Description

This creamy and flavorful Chicken Enchilada Soup is the ultimate comfort food with bold Mexican-inspired flavors! Packed with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and a blend of smoky spices, it’s a hearty and satisfying dish that’s perfect for cozy nights. Topped with tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, it’s a crowd-pleaser that you can whip up in under an hour.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Base Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
15 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes (1 can)
15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
1 cup frozen corn
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes (1 brick)

Optional Toppings

Tortilla strips
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

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Instructions

Sauté Aromatics
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent.
Add Spices
Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices are fragrant, enhancing the overall flavor of your soup.
Combine Base Ingredients
Pour in the chicken broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, black beans, and frozen corn. Stir everything together to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Cook Chicken
Nestle the chicken breasts into the soup mixture. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Shred Chicken
Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and let them cool until they are easy to handle. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Add Cream Cheese
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and add the cream cheese cubes. Stir to combine, then cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir again until the cream cheese is fully melted, creating a creamy consistency.
Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with optional toppings like tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for an extra burst of flavor.

Notes

Nutritional information does not account for optional toppings.
Vegetable oil is ideal for this recipe due to its neutral flavor and high smoke point.
To save time, use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking raw chicken. Simply shred and add it at step 6.
For a crockpot version, add all ingredients except cream cheese, corn, and black beans to the pot. Cook on low for 6 hours, then add the corn, black beans, and cream cheese at the end.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 320
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 850mg
Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 22g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 20g
Cholesterol: 70mg