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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken enchilada soup with a thick, smoky dark red broth simmered until flavorful and spoon-coating, then loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn. Topped with melted shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla strips, and fresh avocado for a classic Tex-Mex finish.
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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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Enchilada Soup
  • 3 cup cooked chicken shredded
  • 1 can (28 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (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
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
  • 1 shredded cheddar for topping
  • 1 sour cream for topping
  • 1 avocado for topping
  • 1 cilantro for topping
  • 1 tortilla strips for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer the soup base
  1. In a large pot, combine red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, Rotel, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over medium-high heat until fully mixed.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth is deep and cohesive.
Finish with chicken
  1. Add shredded cooked chicken to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes until heated through and evenly distributed.
Taste and serve
  1. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more cumin, chili powder, or salt as desired for a bold, smoky flavor.
  2. Ladle into bowls and top each serving generously with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips before serving immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: For the thickest texture, let the soup simmer uncovered during the 15-20 minute meld so the broth reduces slightly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the toppings (especially sour cream and avocado) won’t hold their texture—freeze the soup base without toppings if needed. For a dairy-free option, skip the shredded cheddar and sour cream and top with dairy-free crema or avocado only.