Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
All the classic flavor of enchiladas but with less effort, this cheesy chicken enchilada soup is made in 45 minutes, perfect for busy nights.
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Servings: 8
Calories: 440kcal
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 919mg | Potassium: 780mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1855IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 4mg