This Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup is the perfect blend of comfort and spice, made with simple pantry staples. Juicy shredded chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, and peppers come together in a velvety broth infused with smoky Mexican spices. This soup delivers all the flavors of classic enchiladas in one easy, one-pot recipe.
Why You’ll Love My Chicken Enchilada Soup
If you love the bold flavors of enchiladas but crave something warm and cozy, this Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup is the perfect dish!
If you’ve made my Mexican shredded chicken for tacos, burritos, or enchiladas, this soup perfectly transforms those leftovers into something new and exciting. The seasoned chicken blends beautifully into the creamy, cheesy broth, soaking up even more flavor from the fire-roasted tomatoes, jalapenos, and smoky spices. Instead of letting leftovers sit in the fridge, this soup gives them a second life in a warm, satisfying dish that’s just as delicious as the original meal—if not better!
Not only is this soup packed with incredible flavor, but it’s also an affordable, fuss-free recipe that comes together in just one pot. Using pantry staples like canned beans and corn, tomatoes, and stock keeps costs low, while leftover chicken means you’re making the most of what you already have.
The result is a creamy, cheesy, and slightly spicy soup that tastes like it’s been simmering all day—but in reality, it’s quick and easy to prepare. Serve it with tortilla chips, avocado, or a dollop of sour cream for the ultimate cozy meal that the whole family will love!
Chicken Enchilada Soup Ingredients
I shared my viral Mexican Pulled Chicken recipe a while back, and y’all went nuts for it. As I mentioned before, I consider that a base recipe. That means I gave you a fantastic recipe that is good on its own, but since then, I’ve given you a bunch of follow-on recipes. Those recipes are where I show you creative and delicious ways to use the base dish! This soup instantly became a family favorite!
- Veggies: onion, jalapeno, fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, and black beans
- Spices
- Enchilada Sauce: I went with homemade red, but you can use canned
- Cheese: cream cheese and shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Liquid: chicken stock and optional heavy cream for a creamier, thicker soup
- Cilantro
How to Make Mexican Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Add the olive oil to a large 7.5 qt Dutch Oven over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the onions and jalapenos. Sauté for ~5-7 minutes or until they begin to soften.
- Add in the seasonings, stirring to combine. You want to stir and cook for 1 minute, stirring. In this stage, you’re “blooming” the spices.
- Add in the fire-roasted tomatoes and enchilada sauce and mix to combine.
- Pour in the chicken stock, beans, and corn, mixing to combine. Gently add the Mexican Shredded Chicken, stir, and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cream cheese, stirring until fully incorporated and melted.
- Add the Mexican cheese and stir. If you desire a creamier consistency, stir in the heavy cream. Cook for 5 minutes, taste for seasoning, and then remove from the heat.
- Add in the cilantro and serve,
How to Serve Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
When Mr. Fantabulous made himself a bowl, he asked if it needed “stuff on top” or if he should eat it. I came into the kitchen and said to top it like he would an Enchilada.
So, out came the following toppings:
- Sliced Avocados
- Sliced Radishes
- Tortilla chips
- Sour Cream
- More Cheese
Now, he also added a tablespoon of Pico de Gallo to his.
How to Store Cheesy Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Below, I’ve provided you with three options for storing your soup: storing it in the fridge, freezing it, and reheating it.
Storing Enchilada Soup
Once the soup is cooled, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing Cheesy Enchilada Soup
Since this has cheese, I would advise OMITTING the cream cheese and shredded cheese before freezing. Cheese can separate in the freezer.
Instead, make the soup to the point where you’d add the cheeses and shut it off. This also means not to add the heavy cream. Naturally, taste the soup for seasoning. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Reheating Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Has cheese (and optional cream): Place the soup in a pot and reheat it over low, stirring often to ensure the sauce doesn’t break (since it has cheese).
- From Frozen State: You can take it out the night before and let it thaw in the fridge, or place the frozen soup in a pan over low and let it heat up slowly. Once it is simmering, add the cheeses and mix until incorporated and creamy.
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Add olive oil, jalapenos, and onions to a skillet over medium heat. Saute for 5-6 minutes. Add the spices, stirring, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, stirring and scraping up the bottom of a pan. Turn off the heat.
- Add the pan’s contents, the enchilada sauce, stock, corn, beans, and Mexican Shredded Chicken to a slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover and set it to High for 1.5 hours or low for 3.5 hours.
- After 1.5 or 3.5 hours, add cream cheese and shredded cheese. *If using, add the heavy cream now, too. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes.
Easy Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
This Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup is the perfect blend of comfort and spice, made with simple pantry staples. Juicy shredded chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, and peppers come together in a velvety broth infused with smoky Mexican spices. This soup delivers all the flavors of classic enchiladas in one easy, one-pot recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: ~8 servings
- Category: soup, leftovers, mexican chicken soup, chicken enchiladas, spicy soup, creamy chicken soup
- Method: stove top, slow cooker
- Cuisine: soup, leftovers, mexican chicken soup, chicken enchiladas, spicy soup, creamy chicken soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 16 ounces Enchilada sauce
- 1 15-ounce can corn, drained
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups cooked Mexican Shredded Chicken
- 4 ounces cream cheese, very soft
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream *optional for super creamy
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large 7.5 qt Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the onions and jalapenos. Sauté for ~5-7 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Mix it in and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and Enchilada sauce, mixing to combine.
- Next, pour in the chicken stock, beans, and corn, mixing to combine. Gently add the Mexican Shredded Chicken, stir, and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cream cheese, stirring until fully incorporated and melted.
- Add the Mexican cheese and stir. If you want a creamier consistency, stir in the heavy cream. Cook for 5 minutes, taste for seasoning, and then remove from heat.
- Add in the cilantro and serve.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week.
Notes
Need Slow Cooker instructions? See the post for more details!
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