This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is a one-pot, 30-minute soup loaded with rotisserie chicken, black beans, and melted cheese, with 32g of protein per serving.
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This is my answer to a cold night when I want something warm, cheesy, and hearty without babysitting a slow cooker all day.
A lot of chicken enchilada soup recipes call for a slow cooker and several hours, which is great if you planned ahead, but not so great on a weeknight when dinner needs to happen in the next 30 minutes. This version comes together entirely on the stovetop in one pot, using rotisserie chicken to skip the step of cooking chicken from scratch.
The enchilada sauce is what ties the whole pot together, so it’s worth using a good one. I use my Enchilada Sauce from Scratch whenever I have a batch on hand, though a good store-bought version works fine too if you’re short on time.
If you’re in a comfort-food dinner mood, this pairs well with a couple of other recipes on the blog. My Turkey Enchiladas are a great next dinner if you’re craving more of that enchilada flavor, and my Marry Me Chicken Soup is another cozy, one-pot soup worth keeping in rotation.
Jump to:
- What Does Chicken Enchilada Soup Taste Like?
- Why You Will Love This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Recipe Success Tips
- What to Serve It With
- Storage Directions
- Is Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Healthy?
- Pricing Info
- FAQs
- Other Soup Recipes
- Recipe
What Does Chicken Enchilada Soup Taste Like?
Creamy and rich from the cream cheese and cheddar, with a smoky, slightly spiced flavor from the enchilada sauce and taco seasoning. It’s hearty enough to eat as a full meal, with black beans and chicken in every bite.
Why You Will Love This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Ready in 30 minutes: one pot, no slow cooker or hours of waiting required.
- 32g of protein per serving: a genuinely filling meal.
- 8g of fiber per serving: more than most soups offer.
- Rotisserie chicken shortcut: no need to cook chicken from scratch.
- Freezer-friendly: makes great leftovers for busy weeks.
Ingredients Needed
- Avocado oil: for sautéing the vegetables.
- Yellow onion, red bell pepper & garlic: the aromatic base of the soup.
- Tomato paste: concentrates the tomato flavor.
- Low sodium chicken broth: the base of the soup.
- Black beans, diced tomatoes, frozen corn & green chilies: add heartiness, texture, and mild heat.
- Enchilada sauce: the flavor backbone of the soup.
- Taco seasoning: ties all the spices together in one step.
- Shredded rotisserie chicken: the main protein.
- Shredded cheddar cheese & cream cheese: what makes the soup creamy and rich.
Substitutions & Variations
- Homemade vs. store-bought enchilada sauce: my homemade enchilada sauce is what I use, but a good store-bought version works fine when you’re short on time.
- Protein swap: shredded turkey or browned ground beef both work in place of rotisserie chicken.
- Bean swap: pinto beans or kidney beans work in place of black beans.
- Spice level: add diced jalapeño or a dash of hot sauce for more heat, or use mild enchilada sauce for a gentler version.
- Dairy-free: a dairy-free cream cheese and cheese alternative can stand in for both.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Step 1: Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Toss in the onion and bell pepper and let them cook down for 3-4 minutes, until they’ve softened.
- Step 2: Stir the garlic and tomato paste into the pot and let everything cook together for about a minute more.
- Step 3: Pour in the broth along with the black beans, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, corn, green chilies, and taco seasoning. Bring the pot up to a boil, then dial the heat back to a simmer and let it bubble away for 5 minutes.
- Step 4: Fold in the rotisserie chicken, cheddar, and cream cheese, keeping the pot moving with a spoon or whisk until the cheeses melt in completely and the soup turns smooth and warm throughout.
- Step 5: Take the pot off the heat and ladle the soup into bowls, finishing with whatever toppings you like.
Recipe Success Tips
- Don’t rush the vegetable sauté: softening the onion and pepper fully builds flavor before the liquid goes in.
- Whisk in the cream cheese: cubing it first and whisking as it melts helps avoid lumps.
- Adjust the thickness to your liking: add a splash more broth if the soup seems too thick, or simmer a few extra minutes if you want it thicker.
- Load up on toppings: cilantro, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and crushed tortilla chips all add a lot to the final bowl.
What to Serve It With
This soup is pretty complete on its own with chips, cilantro, or a dollop of Greek yogurt on top, but a side of cornbread or a simple green salad rounds out the meal nicely if you want something extra alongside it.
Storage Directions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months — thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally since the dairy can separate slightly if reheated too quickly.
Is Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Healthy?
Yes, for most people! This is a genuinely filling, high protein soup, with 32g of protein and 8g of fiber per serving — both well above what a typical soup offers.
That said, it’s also higher in sodium, so it’s worth going in with eyes open on that front, especially if you’re watching your sodium intake.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 411 calories
- Carbohydrates: 32 grams
- Protein: 32 grams
- Total Fat: 18 grams
- Sodium: 989 mg
- Fiber: 8 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- 1 tbsp avocado oil: $0.19
- 1 medium yellow onion: $0.58
- 1 red bell pepper: $0.87
- 3 cloves garlic: $0.06
- 2 tbsp tomato paste: $0.14
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth: $1.96
- 15 oz canned black beans: $0.85
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes: $0.95
- 1 ¼ cup homemade enchilada sauce: $1.28
- 1 cup frozen corn: $0.38
- 4 oz canned green chilies: $0.88
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning: $0.05
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken: $2.49
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese: $0.89
- 4 oz cream cheese: $1.30
This recipe costs about $12.87 total, or $2.15 per serving. That’s still cheaper than ordering a similar-sized bowl of soup at a Mexican restaurant, which can easily run $8-10 per bowl on its own.
FAQs
Use rotisserie chicken to skip cooking the chicken from scratch, whisk the cream cheese in gradually to avoid lumps, and don’t rush sautéing the onion and pepper — that step builds a lot of the soup’s base flavor.
Chicken tortilla soup is typically a lighter, broth-based soup topped with crispy tortilla strips, while chicken enchilada soup is thicker and creamier, built around enchilada sauce and often finished with cream cheese or shredded cheese.
Yes — add raw diced or whole chicken breasts along with the broth in step 3, then simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F internally, about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Shred or dice the chicken before continuing with the rest of the recipe.
Yes. Add the sautéed onion, bell pepper, garlic, and tomato paste to the slow cooker along with the broth, beans, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, corn, green chilies, taco seasoning, and raw or rotisserie chicken. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, then stir in the cheese and cream cheese during the last 15-20 minutes until melted.
Other Soup Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 15 oz canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 ¼ cup homemade enchilada sauce (10 oz can)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 4 oz canned green chilies
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese cubed
- cilantro, plain Greek yogurt, and/or chips to serve
Instructions
- Add the oil to your large Dutch oven or stockpot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and saute for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and saute for another minute.
- Add the chicken broth, black beans, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, corn, green chilies, and taco seasoning and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the rotisserie chicken, shredded cheese, and cream cheese and stir continuously until everything is warm and combined. A whisk may help you fully mix in the cream cheese.
- Remove from heat and serve with toppings!
Nutrition
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
xoxo Megan
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