Cozy Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe for Chilly Days

Creamy chicken enchilada soup revolutionizes ordinary dinner nights into extraordinary culinary adventures.

Southwestern comfort food never tasted so satisfying and rich.

Classic flavors mingle beautifully, creating a hearty meal that feels like a warm embrace.

Bold spices dance through each velvety spoonful, promising a delightful sensory experience.

Packed with tender proteins and robust ingredients, this soup delivers maximum satisfaction in minimal time.

Sophisticated yet approachable, it strikes the perfect balance between homestyle cooking and gourmet preparation.

You’ll appreciate how easily this recipe comes together without compromising on taste or texture.

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Delivers Big Tex-Mex Comfort

• Savor Flavor Explosion: Packed with vibrant spices like cumin, chili powder, and oregano, this soup delivers a robust, authentic Mexican-inspired taste that dances on your taste buds.
• Embrace Creamy Comfort: The hand-blended technique transforms ordinary ingredients into a velvety smooth soup, creating a luxurious texture that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.
• Quick and Nutritious Meal Solution: Ready in under 30 minutes, this one-pot wonder combines protein-rich chicken, hearty beans, and colorful vegetables, making it a perfect weeknight dinner that satisfies both hunger and nutrition needs.
• Customize Your Culinary Adventure: Versatile toppings like avocado, tortilla strips, and cheese allow each person to personalize their bowl, making it fun for family dinners or casual gatherings.

Ingredients to Make a Spicy and Creamy Enchilada Soup

• Butter or Ghee, Avocado Oil: Provides rich flavor and helps sauté vegetables, with ghee offering a nutty taste and high smoke point.

• Onion, Celery, Carrot, Red Bell Pepper: Create a flavor base with sweet and savory notes, adding depth and nutrition to the soup.
• Garlic: Brings intense, pungent flavor and provides health-boosting properties.

• Ground Cumin, Chili Powder, Dried Oregano: Adds warm, smoky, and herbal Mexican-inspired flavors to the soup.
• Salt and Pepper: Essential for balancing and enhancing overall taste.

• Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, Tomato Paste: Provides rich, slightly smoky tomato flavor and helps thicken the soup.
• Chicken Broth: Creates the liquid base, adding depth and ensuring a smooth, savory consistency.

• Red Kidney Beans, Black Beans: Adds protein, fiber, and hearty texture to the soup.
• Shredded Cooked Chicken: Provides lean protein and makes the soup more substantial.

• Mexican Shredded Cheese Blend: Adds creamy, tangy flavor and enriches the soup's texture.
• Sweet Corn: Introduces sweetness and additional texture to the soup.

Step-by-Step for Simmering Chicken Enchilada Soup to Perfection

Step 1: Prepare Cooking Base

• Butter
• Ghee
• Avocado oil

Step 2: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

• Onion
• Celery
• Carrots
• Red bell pepper
• Garlic

Cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring periodically.

Step 3: Build Flavor Foundation

• Ground cumin
• Chili powder
• Dried oregano

• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Chicken broth

Bring mixture to boil, then reduce to gentle simmer for 10-15 minutes until vegetables become tender.

Step 4: Create Silky Texture

Remove pot from heat. Use immersion blender to transform soup into smooth consistency. Alternative method: Carefully transfer to standard blender in batches.

Step 5: Enhance Protein and Texture

• Drained red kidney beans
• Black beans
• Sweet corn
• Shredded chicken

Warm for 2-3 minutes.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• Shredded Mexican cheese blend

• Diced avocado
• Tortilla strips
• Sour cream
• Fresh cilantro

Tips to Get Creamy Texture and Balanced Flavor in Every Spoonful

• Boost Vegetable Softness: Dice vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking and tender texture throughout the soup.
• Maximize Flavor Depth: Toast spices briefly before adding liquids to release their essential oils and enhance overall taste profile.
• Perfect Blending Technique: Allow soup to cool slightly before blending to prevent potential splatter and achieve smoother consistency.
• Customize Protein Options: Swap shredded chicken with rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, or plant-based alternatives for diverse meal variations.
• Control Soup Thickness: Adjust soup's consistency by adding extra broth for thinner texture or simmering longer for a more concentrated result.

