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Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Creamy chicken enchilada soup with a red enchilada cream broth, tender shredded chicken, and corn-black bean pockets. Simmered until silky after melting cream cheese, then served loaded with tortilla strips, sour cream, cheddar, cilantro, and lime.
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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: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded
Vegetables & aromatics
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
Soup base
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Creamy finish
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
Seasonings
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste
Serving toppings
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup cheddar
  • 1 cup tortilla strips
  • 2 tbsp cilantro
  • 1 lime for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the aromatics
  1. In a large pot, sauté the onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder, then cook 2 minutes while stirring so the spices smell fragrant.
  2. Add the red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, black beans, and corn to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then keep stirring until the liquid is evenly colored.
  3. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cubed cream cheese until completely melted and the soup looks smooth and creamy.
Simmer and season
  1. Add the shredded chicken and pour in the heavy cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is hot throughout and the broth thickens slightly.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and serve immediately, topped with sour cream, cheddar, tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, stir the cream cheese in over low heat until it’s fully melted before simmering the soup. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove so the soup stays smooth. Freezing is not recommended because the cream may separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture stays creamy, but slightly thinner).