Green Chicken Enchilada Soup is as easy as it gets! Assemble it in minutes—no chopping needed—and let the crockpot handle the rest.
Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
Two meals that are always a hit in my house are chicken chili and green chicken enchiladas. And that’s where the inspiration for this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup came from. I combined both recipes into one dish, and wow—SO good!
It’s hearty, loaded with protein, and super creamy. A dinner your family will love!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Green Chicken Enchilada Chili:
- Beans: Use white and black beans for the base. Drain and rinse well.
- Chicken thighs: Trim excess fat before adding to the slow cooker. I prefer the tenderness and flavor of thighs.
- Green chiles: No need to drain; the liquid adds flavor. Fire-roasted chiles bring a subtle smoky flavor.
- Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add more flavor, but regular works too.
- Enchilada sauce: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade sauce. I like Old El Paso or my homemade version best.
- Spices: Adjust chili powder for your heat preference.
- Chicken broth: Use less for a thicker chili or more for a soupier texture.
- Cream cheese: Soften in the microwave so it blends smoothly into the soup.
Quick Tip
You’ll use 10 ounces of green enchilada sauce for this soup. Use the leftovers in enchiladas, scrambled eggs, rice and beans, or a breakfast casserole.
Green Chicken Enchilada Soup Toppings
Toppings take this soup to the next level—don’t skip them! If I had to pick just three, they’d be cheese, sour cream, and lime juice. Here are some other options:
- Cheese: I like to grate Pepper-Jack, Monterey Jack, or sharp cheddar cheese over each bowl and let it melt then gently stir it in.
- Sour cream: Adds creaminess and balances the spice in the soup.
- Lime juice: A few squeezes brighten up the flavors.
- Chips: Crushed tortilla strips add some nice crunch.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness if you like it; parsley works as a substitute.
- Avocado: Sliced or diced avocado brings extra creaminess.
Green Chicken Enchilada Soup Notes
- Spice Levels: Use mild enchilada sauce and green chiles for a mild chili. For more heat, choose medium or hot.
- Cream Cheese: Soften the cream cheese thoroughly before adding it. Use a sturdy metal whisk and whisk briskly until smooth. If it’s still not fully melted, cover the crockpot and cook on high for 30 more minutes.
- Shredded Chicken: Add the chicken back in after whisking in the cream cheese to keep it from getting stringy.
- Thickening: Full-fat cream cheese makes the chili thick and hearty. Sour cream and cheese thicken it even more!
What To Serve With Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Cornbread: A classic side for any chili and especially good with this one!
- Tortilla Chips: Perfect for dipping or adding some crunch.
- Salad: A simple green garden salad for a light side.
- Quesadillas: A great side and perfect for dipping into the chili!
- Bread: Crusty bread or soft rolls for soaking up every last drop.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on low heat, stirring often, and avoid boiling to prevent separation. If the chili is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth to thin it out.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with spaghetti
- Potato Soup all the flavors of a baked potato in soup form!
- Sausage Tortellini Soup with Italian sausage
- Crockpot Chili winning recipe for dozens of chili cook-offs!
- Lentil Soup packed with veggies!
Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
This Green Chicken Enchilada Soup is quick, simple, and so tasty! Just toss the ingredients in the Crock-Pot—no veggie chopping—and you’re good to go!Spice Note: This soup is medium spicy as is, but adding cheese and sour cream helps tone down the heat—my kids love it that way!
Equipment
- Crock-Pot 6-quart
Ingredients
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can white kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or use small chicken breasts
- 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles see note 1
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes optional, I like fire-roasted
- 1 (10-ounce) can green enchilada sauce see note 2
- 4 teaspoons ground chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth see note 3
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese see note 4
- 1 large lime optional
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro optional
- Toppings as desired see note 5
Instructions
- Add beans, chicken, green chiles (with liquid), tomatoes (with liquid), enchilada sauce, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Stir well, then spread everything out evenly, ensuring the chicken pieces aren’t overlapping.
- Cover and cook on low for 5–7 hours or high for 3–5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F and easy to shred).
- Remove the chicken into a bowl and set aside. Add very soft cream cheese to the slow cooker. Briskly whisk, then cover and cook on high for 10–20 minutes or until the cream cheese is fully melted. Whisk again until smooth.
- While the cream cheese melts, shred the chicken with two forks or slice it thinly. Once the cream cheese is fully incorporated, stir the chicken back into the soup. Add 1–2 tablespoons of lime juice and cilantro, if desired. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings for extra flavor (see note 5).
