Chicken Enchilada Soup
The most delicious chicken enchilada soup EVER (and it’s secretly loaded with vegetables)! Bonus: the recipe includes instructions for making it on the stovetop, slow cooker OR Instant Pot!
Here it is, the best chicken enchilada soup I’ve ever laid lips on.
If you’ve never made this recipe, I think you’ll be surprised at how flavorful and wonderful it is!
Thick and creamy (without any added flour, thickeners, or cream), the soup is made by cooking a heap of vegetables (potatoes, butternut squash, red pepper) until tender.
Those hearty ingredients are blended to a silky smooth consistency right before adding tender chicken and white beans.
I don’t necessarily try to hide vegetables from my kids, but I wasn’t exactly forthcoming about the veggie-loaded nature of this soup the first time we ate it. Bless their little stinkin’ hearts, they had no idea they were gobbling up veggie after veggie after veggie when they inhaled this soup.
And they loved it so much, they didn’t even bat an eye when I told them afterwards. Now, many years later, this soup is still a family favorite!
It doesn’t hurt that we all pile on as many toppings as our bowls will allow. That’s what makes it fun (and also extra tasty!).
Over the years, I’ve made some small adaptations to this recipe based on questions and comments I’ve received and also because of my own sanity-saving needs (i.e. throw it all in the slow cooker to cook on a busy day). I’ve included slow cooker and Instant Pot directions in the recipe below. My friend, Marci, also has some awesome freezer meal directions on her blog.
This easy and healthy chicken enchilada soup is a cool month staple for us! I can’t imagine life without it, really.
One Year Ago: Classic Blueberry Cobbler
Two Years Ago: The Best Chicken Fajitas
Three Years Ago: Chicken with Green Curry Sauce
The Best Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note for cooked chicken)
- 1 (3.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 medium russet, yukon or sweet potatoes (or a combination), peeled and quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks
- 3-4 cups cubed butternut squash, from about 1/2 of a medium butternut squash, peeled and cut
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (see note for substitution)
- 1 cup sour cream, light or regular
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 cans white or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- STOVETOP: In a large pot, add the chicken broth, chicken breasts, green chiles, onion, potatoes, pepper, butternut squash, garlic, salt, cumin, and taco seasoning. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, covered or partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. If there doesn't seem to be enough liquid for the vegetables/chicken to boil in, add water or broth but take care not to add too much extra liquid or the flavor and consistency will be affected. Go to step #4.
- SLOW COOKER: Add the chicken broth, chicken breasts, green chiles, onion, potatoes, pepper, butternut squash, garlic, salt, cumin, and taco seasoning to the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the vegetables are tender. Go to step #4.
- INSTANT POT: Decrease the broth amount to SIX cups and add the chicken broth, chicken breasts, green chiles, onion, potatoes, pepper, butternut squash, garlic, salt, cumin, and taco seasoning to the insert of a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 17 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure (if liquid spurts through the valve, close the valve and wait a few minutes before releasing pressure again).
- Remove the chicken from the pot/slow cooker/Instant Pot to a cutting board. Let it cool slightly before shredding or dicing.
- Use an immersion blender or ladle the remaining vegetables and broth into a blender (in several batches, if needed), and puree the broth and vegetables until smooth. Take care not to overfill the blender since the mixture will be hot and will expand as it blends! Pour the pureed soup mixture back into the pot/slow cooker/Instant Pot.
- Stir in the sour cream and tomato sauce. Add the beans and chopped chicken and stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper (important!). Heat through.
- Serve the soup with additional toppings: tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, pico de gallo or salsa, etc.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from my cousin-in-law Susie E.
Recipe updated 12/2018 with new photos, recipe notes.
We made this and liked it. I leave out the onions (not a family favorite!). Anyhow, we felt it needed a kick. What spice would you to give it that kick? I did use regular taco seasoning. Would the homemade one be better and give it the kick I’m looking for?
I can’t WAIT to try this…drooling, ha ha!
Jennifer – you could leave them out. The soup would be less creamy and thick but should taste great anyway.
Any suggestions for a substitution for the potatoes? I need less carbs while I try to lose baby weight?
Sooo been dying to make this darn soup! Butternut squash has been super duper hard to find ’round these parts as of late. Finally hit the jackpot at Trader Joe’s today…even came peeled and cut up! Woo Hoo! Soups on for tonight! Can’t wait….
Karen – I haven’t subbed the sweet potatoes but it’s worth a try! Just make sure to taste test to adjust for the sweetness.
