The Best Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken broth, I use low-sodium
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3-4 chicken breasts
- 1 (3.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (see note for substitutions)
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks
- 3-4 cups butternut squash cubes, 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)
- 1 cup sour cream, light or regular
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 cans white beans, like Great Northern, 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. Whisk in the sour cream and tomato sauce. Stir in the beans and chopped chicken. Heat through.
- Serve the soup with additional toppings: tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, pico de gallo or salsa, etc. The options are endless!
Notes
Taco Seasoning: here is my favorite homemade version.
Potatoes: over the years, I've used Yukon Gold or red potatoes in place of the russets and even subbed in half sweet potatoes. It's really adaptable.
Seasoning: also the original recipe I posted years ago had the taco seasoning stirred in at the end. I've since added the seasonings at the beginning to enhance overall flavor.
Thickness: if you want the soup thicker, ladle out some of the broth before blending (you can always add it back in to thin it out a bit).
Pico de Gallo: this soup is absolutely unreal with homemade pico de gallo. Here's how I whip it up: 3-4 chopped ripe tomatoes, juice of one lime, handful of chopped cilantro, medium minced yellow onion, seeded and diced jalapeno and salt to taste. Let it chill out in the fridge for an hour or so, if desired, or use right away.