Green Chicken Enchilada Soup is simple and delicious! With no veggie chopping and the crockpot doing the work, you can have this soup assembled in just minutes!
The Best Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
Two meals that are always a hit in my house are this chicken chili and these green chicken enchiladas. That’s where the inspiration for this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup came from! I knew I needed to combine both flavors to create my kids’ dream dinner, and lets me honest, mine too!
It’s hearty, protein-rich, thick, and boasts the creamiest, most delicious consistency. It’s comfort in a bowl and a dinner your family is guaranteed to love.
Ingredients
- Beans (White Kidney and Black): Add heartiness, fiber, and protein.
- Chicken: I use thighs but breasts work as well. Trim any extra fat before adding.
- Fire-Roasted Green Chiles and Tomatoes: Offer smokiness and mild heat.
- Green Enchilada Sauce: Make your own or use store bought.
- Seasonings: Scale up or down for personal preferences.
- Fresh Cilantro: If you’re not a fan, leave it out!
- Chicken Broth: Use more for a thinner soup and less for thicker.
- Cream Cheese: Adds creaminess and a hint of tang.
- Toppings: I love sour cream, cheese, avocado, lime, and cilantro on top.
Quick Tip
You’ll only use 10 ounces (286 grams/1 and 1/4 cup) of green enchilada sauce for this soup. Utilize leftover sauce in enchiladas, over scrambled eggs, with rice and beans, or in a breakfast casserole.
How To Make Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Combine: In a slow cooker, add beans, chicken, chiles, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, spices, and broth.
- Cook: Set on low for 5-7 hours or high for 3-5 hours.
- Add Cream Cheese: Mix in softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Shred Chicken: Return shredded chicken to the soup.
- Serve: Garnish with toppings like sour cream, cheese, and avocado.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- Freeze: In an airtight container for 4-6 months. Thaw green chicken enchilada soup in the fridge.
- Reheat: Slowly on low heat, stirring constantly to maintain cream cheese consistency.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup
Quick and Easy Green Chicken Enchilada Soup: Assemble in minutes without chopping veggies. Let the slow cooker do the work for a creamy, hearty, and flavorful meal.
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 can (15.5 oz) white kidney (cannellini) beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cans (15.25 oz EACH) black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (~5 thighs) (or breasts)
- 2 cans (4 oz, EACH) fire-roasted diced green chiles
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes optional
- 1 can (10 oz) green enchilada sauce
- 4 teaspoons ground chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro optional
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock (2 cups for thinner soup)
- 1 package (8 oz.) full-fat cream cheese softened (reduced fat doesn't melt well into the soup)
- Toppings: sour cream (lite or fat-free), freshly grated sharp pepper-jack or Monterey jack cheese, diced ripe avocado, fresh lime, and fresh cilantro (See Note 1)
Instructions
- ADD TO SLOW COOKER: Add the drained and rinsed white and black beans, fat-trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts; if using breasts cut each breast into 4 pieces), both cans of diced green chiles, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained), and green enchilada sauce. Add all the seasonings: chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. If desired, add in the fresh cilantro. Pour in the chicken stock or broth (1 cup for a thicker chili and use 2 cups for a thinner soup-like consistency)
- COOK: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 3-5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F or easily shreds).
- CREAM CHEESE: Remove the chicken from the crockpot and set aside in another bowl. Add softened cream cheese (partially melt in the microwave first) into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes or until the cream cheese melts and is easily stirred into the soup. Briskly whisk to get the cheese completely incorporated.
- CHICKEN: Meanwhile, shred the chicken with 2 forks. Once the cream cheese is incorporated, add the chicken into the soup and stir.
- SERVE: Ladle chili into bowls and serve with desired toppings. We love adding a big handful of pepper-jack cheese, fat-free sour cream, a wedge of lime and some cilantro!
- STORAGE: This soup stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Freeze in an air tight container for 4-6 months.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Don’t forget the toppings they add a lot! If I could only pick three toppings for this soup, they would be the cheese, sour cream, and lime juice. I highly recommend at least those 3 additions. As far as cheese, our favorite is pepper-jack cheese, but Monterey Jack cheese is another great topping. Even sharp cheddar works here. Lite sour cream works well in this soup.
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.
I have made this twice with pork. The first time I followed the recipe but cooked for 2 hours and added left over pulled pork at the end. The second time I had BBQ pork – ridiculous! this is how I’ll make it every time.
So happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the soup! 🙂 Pork sounds delicious!! Thanks for the comment!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! Even my picky toddler loved it! Thank you!!
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment Kimberly! 🙂
No need to publish any of my comments. Since you made the change to the recipe card no one will know what I was talking about.
On another note, you might be interested in adapting this recipe as your own for a quick and easy, no no-boil substitute for mac and cheese. I love making it in the Crock-Pot, and I have cooked it on top of the stove, in the and even the microwave. It has become one of my signature dishes to take to events.
Canned hominy, rinsed and drained (I mix white and yellow hominy)
Canned mild green chiles
Velveeta, melted
Sour cream
Southwestern seasoning, optional
Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained, optional
Mix the hominy and green chilies in the pot or pan you’re going to use to cook them. add the tomatoes if you decide to use them.
Cut the Velveeta and chunks. Melted in the microwave. Mix in the sour cream. Stir to combine. Add the Southwestern seasoning, if using.
Gently stir the cheese mixture into the hominy and then cook in the Crock-Pot, on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave until heated through.
This sounds delicious! 🙂
An FYI, I should have included the source for my earlier green chicken comment. By the way, the recipe sounds fabulous.) I first saw the recipe on Community Table. Here is the link: https://communitytable.parade.com/628498/jamielothridge/10-savory-slow-cooker-soups-to-warm-you-up-this-winter/?utm_source=paradenewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=homepage_newsletter_December%2027,%202017_02_00_00
Question? And, just where do I find the GREEN CHICKEN to make the chile enchilada soup? LOL! (Check the top of the recipe card and you’ll see what I mean.)
Haha too funny! Just updated it 🙂
Awesome. I had some fantastic similar soup in New Mexico a year ago. I guess I would need to compare side to side BUT this one is as good or a super close second. I used the spreadable cream cheese and it still worked well. Think I will try freezing a little bit to see how it does. Agree probably wont do well but I am alone and even doing half it will last…well maybe only the day at the rate I am eating it. Looking forward to trying your other recipes. Love crockpots.
Now that the weather is cooler I decided to try this soup. Just got a new 6-quart crock-pot from Costco. Very easy to fix! I loved that. And, oh my goodness, is it delicious!!! My husband loved it too. I am not a fan of really spicy food so was a little worried but the melted cream cheese really mellows the soup. Adding sour cream, some chopped cilantro and lime juice as garnishes just makes it more divine!
I’m so thrilled this was a hit 🙂 And yes isn’t the prep a breeze 🙂
Ugh, cannot find green enchilada sauce anywhere! Is salsa verde close enough?
Hmm I think you’d end up with a pretty different result. You could always make your own: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-green-enchilada-sauce/
That is an amazing recipe. To many ingredients but great soup to enjoy after a vigorous workout. Thanks for sharing Chelsea
Wow this really delicious and mouth watering surely gonna try this soup and let u know my thoughts about it.Thanks for sharing such a unique soup recipe.