Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

I know you’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands, of chicken tortilla/fajita/enchilada soup.

It’s one of the most popular soups on Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, and in real life.

But I’m here to tell you this one is the BEST of the BEST. It’s creamy, spicy, filling and cheesy. It’s cooked to perfection and tastes absolutely incredible. This recipe should be held high above all others.

Here’s the thing– in order to get a good chicken tortilla soup, you need a couple of key ingredients. High quality chicken broth (I recommend bone broth and homemade, if you can), hand grated cheese (it just melts better, trust me!), and expertly seasoned chicken.

The main thing to remember though is the cheese. If you’ve ever added cheese to a soup and it didn’t melt right, or it seemed grainy, it’s probably because you used store-bought shredded cheese. They add extra things to that cheese so it doesn’t stick to itself in the bag, but that makes it difficult to melt sometimes and can turn soups into a mess.

Another thing to remember: add the cheese when the soup is on LOW heat. You don’t want to add the cheese when it’s boiling or simmering because that can cause the fat to separate you’ll be left with grease bubbles everywhere.

So grate your own cheese, add it in over low-to-no heat, and enjoy.

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Servings: 8-10
Time: 45 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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The ultimate chicken enchilada soup that savory, spicy, creamy and delicious.

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and shredded

2 TBS. olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 handful chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. Cajun seasoning

2 cans (10 oz each) enchilada sauce

1 can (10 oz) of diced tomatoes

1 can diced green chiles

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed

5-6 cups chicken broth

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Tortilla strips, for serving

Directions

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and jalapeno and saute until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
Add all of the remaining ingredients, except for chicken, cream cheese and shredded cheeses.
Let soup come to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Reduce heat to low or take pot off of burner. Stir in cooked chicken, cream cheese, and shredded cheeses. Keep stirring until cheese has melted and soup is creamy.
Serve topped with tortilla strips, if desired.