Description
A comforting and creamy chicken enchilada soup packed with fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, corn, and tender shredded chicken, infused with southwestern spices and enriched with cream cheese for a smooth, delicious finish. Perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner with customizable toppings like avocado, tortilla strips, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, about 1 cup, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, or 1 tablespoon, minced (1 1/2 teaspoons if using minced garlic from a jar)
- 2 (14 ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies, not drained, with juices
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can corn, rinsed and drained
- 2 to 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (approximately 2 chicken breasts or 1 to 1 1/2 pounds raw)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces full-fat or light brick cream cheese, softened and slightly warmed
Optional Toppings
- Shredded cheese
- Avocado
- Tortilla strips
- Fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeño
- Lime juice
Instructions
- Heat Oil and Sauté Vegetables: In a stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the finely chopped onion and red bell pepper, sautéing for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally until soft and tender.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally to deepen the flavors.
- Combine Soup Ingredients: Add the fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies (with juices), enchilada sauce, chicken stock or broth, black beans, corn, shredded cooked chicken, ground cumin, salt, chili powder, dried oregano, red chili flakes, and ground black pepper to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer Soup: Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup uncovered for 30 minutes, allowing it to thicken and all the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Add Cream Cheese: Stir in the softened cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated. Continue cooking uncovered for another 5 minutes to ensure a creamy and smooth texture.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with your choice of optional toppings such as shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, sour cream, sliced jalapeño, and lime juice. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- Slightly warm the cream cheese in the microwave for 15-20 seconds on a microwave-safe plate to make it easier to incorporate into the soup.
- For slow cooker preparation, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic first, then add all ingredients except cream cheese to the crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Stir in cream cheese in the last 20 minutes.
- To make this in an Instant Pot, sauté onion and pepper, add garlic briefly, then add the remaining ingredients (except cream cheese) and cook on manual for 20 minutes. Use slow release and stir in cream cheese before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- If you prefer less spice, omit the red chili flakes and reduce chili powder to 1 teaspoon; regular diced tomatoes can replace fire-roasted with green chiles.
- For thinner soup, add 1 to 2 cups more chicken broth to reach desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
