2025 by Marye

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
Closeup of enchilada soup in a white bowl.
Closeup of enchilada soup in a bowl with a text overlay for Pinterest.

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.

A bowl of chicken enchilada soup with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Table of Contents
  • Perfect comfort food ...
  • 🗝️ Key takeaways
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 📖 Variations
  • 🍴 Equipment
  • 🎥 Video
  • 🥫 How to store leftovers
  • Marye's Tip
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

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

Perfect comfort food ...

5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
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!!
Erin

🗝️ 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.

Labeled ingredients for the chicken enchilada soup recipe.

📖 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.

🤫 Cook's secrets -

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.

🍴 Equipment

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

🎥 Video

🥫 How to store leftovers

Spoonful of chicken enchilada soup full of black beans, tortilla chips, and hominy.

Marye's Tip

Make it even faster by picking up a rotisserie chicken and using the meat from that.

💭 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!

How can I make this soup spicier or milder?

To make it spicier, add more diced green chilies, jalapeños, or a dash of cayenne pepper. For a milder version, reduce or omit these ingredients.

Can I use leftover cooked chicken for this soup?

Yes, leftover cooked chicken works great! Simply shred or dice the cooked chicken and add it to the soup during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking to heat through.

closeup of a bowl of cheesy enchilada soup with fresh green cilantro sprinkled on top

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🍽️ Serve with...

two slices of brown bread with a beer bottle nearby

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


Closeup of the salsa showing the texture and ingredients.

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


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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

Closeup of enchilada soup in a white bowl.

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.

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.62 from 21 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Terri Cogdill says

    October 17, 2024 at 2:20 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious 😋 😋

    Reply
  2. Terri Cogdill says

    October 15, 2024 at 10:29 pm

    5 stars
    A fantastic recipe! Quick and simple to assemble. I used taco seasoning because I had no cumin and substituted corn for the hominy. Our favorite soup recipe! Thank you for sharing. My hubby was wild for this so I am making again for the weekend! Yum 😋 😋

    Reply
  3. Charissa says

    October 03, 2024 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    I never thought to put enchilada sauce in soup. It was great. I didn't use milk but I did use 1/2 can of Refried beans as a thickener. Great recipe

    Reply
  4. Erin K. Wright says

    April 18, 2020 at 7:17 pm

    5 stars
    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!!

    Reply
    • Marye says

      April 19, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      Sounds amazing!

      Reply
  5. bonnie stone says

    January 16, 2020 at 2:15 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Marye says

      January 18, 2020 at 5:35 pm

      I am so glad you did, Bonnie! Welcome!

      Reply
  6. Laura says

    February 26, 2018 at 8:37 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      February 28, 2018 at 9:25 am

      I bet the fire roasted corn is amazing!

      Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

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