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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken enchilada soup with a thick, smoky dark red broth simmered until flavors meld, then loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn. Topped with melty shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and crunchy tortilla strips.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Enchilada Soup Base
  • 3 cup cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1 can (28 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), undrained
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
  • shredded cheddar
  • sour cream
  • avocado
  • cilantro
  • tortilla strips

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the smoky enchilada broth
  1. Combine red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, Rotel, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir to evenly distribute the spices and beans.
  2. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Keep it at a steady simmer so the broth thickens slightly and flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in shredded chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Cook just until the chicken is heated through and the soup is cohesive.
  2. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more cumin, chili powder, or salt as desired. Aim for a balanced smoky heat.
  3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top generously with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips. The cheese should start to melt on contact.
  4. Serve immediately while the tortilla strips stay crisp and the toppings are fresh. Keep garnishes separate if you’re holding the soup for a minute or two.

Notes

Pro tip: use already cooked, shredded chicken to keep the cook time fast and prevent dryness. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze the soup (without toppings) up to 2 months and reheat until steaming. For a dairy-free option, swap the sour cream and cheddar with dairy-free versions or omit cheese and use avocado for creaminess.