Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe (Perfect & Creamy)
This Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup is thick, creamy, and hearty—more like a stew you can eat with a spoon. With just five minutes of prep, the crockpot does the rest, delivering a smoky, spicy, and velvety soup that tastes like you simmered it all day.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (low) or 2 hours (high)
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes (low) or 2 hours 5 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 28 oz (794g) can red enchilada sauce
- 4 cups (960ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 10 oz (283g) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (e.g., Rotel)
- 15 oz (425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (150g) frozen corn
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 8 oz (226g) block full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (for topping)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients (5 minutes): Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Open all cans—enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, and chicken broth. Drain and rinse the black beans. Measure out the frozen corn and spices.
- Layer everything in the crockpot (2 minutes): Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with their juices), drained black beans, and frozen corn. Sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper over the top. Do not stir.
- Cook on low or high (3-4 hours on low, or 2-3 hours on high): Cover the crockpot and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and shreds easily with a fork.
- Shred the chicken (3 minutes): Remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board or large bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
- Add the cream cheese (2 minutes): Cut the cream cheese into 8 cubes and drop them into the hot soup. Stir gently until the cream cheese melts completely and the soup becomes thick and velvety (about 2-3 minutes).
- Taste and adjust seasoning (1 minute): Ladle a small amount into a bowl and taste. Adjust salt, cumin, or hot sauce as needed. Add a squeeze of lime if desired.
- Serve and garnish (2 minutes): Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge on the side.
Notes
Don’t overcook the chicken—check at 3 hours on low. Let cream cheese come to room temperature for easier melting. Use full-fat cream cheese for best texture. For a freezer meal, assemble everything except cream cheese in a freezer bag; add cream cheese at the end when cooking. If soup is too thin, mash some black beans before adding or stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water at the end.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (without to
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 820
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 7
- Protein: 32
Keywords: crockpot chicken enchilada soup, easy enchilada soup, creamy chicken soup, slow cooker soup, weeknight dinner, comfort food, gluten-free soup