Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Packed with a savory, classic flavor, this Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup is ready in just 45 minutes. Made with two kinds of cheese in zesty broth, this chicken soup is a bowl of comfort the whole family will love.
📌 Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup Summary
- 😋 Flavor & Texture: Smoky, zesty, cheesy, and savory with a mild-to-moderate enchilada-style heat in a thick creamy broth with tender chicken, soft beans and corn, plus a little crunch if topped with tortilla chips.
- 🕒 Difficulty & Time: Easy to make and ready in about 45 minutes
- 👩🍳 Best For: Easy family dinners, cozy weeknights, game day, or feeding a crowd
- 💡 Pro Tip: Soften the cream cheese before adding it so it melts in smoothly, and starts without the jalapeño if you want to keep the spice more kid-friendly.
Summarize & Save This Content On
Great for busy weeknights, this soup recipe is like curling up with enchiladas in a bowl. It has the same comforting, cheesy flavor but without the prep time in the kitchen, kind of like my easy spring minestrone soup recipe.
I originally made it without the jalapenos, and it was flavorful but not too spicy. Adding the jalapeños and hot sauce kicks up the heat in the best way, just like this gazpacho with jalapeno. Though you'd think this creamy chicken enchilada soup recipe is perfect for winter, it really fits in any time of year because it's so tasty.
Why This Recipe Works
- One Pot Cooking: Minimal prep and fewer dishes, this creamy enchilada soup is made in just one pot, as is this easy lasagna soup.
- True Cheesy Flavor: There's not just a bit of cheese sprinkled on top of this soup recipe; there are two types swirled into the soup itself to maximize flavor and creamy texture.
- Meal-prep friendly: This is the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, which means you can easily make it the night before and save yourself some time.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cheese: Both sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese are used to create the best flavor and creamy texture. You can also use just cheddar if you prefer. Make sure to shred your cheese from a block and not use pre-shredded, as it won't melt the same.
- Chicken: Pre-cooked chicken saves you time when making this soup. Both shredded chicken and cubed chicken will work.
- Enchilada sauce: You can use either homemade or store-bought sauce. Picking up a can at the store is easier, but I love using this homemade enchilada sauce.
- Broth: I use my pressure cooker chicken broth for all shredded chicken soup recipes, but store-bought is okay, too. Just make sure to use a low-sodium version so that you can adjust the taste.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat will give the soup a richer taste. Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature before you need it so that it blends more easily.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Dietary Modifications & Variations
- Spicy: If you love spicy food, though, use the jalapeno (leave the seeds in for more heat) and hot sauce. You could even use canned tomatoes with green chiles or swap the Monterey jack cheese for pepper jack to add more of a kick.
- Swap the Protein: If you don't have cooked chicken, use cooked turkey or browned ground meat like beef, turkey, or chicken. If you have leftovers, make this cabbage roll soup, too.
- Vegetarian: Skip the meat in the enchilada soup and use a can or two of black beans or pinto beans.
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup with Cream Cheese
The only prep you really need to do when learning how to make enchilada soup is to ensure you have pre-cooked chicken on hand and that your cream cheese is soft. Otherwise, it comes together in minimal time.
Step 1: Sauté the Veggies. Cook the onion, celery, and bell pepper in a large pot with butter and oil until the onions are soft.
Step 2: Season It. Stir in the jalapenos, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano, and let it sauté until fragrant.
Step 3: Bring to a Boil. Add the enchilada sauce, tomatoes, beans, corn, broth, and salt to the veggies and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Make it Creamy. Stir the cream cheese, chicken, and both cheeses into the soup, then bring it back to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it's smooth.
Step 5: Add Seasonings and Serve. Give the soup a taste and add any salt or hot sauce if desired. Serve the soup with sour cream, tortilla chips, and more cheese sprinkled on top.
Lyn's Top Tips
- Cream cheese: To soften the cream cheese faster, cut it into small pieces and set it aside while you prep the vegetables.
- Stirring: When you add the cheese, stir it well as it cooks so that it melts evenly and everything is combined into a creamy texture. The last thing you want is the cheese sinking to the bottom.
- Storing: Let the enchilada soup cool fully before storing it in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat it on the stove over low heat, stirring it frequently. Avoid reheating it in the microwave as the high-heat can separate the dairy.
Soup-er Toppings & Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this enchilada soup with chicken as a delicious dinner or reheated for a comforting lunch. Set out bowls of tortilla chips, sour cream, extra cheese, cilantro, and avocado to allow everyone to finish off their soup the way they want.
A simple side dish is these pumpkin cornbread muffins or crusty dinner rolls. And, for a bit of extra crunch, top bowls of soup with these cornbread croutons.
Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe FAQs
Yes, enchilada soup freezes well. Let it cool fully before storing it in an airtight container for up to 3 months, making sure to leave room at the top of the container for it to expand. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the stove over low when you need it. The dairy may change the texture a bit on thawing, but stirring it frequently while reheating should bring it back.
To make enchilada soup thicker, let it simmer for longer so that some of the liquid evaporates.
You can thin the enchilada soup by adding more chicken broth to the mixture and stirring it lightly. Make sure not to simmer the soup for too long, as it will continue to thicken.
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 sweet bell pepper red, green, orange, or yellow, diced
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed and minced (optional)
- 4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 15 ounce diced tomatoes undrained, 1 can
- 15 ounce black beans rinsed and drained, 1 can
- 1 ½ cups canned or frozen corn drained if canned
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 3 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese plus more to garnish
- ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or use more cheddar
- Hot sauce to taste (optional)
- Chopped cilantro to garnish
- Sour cream to garnish
- Tortilla chips to garnish
- Avocado to garnish
Instructions
- Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and set it aside to soften at room temperature.
- Heat the oil and unsalted butter in a large pot over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions and peppers are softened.
- Add the jalapeños (if using), garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in the enchilada sauce, canned tomatoes, black beans, corn, chicken broth, and salt. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the softened cream cheese, chicken, cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese. Return the soup to a light simmer and cook, stirring well, for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and the broth is smooth.
- Season the soup to taste with salt and hot sauce if desired. Enjoy hot, garnished with chopped cilantro, sour cream, tortilla chips and/or additional cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
Recipe Tips
- Cheese: Grate your cheese manually from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients added to it, which will create a gritty texture in the soup.
- Reducing heat: Don't overlook reducing the heat as you add the cheese. This helps make sure that they melt smoothly. Too high a heat and the soup will be grainy.
