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Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is a Tex-Mex style one-pot soup with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn in a rich red enchilada broth. The broth turns velvety when cream cheese melts in, then it’s simmered until the chicken is infused and topped with tortilla strips, sour cream, cheddar, and cilantro.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and aromatics
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
Soup base
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Creamy finish
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cubed
Toppings and seasoning
  • 1 sour cream For serving
  • 1 oz cheddar For serving; shredded or grated
  • 1 tortilla strips For serving
  • 1 cilantro For serving
  • 1 lime For serving
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the base
  1. Sauté onion in a large pot for 4 minutes, until softened and translucent with a steady simmering sizzle. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes to bloom the spices.
Build the soup
  1. Add red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, black beans, and corn to the pot and bring to a boil. Let it bubble until the ingredients are fully combined.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then stir in cream cheese until completely melted and smooth. Keep stirring until no lumps remain.
  2. Add shredded chicken and heavy cream, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so the chicken warms through and the soup thickens slightly.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting for your preferred heat and balance. Simmer 1 minute more to let the seasoning blend.
  2. Serve the soup loaded with sour cream, cheddar, tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime. Top each bowl right before eating for the best crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: cube the cream cheese and stir continuously once it hits the hot soup so it melts smoothly without lumps. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended for the creamiest texture, but you can freeze for up to 2 months and reheat carefully. For a lighter option, swap half the heavy cream for evaporated skim milk while keeping the cream cheese.