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Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Creamy chicken enchilada soup made in one pot with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn in a thick, rust-red base. The soup gets its velvety texture from melted cream cheese and heavy cream, then finishes with shredded cheese and crunchy tortilla strips.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Creamy chicken enchilada soup
  • 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
  • 1 tortilla strips for topping
  • 1 sour cream for topping
  • 1 cilantro for topping
  • 1 jalapeños for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the soup base
  1. Combine shredded cooked chicken, black beans, corn, red enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, and chili powder in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir until the mixture looks evenly combined with no dry spice pockets.
  2. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to develop flavors. Look for steady bubbling around the edges and a cohesive, rust-red color.
Make it creamy
  1. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir until fully melted into the soup. The texture should turn thicker and smoother with no visible cream cheese lumps.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 5 more minutes until the soup is thick and creamy. Watch for a glossy surface and slow-moving bubbles rather than a rapid boil.
  3. Stir in the shredded Mexican cheese blend until melted, then taste and adjust seasoning. The soup should look smooth and slightly elastic as the cheese incorporates.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, sour cream, cilantro, and jalapeños. The cheese should still be warm enough for the toppings to sit well on the surface.

Notes

For best texture, keep the soup at a gentle simmer once the dairy is added so it stays thick without separating. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat over medium-low until hot, stirring often. Freezing is not recommended because cream and cheese can change texture after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half in place of heavy cream to cut calories while keeping it creamy.