I have to say, I was skeptical about this recipe, even as I was dishing it into bowls tonight – but your recipes are always good, so I tried it. The soup turned out pretty dang good! Hubby and I both had seconds, which NEVER happens with soup. My butternut squash went bad before I could get around to making it, so I ended up substituting with some canned pumpkin. My picky 5 yr old threw a huge fit for three bites, then he dug in and actually said he liked it, after we crushed a ton of tortilla chips and cheese on the top. Score! I hope it freezes well, because it made one HUGE pot for a family of three. Thanks again!
Any thoughts on subbing sweet potatoes for russet? I have butternut squash and sweet potatoes and want to try this tonight!
Laura – I’m glad you liked this! What’s funny is that the original recipe DOES call for canned red enchilada sauce but I just knew there had to be a way to get the flavor without using it. Happy it was a hit!
This was so yummy – I’ve made all sorts of taco soup before and was surprised how this one really had more of an enchilada flavor (and thrilled that it was nothing like a yucky enchilada soup recipe I tried that called for canned red enchilada sauce – yuck, yuck). I had never cooked with butternut squash, nor pureed soup in my blender before. I used black beans – worked great.
Alisa – I’ve never used the soup setting on my Blendtec so I can’t really tell you – sorry! It’s worth a try, though! Let me know how it works if you try it.
I bookmarked this knowing I wanted to make it first chance I got which was this afternoon. I ended up making the homemade taco seasoning as well and am amazed at how much more intense the flavor is. The soup is very good, I think it will just get better as it simmers. The one thing I did was use my immersion blender so I never had to take it out of the pot; so much easier, it worked great and less dishes.
I read the comment about the blendtec “soup” setting…would that work with this recipe if I cooked the chicken separately? And maybe I’d need to microwave the squash a little too? I just bought a blendtec but haven’t tried “soup” in it yet so your input would be great! Thx!
This recipe is wonderful! I made it last night and we loved it, I can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch. Thanks SO much for sharing this recipe.
I love how healthy this is and how yummy. It was so good today a at later cuz the flavored melded more. My two-year-old live it too. Also Made it in the slow cooker on low for a couple hours, so easy so good. As always thanks.
This looks amazing!!!! I will try it next week and let you know how it turned out!
A trick for cutting those winter squashes. . .use pumpkin carving tools. It was an “aha” moment when I figured this out! It is so much easier than a kitchen knife.
I made this tonight and it was a big hit at the potluck I went to. I added 2 cans of corn and I doubled the amount of tomato sauce and I thought it was perfect.
We made it tonight and it was fantastic! We used some pumpkin puree that we had on hand (thanks for the idea, previous comments! saved me a trip to the store), plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and leftover chicken. Worked great. I used to make a copycat Chili’s enchilada soup recipe that used a ton of Velveeta — tasted great, but always felt so guilty knowing what was in it. But this — wow! Just as delicious, absolutely no guilt! It makes a HUGE batch too. Thanks Mel!
Looks fantastic! Yours and my families eat very similarly, which is why I love so many of your recipes!
Mel, I made this tonight for dinner. It was fabulous! I echo the earlier commenter who said to microwave the squash first. I did that and had no problem cutting through it and just used my plain old vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
I put the sour cream on the table to let people add as much or as little as they wanted. It’s yummy both with and without. I will definitely make this again!
I made this soup last night and you weren’t kidding: it is the best chicken enchilada soup (ever.) I was a little nervous about the butternut squash but I followed the recipe and it turned out SO GOOD. (Not squashy at all.) Thanks Mel for another delicious recipe.
(And the tip on microwaving the squash was very helpful.)
Missy – I only have Sam’s Club here and it is right next to the romaine lettuce/broccoli/carrots. My cousin-in-law, Susie, who gave me the recipe found hers at Costco and I can only assume it’s in the same section – somewhere in produce?
Kim – you could always leave it out – unfortunately I’m not super familiar with lactose-substitutions! You might try googling a few options but if nothing sounds great, I’d just omit it.
What section in Costco did you find the squash? Definitely my way to go!
i don’t mind your sour cream specks–i like the contrast they add, and the fact that it lets you know there’s some creamy goodness present. 🙂
I am making this for dinner tonight! Can’t wait! Is there a way to substitute the sour cream for something suitable for someone who is lactose intolerant? I was thinking I would share the recipe with my sister-in-law but someone in her family can’t have the sour cream. Any thoughts?!? Thanks so much!
Kristin – you could probably use just about any type of bean you want here. It’s a pretty versatile soup!
Jessica – I haven’t frozen it but if I had a lot of leftovers, I would definitely try it. Because the amount of dairy is minimal, I think it should freeze ok. You might get a bit of a change in texture upon reheating but it shouldn’t be too noticeable. Good luck if you try it!
