Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Dump-and-Go Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

This crock pot chicken enchilada soup is about as easy as dinner gets. You put raw chicken thighs, a few canned staples and a packet of taco seasoning straight into the slow cooker. You don’t brown or sauté anything first. Then walk away. When you come back, the chicken shreds with tongs, and the few corn tortillas you tore up have melted into the broth to thicken it. That’s what makes the soup taste like a real pan of enchiladas.

It takes about 10 minutes of hands-on time, works on a busy weeknight, and freezes well. Want to toast your own spice blend and simmer the chicken in sauce first? Try my original Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe.

If you love Chicken Enchiladas, you are going to love this soup! It is simple, tasty, and super comforting.

Why You’ll Love This Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

• True dump-and-go. You don’t brown the chicken or sauté anything. Everything goes straight into the crock pot.
• Pantry staples. It uses enchilada sauce, Rotel, black beans, corn and taco seasoning, which you can keep on hand all the time.
• The tortilla trick. Torn corn tortillas break down while the soup cooks. They thicken the broth and taste like the tortillas in a pan of enchiladas.
• Juicy chicken every time. Chicken thighs stay tender through a long cook, where breasts can dry out.
• Freezer friendly. One batch makes about 8 servings, enough for dinner and a few lunches.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup

You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card below. Here’s what each ingredient does:

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They stay tender and shred easily. You can use breasts, but cook them on the shorter end of the time range.
• Corn tortillas. Tear them into pieces. They dissolve as they cook and thicken the soup naturally.
• Chicken broth. This is the base of the soup. Use low-sodium if you want to control the salt.
• Red enchilada sauce. One large (19 oz) can gives the soup its flavor. I use Old El Paso.
• Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles. These add tomato and a mild kick. Use the “hot” version if you like spice.
• Black beans and sweet corn. Drain them both. They add body, color and a little sweetness.
• Yellow onion. Just dice it and add it raw. It turns soft and sweet as it cooks.
• Taco seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. One packet of taco seasoning plus a little extra garlic and onion makes the seasoning simple.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup in the Crock Pot

1. Layer the chicken and tortillas. Put the chicken thighs in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Tear the corn tortillas into bite-size pieces and scatter them over the chicken.
2. Add the liquids and cans. Pour in the chicken broth. Then add the drained corn, Rotel (with its juice), drained black beans, diced onion and the enchilada sauce.
3. Season. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder, then give everything a stir.
4. Slow cook. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F.
5. Shred and serve. Lift the chicken onto a plate, shred it with two forks or tongs, and stir it back into the soup. Taste, add salt if needed, and ladle into bowls.

How to Make It Without a Slow Cooker

Don’t have a crock pot, or forgot to start it this morning? These faster methods give you the same soup.

• Stovetop: Add everything to a large Dutch oven and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30–35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred the chicken and stir it back in.
• Instant Pot: Add everything to the pot, pouring the enchilada sauce on top so the pot doesn’t give a burn warning. Don’t stir. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Shred the chicken and stir.

Best Toppings for Chicken Enchilada Soup

Toppings are half the fun of this soup. Set out a few and let everyone build their own bowl:

• Shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
• Tortilla chips or crispy tortilla strips
• Sliced fresh jalapeños
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• A squeeze of lime
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Diced avocado

Variations

• Green chicken enchilada soup: Use green enchilada sauce instead of red, and a can of diced green chiles instead of the Rotel.
• Creamy chicken enchilada soup: After you shred the chicken, stir in 4 oz of cubed cream cheese or ½ cup of heavy cream. Let it melt for 10 minutes.
• Spicier: Use hot Rotel, add a diced chipotle in adobo, or stir in a pinch of cayenne.
• Leftover chicken: Use 3–4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or simmer 15 minutes on the stove), just long enough to heat everything and soften the tortillas.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth when you reheat it.
• Freezer: Let the soup cool completely, then freeze it in freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.
• Reheat: Warm it on the stove over medium heat, or microwave individual bowls in 1-minute bursts.

FAQs

Can I put raw chicken in the crock pot? Yes. Raw chicken cooks safely in the slow cooker as long as it reaches 165°F. Don’t use frozen chicken, though, because it stays too long in the temperature danger zone.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? Yes. Breasts are leaner, so cook them on LOW for 6 hours (or HIGH for 3) so they don’t dry out.

Is this like Chili’s chicken enchilada soup? Not quite. Chili’s version is a thick, cheesy, masa-thickened soup. This one has a brothier, tomato-forward base with beans and corn. The corn tortillas give it a similar corn flavor, though. If you want something closer to the restaurant version, add the cream cheese from the creamy variation and a handful of shredded cheese.

How do I thicken chicken enchilada soup? The torn tortillas do most of the work. If you want it thicker, stir 2 tablespoons of masa harina into ½ cup of the hot broth, then add it back to the pot and cook 15 minutes more.

Can I make it ahead? Yes. The flavors get even better the next day, so it’s great for meal prep.

More Easy Soup Recipes

• Slow Cooker Corn Chowder
• Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
• Thai Butternut Squash Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash White Chicken Chili

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

This dump-and-go crock pot chicken enchilada soup is made with chicken thighs, enchilada sauce, black beans, corn and torn corn tortillas that thicken the broth. You don't brown anything first. Ten minutes of prep, and dinner's ready when you are.

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Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chicken enchilada soup, slow cooker chicken enchilada soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours hours

Total Time: 6 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Rachael

Equipment

• 1 slow cooker

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 4 corn tortillas torn into pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can 15 oz sweet corn, drained
• 1 can 10 oz Rotel original diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
• 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 can 19 oz red enchilada sauce
• 1 packet 1 oz taco seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• salt to taste
• Toppings optional: shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese, tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, diced avocado

Instructions

• Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Tear the corn tortillas into bite-size pieces and scatter them over the chicken.
• Pour in the chicken broth. Add the corn, Rotel with its juices, black beans, diced onion and enchilada sauce.
• Sprinkle the taco seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder over the top, then stir.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F.
• Remove the chicken to a plate, shred it with two forks or tongs, and stir it back into the soup. Season with salt to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and add your favorite toppings.

Notes

Stovetop: Simmer everything, covered, in a Dutch oven for 30–35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred and stir.
Instant Pot: Pour the enchilada sauce on top and don't stir. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes, with a 10-minute natural release.
Chicken breasts work too. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
Green version: Use green enchilada sauce, and diced green chiles instead of the Rotel.
Creamy version: Stir in 4 oz of cream cheese after shredding the chicken.
Storage: Keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.

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