Chicken Enchilada Soup, an easy meal with a twist!

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, September 6, 2022

It’s finally starting to cool down in New Iberia, with high temperatures in the 80s instead of the 90s and next week into the mid-70s. That means we’re ready to bundle up in a sweater, and enjoy a big bowl of soup for dinner. Especially, easy and delicious soup recipes like this chicken enchilada soup!

These recipes are not just for anyone feeling cold. Do you have students back to school or kids coming home at all hours after practice from sports or music? Maybe turning to the crock pot with a twist will make it a fun week!

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Add all the ingredients to your crock pot and stir them together to combine. Let it cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F for about 3 to 4 hours on high, or 5 to 6 hours on low.

Shred the chicken with two forks straight in the slow cooker, or remove and shred it on a plate, and return it to the soup.

This crockpot chicken enchilada soup is my kind of recipe, I’ve made it in the and on the stove top. Basically you just throw a few simple ingredients in the and let it cook for a few hours.

Plus every ingredient is literally something you always keep on hand in the pantry.

Whether cooking in the crock pot or on the stove, you’ll add all the ingredients to the and allow them to cook for a few hours. The soup should only need to cook for about 1 hour on the stove top over medium heat, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and shred it up and enjoy with your favorite toppings.

Tips and Tricks:

Add an 8 oz block of cream cheese, cut into small blocks, to the soup for the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, and stir it into the soup to make the soup creamy. Similar to our recipe.

Use rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken breast to speed up the cooking time for this soup, and use up some leftover chicken. The soup will only need about 1 hour in the slow cooker with already cooked shredded chicken.

You can also use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. The thighs will need to cook for about 3 hours on high, or 5 to 6 on low, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F.

Use your favorite red enchilada sauce from the store, or try a green enchilada sauce instead. You can also use a homemade enchilada sauce.

Skip the diced green chilies if you can’t handle any spice, or make sure to get mild diced green chiles.

Add a couple Tablespoons of chili powder or Taco Seasoning to add a little more flavor to the soup if desired.

Add a dash of hot sauce to the soup, or individual servings for a nice kick.

What can I put on top of this chicken enchilada soup?

I love this soup topped with a little shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips. But I also enjoy it with a handful of tortilla chips on the side that I can dip into the soup as I eat it. And it’s one of my husband’s favorite soups as well!

tortilla strips or chips

shredded cheese

sliced avocado or guacamole

fresh cilantro

diced green onions

sour cream

squeeze of lime

What is the difference between chicken enchilada soup and chicken tortilla soup?

These two soups are fairly similar, with a few subtle differences. Chicken tortilla soup usually has a thinner base that is more brothy, and often has hominy mixed in to the soup to give it a slight tortilla flavor in the soup. Where chicken enchilada soup has a thicker base with enchilada sauce in it.

This chicken enchilada soup is so delicious, topped with a dollop of sour cream. It’s got a delicious flavor and is perfect delicious dinner for busy days!

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Slow cooker chicken enchilada soup is packed full of flavor, with hardly any work, its a meal that the whole family loves.

Cook Time: 3 hrs

Total Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts raw and thawed

1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce

1 14 oz can black beans rinsed and drained

1 14 oz can corn drained

1 4-7 oz can diced green chiles

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice*

1 14 oz can chicken broth

1 TBS minced garlic

1 tsp salt

Optional Toppings:

chopped cilantro

tortilla strips

sour cream

shredded cheese

avocado

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 5-6 hours (or until chicken is cooked through)

Use two forks to shred chicken.

Serve hot with toppings, if desired.

Note: I like using fire roasted tomatoes, or diced tomatoes with green chiles (like rotel) for a little more flavor.