Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup (Because My First Three Attempts Were… Not Great)
Okay, so this creamy chicken enchilada soup has become my go-to dinner when I’m too tired to think. And honestly? I almost gave up on it after my first disaster back in October. Picture this: me, standing in my kitchen wearing my coffee-stained apron (the lucky one, ironically), staring at what can only be described as watery sadness in a pot.
But here’s the thing… I’m stubborn. Really stubborn.
After burning through like three different recipes that either tasted bland or had the texture of wallpaper paste, I finally figured out the secret. And now my neighbor Sarah literally texts me every Thursday asking if I’m making “that soup again“.
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Why This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Actually Works
Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. Most chicken enchilada soup recipes online are either way too complicated or missing that creamy, restaurant-quality texture we all want. You know that amazing soup you get at Chili’s? Yeah, that’s what we’re going for here.
The game-changer? Cream cheese. Not just heavy cream. Not just regular cheese. CREAM CHEESE. I learned this the hard way when my first attempt—the one I mentioned earlier—came out all separated and gross because I tried to be fancy with some half-and-half situation that did NOT work.
My 11-year-old (the pickiest eater on planet Earth, I swear) actually went back for seconds. That’s when I knew I’d nailed it.
What You’ll Need For This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
The Main Players:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter if you’re feeling fancy)
- 1 small onion, diced (yellow or white, doesn’t matter)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (I use 3 because I’m obsessed with garlic, but the recipe technically says 2)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or use rotisserie chicken and skip half the work)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
- 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
- 1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce (red or green, your choice)
- 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (this is CRUCIAL—leave it out on the counter!)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
Spices That Make It Sing:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Shopping tip: Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese. Just don’t. It has this weird coating that makes the soup grainy. Learned that one the hard way during Attempt #2.
How To Make The Best Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Step 1: Get Your Stuff Ready (Mise en Place, If You’re Fancy)
First things first—take that cream cheese out of the fridge. Like, right now. I’ve tried melting cold cream cheese into hot soup and it turns into lumpy nightmare fuel. Trust me on this one.
If you’re using raw chicken breasts, pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. If you’re smart and grabbed a rotisserie chicken from the store, congratulations! You just saved yourself 20 minutes.
Step 2: Start Building Flavor
Heat your olive oil in a big soup pot (or Dutch oven if you have one) over medium heat. Toss in the diced onion and bell pepper. Let them get soft and happy—takes about 4-5 minutes.
Then add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Your kitchen should smell AMAZING right now. If your smoke alarm goes off, you cooked the garlic too long. Been there.
Step 3: Cook That Chicken (Or Don’t, If You’re Using Rotisserie)
If using raw chicken: Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the pot along with the chicken broth, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and oregano.
Bring everything to a gentle boil—NOT a rapid boil or your chicken will get tough and rubbery. Ask me how I know. Actually, don’t.
Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks (while cursing because it’s hot), and return it to the pot.
If using rotisserie chicken: Just dump everything except the cream cheese and shredded cheddar into the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. SO much easier.
Step 4: Make It Creamy (The Most Important Part)
Reduce the heat to LOW. Like, really low.
Cut your softened cream cheese into cubes and stir it into the soup until it’s completely melted and smooth. This is where the magic happens, folks.
Then add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Finally, pour in the heavy cream and mix well.
Taste it. Adjust the salt and pepper. Taste it again because you deserve it.
Tips From Someone Who’s Made This Way Too Many Times
For Crockpot Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup:
Throw everything except the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and heavy cream into your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Shred the chicken, then stir in the dairy stuff at the end.
I make this version on Sundays when I’m pretending to have my life together.
For Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup:
Sauté the veggies using the sauté function, add everything else except the cream cheese and shredded cheese, pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, natural release for 5 minutes, then stir in the creamy stuff.
Want To Make It Healthier?
Use Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream—I’ve done this when I’m feeling guilty about life choices and it works fine. For a keto chicken enchilada soup or low carb creamy chicken enchilada soup, skip the corn and beans, double the chicken, and add some diced zucchini.
What To Serve With Chicken Enchilada Soup:
- Tortilla chips (for scooping because spoons are overrated)
- Crushed tortilla strips on top for crunch
- Extra shredded cheese (obviously)
- Sour cream, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños—go wild
- Warm cornbread (my personal favorite pairing)
The Verdict On This Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup
This soup has saved my weeknight dinner sanity more times than I can count. It’s done in about 30-40 minutes if you use rotisserie chicken, or under an hour if you’re cooking chicken from scratch.
It freezes surprisingly well too—just leave out the cream and cheese until you reheat it. Otherwise it gets weird and separated when thawed. Another lesson from the School of Kitchen Mistakes.
And here’s something I discovered by accident: if you add a squeeze of lime juice right before serving, it just POPS. Makes everything taste brighter and more authentic.
My husband (who claims he doesn’t like soup) has requested this for his birthday dinner. So yeah, I guess I did something right.
Anyway, give this creamy chicken enchilada soup recipe a try and let me know what you think! Are you team red enchilada sauce or team green? I’m weirdly passionate about red, but Sarah swears by green. It’s becoming a whole thing.
Happy cooking! (And may your cream cheese remember to be room temperature.)
