Chicken Enchilada Soup (One-Pot or Crockpot)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (small, diced)
• 1 red bell pepper (½-inch diced)
• 0.5 tsp zucchini (medium, ½-inch diced)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (divided; add more to taste)
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp mild chili powder
• 15 oz kidney beans (canned, drained and rinsed)
• 15 oz pinto beans (canned, drained and rinsed)
• 15 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes (canned)
• 2 cup mild red enchilada sauce
• 3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 4 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 tbsp lime juice (from about 1 lime)

Steps

1. 1

   Stovetop option: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown, about 5–7 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder, and stir to coat the vegetables.

4. 4

   Add the kidney beans, pinto beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Nestle the chicken into the mixture.

5. 5

   Cover the pot and bring the soup to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 15–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Cooking time depends on the chicken type and the size of the pieces.

6. 6

   Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Shred it with two forks or dice it into 1-inch chunks.

7. 7

   Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend 1–2 cups of the soup directly in the pot. Alternatively, carefully transfer that portion to a blender, blend on high, and return it to the pot. This thickens the base while retaining texture.

8. 8

   Ladle 1 cup of the soup broth into a small bowl. Add the cream cheese and whisk until it is fully melted and smooth.

9. 9

   Add the cream-cheese mixture and cooked chicken back to the pot. Stir to combine.

10. 10

    Add the lime juice and stir. Taste and add more salt if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top as desired.

11. 11

    Crockpot option: Either cook and season the vegetables as described in step 2, or use the dump-and-go method by adding the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and ½ teaspoon salt directly to a 6-quart slow cooker.

12. 12

    Add the cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, kidney beans, pinto beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, enchilada sauce, broth, chicken, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.

13. 13

    Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 5–6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and everything is tender.

14. 14

    Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks or dice it into 1-inch chunks.

15. 15

    Blend 1–2 cups of the soup using an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker, or carefully transfer that portion to a blender and return it to the slow cooker.

16. 16

    Ladle 1 cup of the soup broth into a small bowl. Stir in the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Return the cream-cheese mixture and chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

17. 17

    Add the lime juice, stir, taste, and add more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and add desired toppings.

Notes

Optional toppings include crushed tortilla chips, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. For less noticeable vegetables, the zucchini may be peeled. Chicken breasts may take longer than thighs; thicker breasts can be cut in half before cooking for more even cooking. The soup is make-ahead friendly and reheats well. Use mild or spicy enchilada sauce and chili powder according to preference.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• Mexican-inspired
• one-pot
• slow-cooker
• high-protein
• vegetable-packed
• make-ahead