Shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and enchilada sauce in a loaded crockpot soup — fifteen minutes of prep, two hours on high, and a toppings pile at the table.
Three things that make this soup work
The crock does the simmering, and these are the three places it goes right or wrong.
- Brown the chicken first: About 3 minutes per side wakes up the flavor before the slow cooker takes over.
- Cans go in undrained: The tomatoes and beans bring their liquid, and it all becomes the broth.
- Shred, then return: Forks or a hand mixer, then the chicken goes back in to soak up the soup.
Here’s a delightful Mexican favorite ready to warm up your cold winter season. This flavorful Chicken Enchilada Soup is one of the easiest soup recipes you can make for the whole family!
No fuss, no hassles, as long as you’ve got a trustworthy crockpot machine to do the works for you.
The Crock pot Chicken Enchilada Soup can make every family meal as interesting as this wonderful soup is fully loaded with vegetables, healthy beans, and spices to go along with your choice of Mexican fixins. It’s no wonder that this has become one of my go-tos for the perfect meal for any busy weeknight!
Here’s the catch, my easy soup recipe only requires 15 minutes of prep time and leave everything else to the crockpot. So join me and discover how to make this chicken enchilada soup perfectly cooked in a crock pot in an effortless manner.
My Ultimate Solution for Hectic Days
You know those weeks where you just start behind? These past few weeks have been like that for me, trying to catch up with tons of work almost every day.
I’m living in a constant state of “behind-ness” and let me tell you; it’s not fun at all!
When I get into this pickle, I find that making soups in the crockpot is the best thing to do. This chicken enchilada soup is easy to make, and I can create a ton of leftovers which allow me to plan at least two or three more meals ahead.
And, another bonus, this crockpot chicken enchilada soup can easily be added into your menu plan for this week. The ingredients literally cook themselves, making this awesome soup recipe an easy dump-and-go kind of crockpot meal.
I just put all the ingredients together into my slow cooker and watch them melt until mixed thoroughly – delicious!
There’s nothing much better than coming home to a Mexican soup cooked in a crockpot, and this enchilada soup serves as a perfect example.
This is a unique combination of black beans, frozen corn, enchilada sauce, spices, tomatoes, and whole chicken breast cooked together for a completely loaded meal. Similar to chicken tortilla soup and rice soup, chicken breast is slowly cooked to perfection and then shredded before serving.
How to Make this Fully Loaded Chicken Enchilada Soup
This fabulous soup recipe calls for tender, whole chicken breast, and lots of exciting ingredients. As the chicken meat gets done, it becomes flavorful, tender and yummy!
But don’t forget to have it shredded into small pieces with the use of forks before you serve the soup.
First, you need to gather all the ingredients and necessary utensils like your crockpot, can opener, and stirring spoon. Of course, for my recipe, I only use my favorite Ninja three-in-one crockpot, my very favorite slow cooking companion.
With this special appliance, there’s no need to use a skillet as I can brown the chicken breast here before tossing everything else to the slow cooker. I think that browning the chicken breast can squeeze out the natural flavors of the meat, thus enhancing the overall flavor of the soup when it’s done.
Well, you don’t need to have a Ninja 3-in-1 crock pot for this recipe, but let me inform you that life is easier when you have one because it allows you to do your browning and slow cooking all in one machine. This recipe version calls for the use of slow cooker, but you can make this soup using a standard stove pot, the same way when I prepare my chicken tortilla soup or French onion soup.
This crock pot chicken enchilada soup recipe is definitely delicious! You can entirely make this soup using a slow cooker, which makes it an easy DIY dinner option for busy moms out there!
Why the Quick Browning Is Worth It
Three minutes per side in a hot pan is the only real work in this recipe, and it earns its keep. Browning wakes up the flavor of the chicken before the slow cooker takes over.
After that, everything goes into the crock together, cans and all. Two hours on high and the soup has done the rest without you.
Ingredients
- Boneless Chicken Breast
- 1 T vegetable oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 T ground cumin
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and then chopped
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 10 ounce cans enchilada sauce
- 1 14.5 ounce can low sodium chicken broth
- 1 can black beans undrained
- 1 10 ounce package frozen corn, thawed
Directions for Making Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup:
- Season your chicken with salt and pepper and put in the hot skillet (or your Ninja 3-in-1 Crockpot) on medium heat. Brown chicken breast on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Add all other ingredients into the crockpot (including chicken), cover, and turn on high for two hours.
- Remove chicken and shred the meat with fork or hand mixer.
- Add chicken back to the crockpot, season with salt & pepper to taste, and enjoy!
Recipe notes:
Boneless chicken thigh can be an excellent substitute for chicken breast.
Serve your enchilada soup with your preferred toppings such as:
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped olives
- Diced avocado
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Hot sauce, black pepper, jalapeno, and chili flakes
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
Suggested sides:
- Bread rolls
- warmed tortillas (corn or flour)
Opt to use a spicy enchilada sauce if you want the soup spicier or use the hot and spicy variation of canned tomatoes instead of the regular one. Add some red or green bell peppers for additional taste.
The crockpot chicken enchilada soup has all the ingredients that you can easily prepare in the shortest amount of time possible. Not only that, this hearty recipe is a sure hit among my kids who want no less than the best tasting crockpot meals every day!
