Creamy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup: Easy Party Favorite
A rich, creamy, and smoky chicken enchilada soup made in the slow cooker with cream cheese, black beans, corn, and bold spices. Perfect for parties and cold nights, this dump-and-go recipe is a crowd-pleaser that even self-proclaimed enchilada soup haters will love.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2–3 large breasts)
- 1 (28-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Diced avocado (for garnish)
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips (for garnish)
- Lime wedges (for garnish)
- Diced red onion or green onions (for garnish)
- Jalapeño slices (for garnish)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the black beans. Drain the corn. Cube the cream cheese and let it sit at room temperature.
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Pour the enchilada sauce and chicken broth over everything. Sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper on top. Do not stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and shredded Mexican blend cheese. Stir gently until the cream cheese is completely melted and the soup is smooth and velvety (about 2-3 minutes). If needed, turn the slow cooker to HIGH for 10 minutes to help the cream cheese soften.
- Stir in the sour cream until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and let guests add their own toppings: cilantro, avocado, tortilla strips, lime wedges, red onion, and jalapeños.
Notes
Don’t rush the cream cheese—let it soften for at least 30 minutes and cube it small to avoid lumps. Watch your salt; use low-sodium broth and unsalted beans, then add salt at the end. Shred chicken while warm for tender chunks. If soup is too thin, cook uncovered on HIGH for 15-20 minutes; if too thick, add more broth or milk. For a spicier version, add 1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and use 2 cans of black beans plus 2 cups of frozen corn with vegetable broth. For a white chicken enchilada soup, use green enchilada sauce and white beans.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 890
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 35
Keywords: crockpot chicken enchilada soup, creamy enchilada soup, slow cooker enchilada soup, party soup, chicken enchilada soup, easy enchilada soup