This creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe is made from scratch in the slow cooker, and has the best flavor! It only requires 20 minutes of prep; perfect to make first thing in the morning on a busy weekday!

Looking for more soup recipes? Try my Chicken Noodle Soup, Classic Homemade Chili, or Clam Chowder!

A bowl of chicken enchilada soup, served with sour cream, shredded cheese and chopped avocado on top.

What I love about the recipe:

  • Fresh Ingredients – No canned enchilada sauce, and lots of fresh and tasty ingredients.
  • Easy – Sauté the veggies and sear the chicken first thin in the morning, then throw everything in the crockpot and let it do the work.
  • Pantry Ingredients – No trip to the store– you probably already have everything on hand! You can substitute chicken breasts, if needed (skip the searing part).

How to make Enchilada Soup:

Sauté vegetables in a hot skillet with a little oil. Add them to the slow cooker.

Chopped veggies sautéing in a skillet.

Sear chicken in the same hot skillet, until browned on both sides (add more oil to the pan if needed).

Chicken thighs searing in a skillet.

Add spices, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes to slow cooker.  Add chicken thighs and corn tortillas.

Veggies, broth, chicken thighs and corn tortillas in a slow cooker, ready to cook enchilada soup.

Cook on high for 3, or low for 5-6 hours, and then remove chicken and shred it.

Blend soup broth until it’s smooth.

Enchilada soup broth pureed in a blender, then poured in a slow cooker.

Pour pureed broth back in slow cooker then stir in shredded chicken, green chiles and black beans. Add some cream for creaminess and thickness (if desired).

Homemade chicken enchilada soup ladled into a bowl.

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

Store enchilada soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after making.  Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

To Freeze: Allow soup to cool completely. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw soup in the refrigerator overnight and simmer on the stove until warm, or warm in the microwave.

Variations:

  • Chicken Breasts: although I think chicken thighs cook best in the slow cooker without drying out, you can substitute chicken breasts. They will cook quicker.
  • Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
  • To thicken the soup: The soup should have a slight thickness from the corn tortillas and the cream, but if you want it thicker, you can stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water).
  • Loaded Enchilada Soup: feel free to load this soup with more hearty ingredients, like cooked rice, shredded cheese, corn, and more sautéed veggies.

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Recipe

A bowl of chicken enchilada soup, served with sour cream, shredded cheese and chopped avocado on top.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 4 hours
Total 4 hours 20 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion , chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic , chopped
  • 2 carrots , peeled and chopped
  • 2 ribs celery , chopped
  • 1 bell pepper , chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 4-5 skinless chicken thighs (bone in or boneless)
  • 5-6 6 inch yellow corn tortillas
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
  • 1 can black beans
  • 4 ounce can diced green chiles
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

For topping:

  • green onion , chopped for topping
  • sour cream , for topping
  • shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese , for topping
  • fresh cilantro , for topping
  • avocado , chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. 
  • Once hot, add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and bell pepper and sauté for several minutes until vegetables are tender. 
  • Add to slow cooker, along with chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, and paprika. Stir to combine. Add the chicken broth and diced tomatoes.
  • In the same pan you cooked the chicken, add another drizzle of olive oil over high heat. Sear the chicken for 1-2 minutes on both sides, just until brown. 
  • Add chicken to the slow cooker along with the corn tortillas. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
  • Remove chicken to a plate, shred the meat and remove any bones. 
  • Ladle the soup from the slow cooker into a blender, in batches, and blend until smooth. 
  • Return pureed soup to the slow cooker, along with shredded chicken, black beans, and green chiles. Stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  • Serve topped with green onions, sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro.

Notes

Store enchilada soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after making.  Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
To Freeze: Allow soup to cool completely. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw soup in the refrigerator overnight and simmer on the stove until warm, or warm in the microwave.
Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
Chicken Breasts: although I think chicken thighs cook best in the slow cooker without drying out, you can substitute chicken breasts. They will cook quicker.
To thicken enchilada soup: The soup should have a slight thickness from the corn tortillas and the cream, but if you want it thicker, you can stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water), or mix a spoonful of cornmeal with some of the broth and add to the pot.
Loaded Enchilada Soup: feel free to load this soup with more hearty ingredients, like cooked rice, shredded cheese, corn, or more sautéed veggies.

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 13gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 734mgPotassium: 454mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3370IUVitamin C: 34.4mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 1.4mg

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I originally shared this recipe November 2014. Updated September 2018 and November 2021.

Adapted from Our Best Bites

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. This was fantastic. I followed the directions almost to a tee – it was great. Everyone told me to put this into the rotation. Try it!

  2. 5 stars
    Very yummy and fresh. I used fresh oregano from my garden and served with corn muffins. Definitely a keeper.

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