Creamy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
A rich, smoky, and creamy chicken enchilada soup made effortlessly in a crockpot, perfect for cozy nights and family dinners.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes (low) or 3 hours 10 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 can (10 oz / 283 g) red enchilada sauce
- 1 can (4 oz / 113 g) diced green chilies
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups (960 ml) low sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen or canned sweet corn, drained
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Chop the onion and garlic finely. Open and drain the black beans and corn if using canned. Soften the cream cheese by leaving it out at room temperature while you prep.
- Place the chicken breasts or thighs at the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour in the red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, diced green chilies, black beans, corn, onion, and garlic. Sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours until the chicken is tender enough to shred easily with a fork.
- Remove the chicken pieces and shred them with two forks on a cutting board or plate. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
- Cut the softened cream cheese into chunks and stir into the soup until melted and fully incorporated, creating a creamy, silky broth.
- Stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, or tortilla chips if desired.
Notes
If the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth or water to loosen. If too thin, cook uncovered on high for 15-30 minutes to reduce. Soften cream cheese before adding to avoid lumps. Start with less salt and adjust at the end due to sodium in canned ingredients. Can use frozen chicken but increase cooking time by 1 hour on low. For dairy-free, substitute cream cheese with coconut or almond milk. For spicier soup, add jalapeños or chipotle powder.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximatel
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 30
Keywords: chicken enchilada soup, crockpot soup, creamy soup, slow cooker recipe, comfort food, Mexican soup, easy dinner