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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken enchilada soup with a thick, smoky dark red broth simmered with beans, corn, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. The soup is loaded with shredded chicken and finished with melty 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: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the enchilada broth
  1. Combine red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (around 15-20 minutes) to help the flavors meld, with small bubbles visible at the edges.
Add the chicken
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 10 minutes, keeping a gentle bubble so the chicken warms through.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning with more cumin, chili powder, or salt as desired, adding only a little at a time until balanced.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls so each serving gets a thick amount of dark red broth with beans, corn, and visible shredded chicken.
  2. Top generously with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips so the cheese starts melting immediately.
  3. Serve immediately for the best contrast between hot broth, creamy toppings, and crisp tortilla strips.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until warmed to keep the shredded chicken tender, and taste at the end so the salt and spice match your preferred heat level. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. Freezing is not recommended because the toppings and texture can change. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheddar and light sour cream.