If you’re a fan of enchiladas, this zesty Enchilada Soup is a must-try! With tender chicken, melty cheese, soft tortilla pieces, enchilada sauce, and bold spices, it packs all the best parts of the classic dish into one irresistible bowl.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Customizable: From crunchy tortilla chips to sliced avocado and pico de gallo, everyone can customize their own bowl of this cheesy chicken enchilada soup.
- Three Easy Cooking Methods: Whether you prefer the stovetop, pressure cooker, or slow cooker, this enchilada soup recipe gives you the flexibility to choose the method that works for you!
- Flavor-Packed: With a combination of red enchilada sauce, flavorful spices, shredded chicken, and plenty of cheese, this scrumptious soup is sure to be a hit!
For more soups with shredded chicken, check out our chicken noodle soup, Mexican chicken tortilla soup, and chicken stew next!
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: For sauteing the onion and garlic. Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic add depth of flavor to this chicken enchilada soup.
- Broth: I recommend chicken bone broth, but you can use regular chicken broth or chicken stock if that’s what you’ve got on hand. Feel free to use low-sodium broth if desired.
- Chicken Breasts: You’ll need two previously cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts for shredding. Rotisserie chicken works too!
- Corn Tortillas: These get cut into small pieces and cook right in the chicken cheese enchilada soup, helping to thicken it up.
- Sauces: You’ll need tomato sauce and red enchilada sauce; feel free to use store-bought or homemade.
- Seasonings: A combination of chicken bouillon powder, chili powder, and cumin adds flavor to the soup.
- Cheese: I used both American cheese and sharp cheddar cheese, but feel free to use all cheddar if you prefer.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Creamy Enchilada Soup: After the cheese has melted, stir in ½ cup of heavy cream or sour cream.
- Spicy: Use hot enchilada sauce and add a diced jalapeño with the onions to turn up the heat.
- Beef: Swap the chicken for browned ground beef or shredded pot roast to change things up.
How to Make Enchilada Soup
Before you get started making this easy chicken enchilada soup, be sure you have cooked chicken breasts on hand or you will need to cook some up.
- Step 1: Prepare the tortillas. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut the tortillas into 1-inch squares.
- Step 2: Saute onions and garlic. Add the olive oil to a stockpot or dutch oven and turn the heat to medium high. Once the oil is heated, add the onion and cook until tender. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Start the soup. Add the shredded chicken, broth, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce to the pot.
- Step 4: Mix in the seasonings. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, and bouillon powder.
- Step 5: Cook. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover and cook it for 10 minutes.
- Step 6: Add the cheese. Remove the soup from the heat and add the American and cheddar cheeses.
- Step 7: Melt the cheese. Stir the cheese until it has fully melted into the soup.
- Step 8: Serve. Scoop into serving bowls and add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Scoop individual servings into microwave-safe bowls and microwave until heated through.
- Freezing: If you plan on freezing the soup for meal prep, leave out the cheese. Make the recipe as directed up until adding the cheese. Then, allow the soup to cool and transfer to a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, and then reheat it on the stovetop. Stir in the cheese after heating and serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Top your bowl of enchilada soup with some pico de gallo and sliced avocado or guacamole.
- You can also sprinkle on some tortilla strips or serve with tortilla chips for dipping.
- Make this enchilada soup part of a Mexican-inspired dinner party along with Mexican rice, Mexican elote, and a pitcher of non-alcoholic sangria.
Expert Tips
- Cut the tortillas into even pieces: Take care to cut the tortillas into uniform 1-inch squares so they break down properly and don’t clump up.
- Soften the onions: Make sure the onions are soft before adding the garlic, which helps build more flavor. They should be translucent..
- Turn off the heat: Once the soup is done, remove it from the heat before adding the cheese. If the heat is too high, the cheese can separate and become grainy.
Recipe FAQs
How do I make this in a slow cooker?
Instead of sauteing the onion and garlic in a pot, use a skillet. Then transfer the mixture to your slow cooker. Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the cheese, and stir to combine. Cook for 4-6 hours on low for 2-4 hours on high. Stir in the cheese until melted and serve.
How do I make this in a pressure cooker?
Begin by setting your pressure cooker to saute. Heat the olive oil, and then add the onions. Cook until the onions are soft and add the garlic. Cook the garlic for 1 minute, then add the chicken, tortilla pieces, broth, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce. Mix in the seasonings and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Use the quick release feature to vent the steam. Then, stir in the cheese until melted and serve.
More Delicious Mexican-Inspired Dishes
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Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
This Enchilada Soup is full of flavor and packed with chicken, cheese, spices, and soft tortilla pieces. It’s easy to whip up a batch on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in your pressure cooker!
Print
Rate
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 421kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 32 ounces chicken bone broth (can sub chicken broth or chicken stock)
- 2 chicken breasts shredded or cut into bite sized pieces
- 6 corn tortillas cubed
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 28 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 8 ounces American cheese cubed
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
For Garnish
- tortilla chips
- avocado
- cilantro
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
- sliced green onions
Instructions
For Stove Top
- Prep your ingredients by dicing the onion, mincing the garlic, cutting the tortillas into 1 inch squares, shredding your cooked chicken breasts, and grating and dicing your cheese.
- Heat olive oil in 5 qt stock pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in onions and sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add chicken, tortillas, chicken bone broth, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce.
- Add cumin, chili powder, and boullion powder.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add diced American cheese and shredded sharp cheddar. Stir until melted.
- Serve with desired toppings.
For Pressure Cooker
- Prep your ingredients by dicing the onion, mincing the garlic, cutting the tortillas into 1 inch squares, shredding your cooked chicken breasts, and grating and dicing your cheese.
- Set your pressure cooker to sauté, add olive oil and heat. Add in onions and sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add chicken, tortillas, chicken bone broth, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce. Add cumin, chili powder, and boullion powder.
- Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Use a quick release to release the steam.
- Add diced American cheese and shredded sharp cheddar. Stir until melted.
- Serve with desired toppings.
For Slow Cooker
- Prep your ingredients by dicing the onion, mincing the garlic, cutting the tortillas into 1 inch squares, shredding your cooked chicken breasts, and grating and dicing your cheese.
- In a medium saute pan, add olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add in onions and sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Trasnfer to a 5 quart slow cooker.
- Add chicken, tortillas, chicken bone broth, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce. Add cumin, chili powder, and boullion powder.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-4 hours.
- Add diced American cheese and shredded sharp cheddar. Stir until melted.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
- Cut the tortillas into uniform pieces so that they break down evenly in the soup.
- Be sure to remove the soup from the heat so that the cheese melts smoothly.
- The soup will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1937mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1641IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 602mg | Iron: 2mg
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Kayla says
So easy and yummy!