This chicken enchilada soup is cozy in a bowl.
For years, I have made different variations of this Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup, Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup and even this Chicken Taco Soup!
But never did I think to add a can of enchilada sauce along with the other ingredients to make a chicken enchilada soup!
Lemme’ tell you—it’s a game changer! It’s like chicken enchiladas in soup form.
What Makes this Soup a Winner?
If you’ve had enchilada sauce, storebought or homemade (like this red enchilada sauce recipe!), you KNOW that it’s absolutely LOADED with flavor.
So imagine adding a can of that, with some homemade taco seasoning to a pot full of onions, pepper, corn, black beans, and shredded chicken.
Yup, it’s an explosion of flavors! And it couldn’t be easier to make. I’m talking, hands-on time of 20 minutes! It’s perfect for busy school nights and it can easily be meal prepped ahead of time.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Toppings. Don’t forget the shredded cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream, sliced avocado, and homemade tortilla chips when enjoying a bowl of this dish.
- Chicken. For the most flavor, stick with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Of course, you can opt for chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Enchilada Sauce. You can make your own red enchilada sauce at home, or buy a jar of red or green enchilada sauce at the store.
- Vegetables. A flavorful combination of diced sweet onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño makes up the base of this soup. You’ll also want a can of diced tomatoes and a can of sweet kernel corn.
- Black beans. Grab a can of low-sodium, plain black beans at the grocery store. Be sure to rinse and drain them first.
- Seasonings. Whip up your own taco seasoning, or grab a jar at the store. You’ll also need salt and black pepper, along with coriander.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Cook the chicken and veggies.
First, add some oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Spread the chicken in a single layer and sprinkle ½-teaspoon salt and ¼-teaspoon black pepper over each piece. Cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the hot pot and set it aside.
Melt the butter to the pot you just cooked the chicken in. Stir the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper. Sauté the veggies for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.
Make the base, then add the chicken.
Carefully pour the broth, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, and sweet corn into the pot with the veggies. Give everything a good stir. Then, mix in the taco seasoning, sweetener, coriander, 1-teaspoon salt, and ½-teaspoon black pepper.
Place the cooked chicken thighs back into the pot, using a spoon to push them underneath the liquid so they’re completely submerged.
Simmer, shred, and serve.
Turn the heat to high and let the soup come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and place the lid on the pot. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks on a cutting board. Then, stir the chicken back into the soup along with the fresh lime juice.
Serve with your favorite toppings, like fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocados, and tortilla strips, if desired.
FAQs
If your soup is too runny, learn how to make a slurry to thicken it up. A quick mix of cornstarch and milk or water added to the hot soup will create a rich and creamy texture.
Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. To freeze, refrigerate it for at least 8 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3–4 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop for best results, or microwave if you’re short on time.
Yes! This soup keeps really well, so you can make it completely ahead and store it in the fridge for 3–4 days.
What to serve with it?
If you’re looking for a satisfying and tasty meal, be sure to include these sides with this soup.
You can’t go wrong with Homemade Tortilla Chips. Of course, Homemade Guacamole, Roasted Salsa, and Pico de Gallo are crowd-pleasers, as well.
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Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 2-3 jalapeños seeded and finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can corn drained
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime, optional
For Serving (optional)
- shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh cilantro finely chopped
- sour cream
- Avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced
- Tortilla chips crushed
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken all over with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Heat avocado oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden. Flip and cook 3-4 more minutes. (It does not need to be cooked through.) Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the butter to the pot. Once the butter melts, add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeños and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 small sweet onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2-3 jalapeños, 4 garlic cloves
- Pour in the chicken broth, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, and corn. Add the taco seasoning, sugar, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add the seared chicken thighs and make sure they are completely immersed in the liquid.4 cups chicken broth, 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce, 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, 1 (15.25-ounce) can corn, 3 tablespoons taco seasoning, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred using two forks on. Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the lime juice.1 tablespoon lime juice
- Serve the soup with a sprinkle of cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced avocados and/or crushed tortilla chips, if desired.shredded cheddar cheese, Fresh cilantro, sour cream, Avocado, Tortilla chips
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Notes
- Spices: This recipe was written using a homemade taco seasoning which included salt and black pepper. If your packet does not contain salt (sodium) then you’ll want to add additional salt to taste.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is calculated without any toppings.
- Prep-Ahead: This soup will last for a couple of days in the fridge, so you can easily make it completely ahead of time.
- Storage: Let the leftover soup cool completely, then place in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Freezing: After the soup has cooled for at least 8 hours in the fridge, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3-4 months.
- Reheating: For the best results, warm the soup back up in a pot on the stove. You can also use the microwave if you’re in a hurry.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
Everyone loves a good chicken soup! Try another easy soup recipe next.
Excellent soup, very easy to make. Followed the recipe exactly. Just added a few seeds from the jalapeños for some extra spice. Will definitely make this again!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Karen! I love that you can easily adjust the spice. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!