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Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Creamy chicken enchilada soup is a thick, creamy Tex-Mex soup simmered until flavors meld, then finished with cream cheese and shredded cheese for a silky, cheesy texture. It’s loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and topped like a classic enchilada with tortilla strips, sour cream, cilantro, and jalapeños.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 2 cup cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup Mexican cheese blend, shredded
Toppings
  • 1 tortilla strips
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 jalapeños

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the soup
  1. Combine shredded chicken, black beans, corn, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, and chili powder in a large pot over medium heat until evenly mixed. Keep the surface actively steaming as the soup heats.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes to develop flavors, stirring once or twice. Look for steady bubbling around the edges and a cohesive, thickening base.
  3. Add cream cheese cubes and stir until fully melted into the soup, keeping the heat at a gentle simmer. The soup should look smooth with no visible cream cheese lumps.
  4. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 5 more minutes until the soup is thick and creamy. Watch for a velvety texture that coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Stir in shredded cheese until melted, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stop cooking when the cheese is fully incorporated and the surface looks glossy.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with tortilla strips, sour cream, cilantro, and jalapeños. The cheese should melt slightly at contact, with toppings staying bright and defined.

Notes

Pro tip: Use freshly shredded Mexican cheese blend for faster melt and best creaminess. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in an airtight container; rewarm gently over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth if it thickens too much. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can become grainy after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, replace the heavy cream with half-and-half and use low-fat cream cheese (texture will be slightly less rich).