What I Have Learned Making This
Two hours on high is short if you are gone all day, so I make this one on the weekend instead. The leftovers carry two or three meals into the week.
A hand mixer shreds the chicken in seconds if forks feel slow. Drop the breasts in a bowl, pulse briefly, and the shreds come out perfectly even.
A pot of loaded enchilada soup, a pile of toppings, and warm tortillas on the side. That is a weeknight win from fifteen minutes of prep, and my kids sign off on it every time.
A Closer Look at the Ingredients
Chicken breasts
One pound of boneless chicken breasts, browned three minutes a side before they go in. Two hours on high is enough to cook them through and make them shred.
Onion, garlic and the spices
Half an onion, two cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of chili powder, and a tablespoon of cumin. The two spices together are what make it taste like enchiladas and not just tomato soup.
Enchilada sauce
Twenty ounces of canned red enchilada sauce is the base. Mild keeps it kid friendly. Medium is where I land when it is just the adults.
Tomatoes, broth, beans and corn
A twenty eight ounce can of diced tomatoes with the juice, a can of low sodium chicken broth, a can of black beans with the liquid, and a thawed ten ounce bag of corn.
The bean liquid is not a mistake. It thickens the soup a little and adds flavor, which is why the recipe says undrained.
Cilantro
A quarter cup of chopped cilantro goes in with everything else. If your house is divided on cilantro, leave it out of the pot and set it on the toppings tray instead.
Step by Step, With the Details
Season and brown the chicken
Salt and pepper both sides, then lay the breasts in a hot skillet with the tablespoon of oil. Three minutes a side, just until the outside is golden.
The inside will still be raw and that is fine. The crock pot finishes it. You are only building flavor on the surface.
Everything into the crock pot
Add the chicken and every other ingredient to the crock pot and stir once. Cover and cook on high for two hours.
Shred the chicken
Lift the breasts out onto a cutting board and pull them apart with two forks, or drop them in a bowl and pulse a hand mixer for a few seconds.
Back in, taste, serve
Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, taste it, and add salt and pepper if it needs it. The canned ingredients vary, so taste before you salt.
Timing It for Your Day
Two hours on high is the written time, and it fits an afternoon. If you need it to cook while you are at work, four hours on low gets you to the same place.
Longer than that and the chicken dries out even sitting in liquid. If you will be gone all day, use chicken thighs, which forgive extra time.
The Toppings Tray
Half the fun of this soup is what goes on top. I put everything in little bowls and let the kids build their own.
- Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips
- Shredded cheddar or a Mexican blend
- Sour cream
- Sliced avocado
- Diced red onion and extra cilantro
- Lime wedges and sliced jalapeno
Easy Variations
Rotisserie chicken
Three cups of shredded rotisserie chicken stirred in for the last thirty minutes skips the browning entirely. The soup still needs the full time for the flavors to come together.
Green enchilada sauce
Swap the red sauce for green and the whole soup changes character. It is tangier and a little lighter, and both versions have fans in my house.
Creamy
Four ounces of cream cheese stirred in with the shredded chicken turns it into a creamy enchilada soup. Let it melt for ten minutes before serving.
Rice
A cup of cooked rice added at the end stretches the pot to feed two more people. Add it right before serving so it does not soak up all the broth.
Leftovers, Reheating and Freezing
In the refrigerator
This keeps for four days covered in the fridge and tastes better on day two. It is the reason I make it on Sunday.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove over medium or in the microwave. If it has thickened, a splash of broth or water brings it back.
Freezing
This soup freezes well for up to three months because there is no dairy in the base. Freeze it flat in bags and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Questions I Get About This Soup
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, and they are more forgiving if the soup cooks longer than planned. Use a pound of boneless thighs and brown them the same way.
Is it spicy?
With mild enchilada sauce, no. The chili powder adds flavor, not heat. Use medium sauce or add jalapeno at the table for people who want it.
Can I make it on the stove?
Yes. Brown the chicken in a Dutch oven, add everything else, and simmer covered for thirty to forty minutes until the chicken shreds.
Can I skip browning the chicken?
You can, and the soup will still be good. The browning adds a layer of flavor that is worth the six minutes if you have them.
How do I make it thicker?
Crush a handful of tortilla chips into the pot for the last fifteen minutes. They dissolve and thicken the soup the way masa does in restaurant versions.
More Crock Pot Soups and Mexican Dinners
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Crock Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Easy Crockpot Potato Soup
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
- 1 T vegetable oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 T ground cumin
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and then chopped
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
- 20 ounce enchilada sauce
- 1 14.5 ounce can low sodium chicken broth
- 1 can black beans undrained
- 10 ounce package frozen corn thawed
Instructions
- Season your chicken with salt and pepper and put in the hot skillet (or your Ninja 3-in-1 Crockpoon medium heat. Brown chicken breast on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Add all other ingredients into the crockpot (including chicken), cover and turn on high for two hours.
- Remove chicken and shred with forks or with a hand mixer.
- Add chicken back to the crockpot, season with salt & pepper to taste and enjoy!
- ** Top with sour cream, tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips.