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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken enchilada soup with a thick, smoky dark red broth, tender shredded chicken, black beans, and corn. Simmered Tex-Mex chicken soup topped with melted cheddar, sour cream, tortilla strips, and fresh avocado.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and broth base
  • 3 cup cooked chicken, shredded Use cooked chicken (rotisserie or leftover) and shred.
  • 1 can (28 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), undrained
  • 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
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
  • 1 shredded cheddar For topping.
  • 1 sour cream For topping.
  • 1 avocado For topping.
  • 1 cilantro For topping.
  • 1 tortilla strips For topping.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the enchilada soup
  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 heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, stirring occasionally.
  3. Stir in shredded chicken and simmer another 10 minutes, keeping the soup at a gentle simmer until heated through.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning with more cumin, chili powder, or salt as desired.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls.
  2. Top generously with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips.
  3. Serve immediately so the cheese melts and the tortilla strips stay crisp.

Notes

For deeper smoky flavor, use a flavorful red enchilada sauce and let the soup simmer the full 15-20 minutes before adding chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the toppings (especially sour cream and avocado) won’t hold up well—freeze the soup without toppings and add fresh garnishes after reheating. For a lighter option, skip the cheddar and sour cream and add extra avocado for creaminess.