How to Save and Reheat Chicken Enchilada Soup Without Separation

• Refrigerate: Transfer cooled soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep toppings separate to maintain their crispness and prevent sogginess.
• Freeze: Pour soup into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Avoid adding cheese or cream-based toppings before freezing.
• Reheat: Warm refrigerated soup in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. For frozen soup, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Add fresh toppings after warming to maintain their texture and flavor.

Foods That Go Best with a Warm Bowl of Enchilada Soup

• Pair with Zesty Margarita: The tangy lime and tequila notes complement the soup's rich, spicy flavors, cutting through the creamy texture and enhancing the Mexican-inspired dish.
• Match with Crisp Tortilla Salad: A light, crunchy salad with corn tortilla strips, fresh greens, and a citrus vinaigrette provides a refreshing contrast to the hearty, warm soup.
• Serve with Mexican Amber Lager: A smooth, slightly sweet beer like Negra Modelo balances the soup's spices and adds a subtle malty undertone that elevates the overall dining experience.
• Accompany with Jalapeño Cornbread: The slightly spicy, buttery cornbread offers a perfect textural companion, soaking up the soup's creamy broth and adding a delightful corn-forward flavor.

New Flavor Ideas for This Classic Chicken Soup

• Spicy Southwest Fusion: Kick up the heat by adding diced jalapeños, cayenne pepper, and a splash of hot sauce. Swap kidney beans for spicy black beans and garnish with pepper jack cheese.
• Green Chile Chicken Edition: Replace fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles, use tomatillo salsa instead of tomato paste, and add roasted poblano peppers. Top with cilantro lime crema for extra zest.
• Vegetarian Protein Power: Substitute chicken with quinoa and add extra beans like pinto or cannellini. Include diced zucchini and spinach for additional nutrients and texture.
• Creamy Coconut Tropical Remix: Introduce coconut milk instead of some chicken broth, add a hint of ginger, and include diced mango for a Caribbean-inspired version. Finish with toasted coconut flakes as a garnish.

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe

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4.5 from 30 reviews

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Mexican comfort meets culinary magic in this creamy chicken enchilada soup. Packed with bold spices and tender chicken, the hearty recipe delivers rich flavors that comfort and satisfy hungry diners in minutes.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Protein:

• 2 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
• 4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Vegetables and Beans:

• 1 Medium Onion, diced
• 2 Celery Stalks, sliced
• 1 Medium Carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 2–3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Sweet Corn
• 14.5 ounces (415 grams) Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 14.5 ounces (415 grams) Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces (425 grams) Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
• ¼ Cup Tomato Paste

Seasonings and Garnish:

• 1 Tablespoon Butter or Ghee (or avocado oil)
• 1.5 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 Cup Mexican Shredded Cheese Blend
• Salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Heat a large stockpot over medium-high temperature, melting butter or ghee to create a flavorful base for the soup.
2. Introduce diced onion, sliced celery, carrots, red bell pepper, and minced garlic into the pot, sautéing until vegetables soften and release their aromatic essence.
3. Elevate the flavor profile by incorporating ground cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano, stirring to distribute the spices evenly throughout the vegetables.
4. Pour in fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth, creating a robust liquid foundation for the soup.
5. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and allow the ingredients to simmer, transforming the vegetables into a tender, flavor-packed medley.
6. Transform the soup’s texture by using a hand blender to puree the mixture into a silky, smooth consistency, ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated.
7. Reintroduce the blended soup to medium heat, gently folding in red kidney beans, black beans, sweet corn, and shredded chicken to create a hearty, protein-rich dish.
8. Carefully ladle the steaming soup into serving bowls, crowning each portion with a generous sprinkle of Mexican cheese blend.
9. Enhance the presentation and flavor with optional garnishes such as diced avocado, crispy tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, or freshly chopped cilantro.

Notes

• A hearty soup that transforms traditional enchilada flavors into a comforting one-pot meal.
• Packed with protein from chicken and beans, delivering robust southwestern-inspired tastes in every spoonful.
• Blending techniques create an ultra-smooth texture while preserving the vibrant vegetable and spice profiles.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 320
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 8 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg