Cozy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup: Easy 5-Ingredient Recipe
This creamy, spicy, and tangy chicken enchilada soup is made with just 5 main ingredients and a slow cooker. It’s the ultimate comfort food for busy weeknights, requiring only 10 minutes of hands-on work for a deeply flavorful and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3.5 hours (high)
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes (low) or 3 hours 40 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (28-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Las Palmas or Hatch)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained (or frozen corn)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (start with 1 ½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- For topping (optional): shredded Mexican blend cheese, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt, tortilla chips or strips, lime wedges
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer at the bottom of a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour the enchilada sauce over the chicken. Add the drained black beans and corn. Do not stir yet.
- Sprinkle the cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika over the top. Pour in 1 ½ cups of chicken broth. Gently stir to combine, ensuring the chicken is coated.
- Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks or a hand mixer on low speed (pulse carefully to avoid overmixing).
- Add the softened, cubed cream cheese to the hot soup. Stir until fully melted and incorporated, with no white streaks remaining. If the soup is too thick, add the remaining ½ cup of broth. If too thin, cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or an extra pinch of cumin as needed.
- Serve immediately in bowls with desired toppings.
Notes
For best texture, let cream cheese soften at room temperature for 20 minutes before cubing. Start with 1 ½ cups of broth to avoid a watery soup. This soup freezes well; for optimal texture, freeze before adding cream cheese and stir it in when reheating. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups (without to
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 890
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 31
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 32
Keywords: crockpot chicken enchilada soup, easy enchilada soup, slow cooker soup, 5-ingredient soup, creamy chicken soup, comfort food, weeknight dinner