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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. It’s topped with a mound of melted cheddar, sour cream, tortilla strips, and fresh avocado for an enchilada-style finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cup cooked chicken, shredded Use shredded rotisserie or cooked chicken.
  • 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
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheddar For topping.
  • 0.33 cup sour cream For topping.
  • 1 avocado Sliced, for topping.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped, for topping.
  • 1 cup tortilla strips For topping.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the soup
  1. Combine enchilada sauce, chicken broth, Rotel, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the broth looks thick and dark red.
Add the chicken
  1. Stir in shredded chicken and simmer for 10 minutes, keeping the surface at a gentle bubble and letting the chicken heat through.
  2. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more cumin, chili powder, or salt as desired, until the flavor is balanced and savory.
Serve with toppings
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top generously with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips so the cheese begins to melt on contact.
  2. Serve immediately while the toppings are fresh and the tortilla strips keep a little crunch.

Notes

For best texture, keep the simmer gentle after adding the chicken so the broth stays rich without scorching. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; for best results, reheat soup and add fresh toppings (avocado and tortilla strips) after warming. Freezing is not recommended for the toppings, but the soup base freezes well up to 3 months. For a dairy-reduced option, use dairy-free sour cream and a shredded cheese alternative that melts.