Description
This creamy chicken enchilada soup is a comforting, flavorful dish packed with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and a blend of Mexican-inspired spices. Richened with cream cheese, it delivers a velvety texture and can be customized with various toppings like avocado, shredded cheese, and lime juice. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal or a warming lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, about 1 cup, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, or 1 tablespoon, minced (1 1/2 teaspoons if using minced garlic from a jar)
- 2 (14 ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies, not drained, with juices
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can corn (or 1 package of frozen corn), rinsed and drained, if canned
- 2 to 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken works great, approximately 2 chicken breasts (1 to 1 1/2 pounds raw)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, omit or reduce for less spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces full-fat or light brick cream cheese, softened and slightly warmed (optional: use full 8 ounces for creamier soup)
Optional Toppings
- Shredded cheese
- Avocado
- Tortilla strips
- Fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeño
- Lime juice
Instructions
- Heat the oil and sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and red bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer: Stir in fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies (including juices), enchilada sauce, chicken stock or broth, rinsed black beans, corn, shredded cooked chicken, ground cumin, salt, chili powder, dried oregano, red chili flakes, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Simmer the soup: Lower heat to medium-low and simmer the soup uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens and flavors meld together.
- Incorporate cream cheese: Stir in softened cream cheese until fully melted and well combined. Cook uncovered for an additional 5 minutes to enrich the soup.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and serve with your choice of optional toppings such as shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, sour cream, sliced jalapeño, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- Slightly warm the cream cheese in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, unwrapped, on a microwave-safe plate to ease mixing into the soup.
- For slow cooker: After sautéing the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, add all ingredients except cream cheese into the crockpot. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Stir in cream cheese in the last 20 minutes.
- For Instant Pot: Using sauté mode, cook olive oil, onions, and peppers until tender. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add remaining ingredients except cream cheese. Cook on manual for 20 minutes, then do a slow release. Stir in cream cheese until melted.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on stovetop or microwave.
- If you prefer less spice, omit red chili flakes and reduce chili powder to 1 teaspoon. You can also use regular diced tomatoes without green chilies.
- If a thinner soup is desired, add 1 to 2 cups more broth or stock to adjust consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
