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Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Creamy chicken enchilada soup with a red enchilada cream broth made by melting cream cheese for a smooth, velvety texture. Simmered chicken, corn, and black beans come together quickly, then get served loaded with tortilla strips, sour cream, cheddar, cilantro, and lime.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and broth base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.25 salt To taste
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste
Vegetables and flavorings
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 3 clove garlic Minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained
Enchilada cream sauce
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cubed
Toppings and serving
  • 0.5 sour cream For serving
  • 0.5 cup cheddar For serving
  • 1 tortilla strips For serving
  • 0.25 cilantro For serving
  • 1 lime For serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onion for 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant and darkened slightly.
Build the soup
  1. Add the red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, black beans, and corn to the pot. Bring to a boil, then keep stirring as it starts bubbling across the surface.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cubed cream cheese until completely melted and the broth looks smooth. Keep the heat low so the cheese blends without scorching.
Simmer with chicken
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the chicken is heated through.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, topped with sour cream, cheddar, tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, keep the heat at low while melting the cream cheese and stir until no lumps remain. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if needed. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture will be slightly thinner).