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Use mild green chiles for less heat. Fire-roasted for more flavor!
Note 2: A good brand makes all the difference. I like Old El Paso for store-bought.
Note 3: Add an extra cup of chicken broth for a thinner, more brothy chili.
Note 4: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Soften it in the microwave for 60–90 seconds, flipping every 20 seconds for even softening.
Note 5: Toppings make the chili! They also tame down the heat a lot. My favorites: cheese (Pepper Jack, sharp Cheddar, or Monterey Jack), sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, tortilla chips (for dipping or crushed on top), and avocado. Shred cheese over bowls, let it melt slightly, then stir.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on low heat, stirring often. Avoid boiling to prevent separation. If the chili is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth to thin it out.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1413mg | Potassium: 1191mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1082IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 267mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my crockpot right now! Looking forward to my work lunches this week- I’ll update my review then! I appreciate your easy recipe as well as including nutritional info 🙂
I hope you loved this soup Colleen! 🙂
It’s one of the first cold and rainy days where I live. I put this in my crockpot and shared your link on my blogs Facebook. Can’t wait to eat this tonight.
I hope you love it Karis! 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
My son and daughter who are 11 and 12 are picky eaters. The looks I got when they see soup is what’s for dinner did not go over well.
In this case, it went very well! They wanted a second bowl and even talked about it on the way home from school the next day.
Very delicious recipe. This will be in rotation more than the normal.
Haha! 🙂 I’m SO happy this one went over well 🙂 Thrilled it was a hit! Thanks for the comment Nellie.
This recipe is SO good. It is now one of our go-to soups because it is so easy and so delicious. I add the tomatoes like you suggest (yum) and I also add a can of sweet corn because my family likes corn. Perfect for these cold winter days and being a busy mom. Thank you for sharing!!
I’m so happy to hear this has become a go to! 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment Robyn!
Do you need to add the cream cheese?
I am looking for nondairy recipe.
Hi Helen! It’s definitely best (in my opinion) with the cream cheese. I’d recommend this soup for a non-dairy option:https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/slow-cooker-salsa-verde-chicken-soup/
I didn’t use the cream cheese for a healthier version, and I added fire roasted tomatoes and it was extremely delicious. For people who want it to be creamier, you can always add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
So happy to hear that! Thanks for reporting back and helping other readers Skylar 🙂
Do you think I could ah substitute coconut milk for the cream cheese? I also cannot have dairy but would love to try this recipe!
I don’t think that would taste right. I’ve had a few people write in that they’ve left out the cream cheese entirely and still loved the soup; maybe you could try that?
Okay, thank you!!! ?
This was so good! I added jalapeños for extra kick and even tried it over off left over rice! It was great. 100% going in the rotation for winter. Perfect receipe for college kids who never have time to cook!
I’m thrilled this was a hit! 🙂 Thanks for the comment Alexandra!!
Made this wonderful green chile enchilada soup today. Amazing and satisfying flavors! I will definitely be making more of this soup! Thanks for sharing with others!
So happy to hear this was a hit! Thanks Beverly 🙂
Just made this tonight it was sooo good and flavorful! And super easy to make. Definitely going to be making this again! Thank you for the recipe
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this! Thanks for the comment April! 🙂
This one looks like a winner! Just two quick questions…how spicy/hot is this? My husband loves soup so can’t wait to make it but he doesn’t like his book really spicy/ Should I cut back on the chili powder? Also, do you drain/rinse the white and black beans? Thanks!
Thank you BB! I would say it’s pretty mild, but I can handle a lot of spice. So maybe add half the chili powder and then you can add more after a taste test before serving it 🙂 And yes, drain and rinse! Enjoy!
I’m a young (23) American girl working in Italy, from Arkansas, so I MISS Mexican food and Tex-Mex so much. I tried this recipe so I could have a big batch for lunches in the office all week and it was so great! Reminds me so much of home. My boyfriend is Italian and struggles to embrace Mexican cuisine (Italian stomachs aren’t used to the spices and such, they think the food is too heavy), but he LOVED this recipe and ate two bowls for lunch! My mom just shipped over a bunch of green chillies and spices for me, so this was a perfect way to use them. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Awe this made my day! 🙂 I’m so thrilled you were able to enjoy this soup in Italy and that your boyfriend enjoyed it too 🙂 Thanks Lindsey!