Enjoy the flavors of your favorite Mexican dish without all of the work in this Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe! A can of enchilada sauce and taco seasoning mix combine with shredded chicken thighs, corn, tomatoes, and black beans for an easy meal the whole family will love. This soup is perfect for freezing and pulling out when you need a quick, warming dinner.
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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.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can see the recipe card below.
- 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 make 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.
- 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.
You can also use a lot of these ingredients to make this Mexican Soup recipe, too!
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup
See the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Sear the chicken. 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, just until it’s lightly browned. The chicken does not need to be cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the hot pot and set it aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the butter to the pot you just cooked the chicken in. Let it melt over medium heat. Then, 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.
- Pour in broth and seasonings. 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.
- Add the chicken back in. Place the cooked chicken thighs back into the pot, using a spoon to push them underneath the liquid so they’re completely submerged.
- Simmer and shred. 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 the soup. Serve with your favorite toppings, like fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocados, and tortilla strips, if desired.
Meal Prep and Storage
- 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.
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.
Yes, you can definitely freeze this soup! It freezes exceptionally well. Just be sure to let it cool completely before moving it to the freezer for the best results. It’s a great freezer meal, especially on busy weeknights.
What to Serve with Chicken Enchilada Soup
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.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
Everyone loves a good chicken soup! Try another easy soup recipe next.
A few of my favorites are Chicken Dumpling Soup, Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Chicken and Vegetable Soup, Green Chili Chicken Soup, and Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
Or, stick with a classic like Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.
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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.
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!