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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken enchilada soup with a thick, smoky dark red broth simmered until the flavors meld, then loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn. Topped like a loaded enchilada with melted cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and crunchy tortilla strips.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 3 cup cooked chicken, shredded
Enchilada broth base
  • 1 can (28 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1.333 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), undrained
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetables
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
Toppings
  • Shredded cheddar
  • sour cream
  • avocado
  • cilantro
  • tortilla strips

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the soup base
  1. Combine red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, Rotel, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large pot over medium-high heat until fully mixed and evenly colored.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes so the flavors meld and the broth thickens slightly.
Simmer with chicken
  1. Stir in shredded chicken and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is heated through and the soup looks cohesive.
Season and serve
  1. Taste and adjust seasoning with more cumin, chili powder, or salt as desired until the flavor is balanced.
  2. Ladle into bowls and top generously with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips for a loaded finish with visible melty cheese.
  3. Serve immediately while the cheddar is warm and the tortilla strips stay crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: shred rotisserie or leftover chicken to speed up prep, then let the soup simmer a full 15-20 minutes for the dark red broth to deepen in flavor. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove until hot, then add fresh toppings after reheating. Freezing: yes, freeze the soup base (without toppings) for up to 2 months and thaw/reheat, then garnish. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat shredded cheddar and light sour cream.