This quick and easy slow cooker chicken enchilada soup recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner idea, tailgating, or parties! Easily prepped in under 10 minutes this is a family favorite!
If you love this recipe you should also try my White Chicken Chili or my Chicken Tortilla Soup!
Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup Is An Easy Dinner Idea!
Having easy dinners in your rotation is a must! I love a good Crock Pot dinner and this Chicken Enchilada Soup is one of those recipes that can be prepped in 10 minutes and then you forget about it for hours until you’re ready to eat! This is a Tex-Mex spin on a classic chicken soup. It’s packed with flavor and made with simple ingredients.
Chicken Enchilada Soup: The Perfect Tailgating or Party Dish!
Soup is the PERFECT fall-time, tailgating, or game day food. And this recipe is so perfect because it’s not your average soup recipe! As a matter of fact it’s almost like a chili or stew because it BEGS for toppings and is thick and meaty. You can make it as thin or as thick as you want. Your guests will all love this unexpected addition to any party. The enchilada sauce in this soup makes it unique and adds tons of flavor. You can even make homemade enchilada sauce if you’re up for it, OR a can of Old El Paso enchilada sauce form the store works just as well!
Extra Tip: Make sure to check out my whole post on How To Make The Best Chili!
What To Expect:
- Easy prep. Like I have said, you will have this in the Crock Pot cooking in a matter on minutes, which is great on busy weekdays!
- A stew-like soup that can be made as thick or thin as you prefer adjusting the amount of chicken stock you use. I prefer a thicker soup so I use 1 cup of stock (or chicken broth) as called for in the recipe, but if you prefer a thinner soup you can add up to 2 cups of stock!
- This recipe makes a mild soup, but you can easily adjust the spice by using hot enchilada sauce, adding some cayenne pepper, or even adding in some Chipotle in Adobo. You can dice up the chipotles and add those as well as the Adobo sauce.
- This is a great make-ahead soup that is even better the next day!
What Ingredients You Need For Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup:
The list of ingredients is simple, but you can easily adapt this recipe to suit your own tastes. You can add in garlic powder or even a few garlic cloves if you like, a little cayenne pepper for spice, or chopped onions to name a few!
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You could really use any protein you prefer, like pork or even beef. But I really like chicken in this recipe.
- Red enchilada sauce. I like to use mild enchilada sauce, but if you like the heat, hot enchilada sauce works great too!
- Ro-tel tomatoes. Or if you can’t find Ro-tel, you can use diced tomatoes and a can of green chiles!
- Black beans. You can also use chili beans or pinto beans instead.
- Mexicorn. If you can’t find Mexicorn, which is simply canned corn with red and green bell peppers, you can use a can of regular sweet corn instead! The added red and green peppers in the Mexicorn are just an easy way to add more flavor.
- Chicken broth or chicken stock. I prefer stock as it has more flavor! You can even use low sodium if you’re salt sensitive.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, Smoked paprika, Cumin, and Kosher salt. You can also use taco seasoning in place of all of these for another quick swap! 2 1/2 tablespoons should do the trick!
- Heavy cream. Or you could even use cream cheese to make this extra creamy. I would stir in 4- ounces of very soft cream cheese at the end, when you would add the cream. You can even omit the cream entirely if you would like a non-creamy version or are looking to cut out a few calories.
Instructions: Active Time – 10 Minutes
Like I said before this is a “fix it and forget it” meal. Some like to call them “dump and go” recipes. Honestly whatever you call it, it’s easy! You literally just put all your ingredients (except the heavy cream) in the slow cooker, stir, cover, and check back in 3 – 4 hours!
Special Equipment:
The only special equipment needed for this recipe is a slow cooker. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can also do this in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan on the stove top! You will follow the same steps, but you will bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Allow it to simmer for about 60 – 90 minutes, until the chicken shreds easily!
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Instant Pot Instructions:
- Place all the ingredients into the Instant PotCover, stir to combine and seal with the lid.
- Switch the valve to the sealing position and cook for 20 minutes on manual high pressure.
- Once it is done cooking, let it naturally depressurize for 10 minutes, then switch the valve to the venting position to completely release steam before opening lid.
- Shred the chicken with a fork, and stir to combine.
Have Some Fun With Garnishes!
Like any soup, chili, or stew recipe, toppings are part of the fun and can really enhance the dish. Here are a list of some of my favorite toppings you can add to your chili bowls:
- Sour Cream
- Cilantro
- Jalapeños
- Grated Cheddar Cheese, Monterey Jack or Cojita Cheese
- Avocado
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla chips
- Green onions
- Tortilla Strips
How To Store:
This recipe stores great, and like most soups, stews, or chili recipes they are only better the next day! Simply store this airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this airtight for up to 30 days!
How To Reheat:
You can easily reheat this by the bowl in the microwave. If you want to reheat multiple servings you can heat it on medium-low in a sauce pot on the stove, stirring frequently.
FROM FROZEN: If you freeze the soup, allow it to thaw out in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat as stated above.
Looking For More Great Soup Recipes? Try These:
Description:
This quick and easy slow cooker chicken enchilada soup recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner idea, tailgating, or parties! Easily prepped in under 10 minutes this is a family favorite!
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (10- ounce) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (10- ounce) can Ro-tel tomatoes with green chilis, undrained
- 1 (15- ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (11- ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Optional garnishes – sour cream, cilantro, cheddar cheese, avocado, jalapeño, lime wedges
Instructions
- Place chicken into the bottom of your slow cooker. Top with enchilada sauce, Ro-tel, black beans, corn, chicken stock, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 3- 4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily.
- Add in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes:
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Place all the ingredients into the Instant PotCover, stir to combine and seal with the lid.
- Switch the valve to the sealing position and cook for 20 minutes on manual high pressure.
- Once it is done cooking, let it naturally depressurize for 10 minutes, then switch the valve to the venting position to completely release steam before opening lid.
- Shred the chicken with a fork, and stir to combine.
Store airtight for up to 3 days.
Freeze airtight for up to 1 month.
Keywords:: cookies and cups, enchilada soup, chicken enchilada soup, soup recipe, slow cooker, crock pot, instant pot
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