Rachel – canned beans are already precooked so you don’t need to cook them long in this soup recipe – heating them through is sufficient. If you are using dry beans – well, that’s a whole separate issue. They need to be soaked overnight in cool water and then cooked in water for about 45 minutes before draining and adding them to a recipe that calls for canned beans. As for the wheat flour question – it really is a matter of taste but in yeast doughs, I definitely recommend adding flour by feel (to obtain a soft dough) rather than holding fast to the measurements given in a recipe. If I am using freshly ground whole wheat flour, I always have to add more than the recipe states because it is full of air from being ground but if it has settled than I usually just use 1:1 in cookie recipes and things like that. Keep in mind that most whole wheat flours (red wheat or white wheat) will produce a darker, denser consistency so in cookies and cakes, I’d recommend starting with smaller amounts of whole wheat and working up so that the baked goods don’t turn out too heavy and dense. Hope that helps!
Absolutely delicious! My kids both loved it and asked for it to be put in the rotation. Thanks for yet another keeper!
i’m tempted to try this with sweet potatoes! yum!
I was wondering about the beans… do you precook them or just throw them in hard? If so, how long does it take to cook the beans til they are soft? I am still new at cooking and just learning about, well, everything! Also, this is off topic, but I try to use as much whole wheat flour (in everything) instead of all purpose flour (to my husbands dismay) but sometimes I don’t know how much to use, is there a rule of thumb for switching white flour to wheat? Love your site!
Mel, that is another option I thought could work. It’s probably the better option. Thanks!
This soup sounds crazy good! I love all the powerful veggies hidden within!
Made this for dinner tonight. I love all the veggies hidden in it. Absolutely delicious. Extremely easy with precooking squash in microwave and using an immersion blender.
Made this tonight and it was great!!! We have a lot of left overs; how do you think it will freeze?
This looks so good! My husband will not eat a single vegetable so I’m excited to try this and secretly get some veggies in him. If I’m not very partial to white beans, is there another type of bean that would work well too? LOVE your blog!
Hey, just thought I’d mention also for those who have a hard time chopping up butternut or any other hard squashes/vegetables…if you just zap them in the microwave for 5-7 min. (depending on the size), it cooks it a little first and makes it soft enough to cut–and is then much easier to peel the skin off too, you can almost do it with a spoon! (It also helps cut down on the simmer time for soups etc, and makes it easier on the Blender if you are skipping the boil/simmer time and going straight to the soup button on that Blendtec! (Sometimes cooking first lets the flavors blend a little more too though, it just depends on what type of soup/dish you’re making!)
Juli – I’ll look into the issue. In the meantime, if you click on the recipe post title (in this case, click on “The Best Chicken Enchilada Soup”, it will pull up the post in a unique URL (permalink) and it should save fine to Ziplist then. I’ll get working on the issue!
Mel…having a little trouble saving your recipes to ZipList as of late. Tried to save the taco seasoning on Friday and it saved as Classic Macaroni and Cheese?? Today I tried to save the Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe and again, it saved as Classic Macaroni and Cheese?? I just wanted to let you know there was an issue, just in case you weren’t aware. Thanks!
This is my kind of soup. I will make this as much as i make the taco salad dippers you posted a while back.
This sounds amazing! I am definitely adding this to menu line up in the near future!
Looks like a great recipe to try out my new immersion blender! Think pumpkin would sub okay for squash? I’ve got lots.
Erin – sure, I’d say go ahead and use the pumpkin!
Your timing is perfect! I put chicken tortilla soup on my menu for next week and needed to find a better recipe than the one I last used. AND I’m still itching to try another soup in my new Blendtec. You’re a gift, Mel! (I might bump it up to this week it looks so good!)
I just wanted to thank you for sending me your recipes. I have been receiving them for a few months, and I think you and your blog are great. Thank you.
Really nice!
Hope this is not a duplicate offer. I have a Word document I’ve written that contains 100 soups with no more than 5 ingredients. Not to worry, it’s only 18 pages. Want a copy? Write to me at scrout1944@msn.com and I’ll send it to you. It’s free!!!
I am putting this on my menu plan for the week!
Looks delicious! I think I will make this for a potluck I’m going to at someone’s house. Do you have any hints for me? I would easily be able to heat it up on the stove there, so should I finish it up at my house and then just set it on a burner at really low so it will stay hot for everyone?
Ashley – could you make the soup start to finish at your house and then pour it in a crockpot to stay warm until you serve it at your friend’s house? As long as it doesn’t cook too long in the crockpot, I think it should do well staying warm there for a bit. Otherwise, you could definitely make it at your house, take the pot of soup with you and keep it warm on a low stovetop burner until ready to serve.
This looks like such a healthy, delicious soup! I love that vegetables are the base of the soup, and it looks so thick and creamy! I know my children will love this, and I’m not going to tell them how many vegetables are in it! 🙂