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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken enchilada soup with a thick, smoky dark red broth, simmered until the flavors meld and topped like classic enchiladas with cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, and avocado. This easy Tex-Mex chicken soup is fast to make and loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn.
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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 Enchilada Soup base
  • 3 cup cooked chicken shredded
  • 28 oz red enchilada sauce 1 can (28 oz)
  • 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz corn drained
  • 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) undrained
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • shredded cheddar for topping
  • sour cream for topping
  • avocado for topping
  • cilantro for topping
  • tortilla strips for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the smoky broth
  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 to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth looks deep red and flavors meld.
Cook the shredded chicken
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 10 minutes until heated through and evenly distributed.
Season, serve, and garnish
  1. Taste the soup and adjust with more cumin, chili powder, or salt as needed for a balanced enchilada-style flavor.
  2. Ladle into bowls and top generously with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips.
  3. Serve immediately while the cheese is ready to melt slightly from the hot broth.

Notes

For the thickest texture, use room-temperature chicken broth and simmer at a steady, gentle bubble for the full 15-20 minutes. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently on the stove or microwave, then add fresh tortilla strips for crunch. Freezing is not ideal because avocado and sour cream toppings can break down—freeze the soup base only (without toppings) up to 2 months, then thaw and reheat. For a lighter option, swap part of the cheddar for reduced-fat cheese and use light sour cream.