This hearty chicken enchilada soup is made with a savory green chili broth filled with tender shredded chicken, creamy California Avocados, white beans and healthy vegetables. This soup comes together in a half an hour but is FULL of rich spices and flavor.
Top with ripe, Fresh California Avocado slices, crumbled tortilla chips, cotija cheese and cilantro for ‘the whole enchilada!’. To be sure you’re enjoying locally grown California Avocados, be sure to check for California on the label!
A big thank you to the California Avocado Commission for sponsoring this post, all opinions posted are my own.
I’ve got this enchilada recipe on repeat!
Simple, flavorful soups like today’s chicken enchilada soup are my JAM during the winter months. I love a dish that is hearty, but still healthy. It also lets me have dinner on the table in just a half hour, this soup truly does it all!
Homemade green chicken enchiladas are one of my favorite dinners to make. This soup embodies all the flavors from the classic dish, but in a quarter of the time it takes to make, plus it’s a bit healthier!
Go crazy with the toppings! My favorite part! I love to put out bowls of toppings so everyone can customize their own soup. Buttery ripe, Fresh California Avocado slices, crushed tortilla chips, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro are my favorites!
Ingredients for chicken enchilada soup
- olive oil
- onion
- green bell pepper
- garlic
- cumin
- chili powder
- salt
- canned green chilis
- green enchilada sauce
- cooked chicken
- white beans
- chicken broth
How to make chicken enchilada soup:
- Prep! When I’m making a one pot dish like soup or stir fry I love to have all my ingredients and veggies chopped and prepped so cooking is a breeze.
- In a large dutch oven or stock pot add in olive oil. Add in the onion and bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in ground cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir mixture together and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- To the stock pot add green chilis, enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, white beans and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a simmer and then cook for an additional 15-20 minutes to marry the flavors together.
- Serve with fresh ripe, Fresh California avocado slices, crumbled tortilla chips, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro.
Is chicken enchilada soup healthy?
Yes! It’s filled with veggies, lean protein and is a broth based soup so it’s a bit leaner and lighter than a cream based soup.
Looking for low carb soup? Simply omit the beans from the recipe and the tortilla chip topping. Try adding some toasted pepitas on top instead of tortilla chips for crunch!
Add in some super greens! If you’re trying to add more veggies to your diet, try tossing in a few handfuls of greens like spinach or kale at the end.
Try it vegetarian. If you’re looking to make this chicken enchilada soup vegetarian you can omit the chicken (or replace it with a hearty vegetable like cauliflower or a can of corn) and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Filled with good fat! I top my bowls off with a 1/4 of a ripe, Fresh California Avocado for extra flavor, creaminess and added healthy fats. This soup really has it all with a balance of carbs, protein and fat.
Toppings for chicken enchilada soup:
- Ripe, Fresh California Avocados: It seems like most of my favorite dishes in life are always topped with buttery, creamy California Avocados! Be sure to slice up 1/4 avocado for each bowl to top with.
- Crumbled Tortilla Chips: I love the ‘crunch’ that this provides on top. Sort of like croutons for a salad, but for soup!
- Cotija cheese: It wouldn’t be enchilada flavored without a little cheese!
- Chopped cilantro: Bright, earthy and herbal garnish! Omit if you think it tastes like soap (!)
Can I make the soup thicker?
If you’re looking to make the soup a bit thicker and creamier, you can try blending 1/4 of the batch in a blender and adding it back in. You can also use an immersion blender for a couple seconds to cream up some of the batch.
If you want this soup to be reeeeally thick AND creamy, add in 1 cup of heavy cream at the end. This will make the soup more of a creamier base if that’s what you’re after!
Other soup recipes to try!
- Spicy Chicken Ramen Soup
- Cauliflower Gnocchi Chicken Soup
- Spicy Pumpkin Soup
- Easy Vegetarian Ramen Soup
- Pumpkin Beer Cheddar Soup
Chicken Enchilada Soup
ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1-2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 -4 oz can green chilis
- 12 ounces green enchilada sauce
- 2 cups cooked & shredded chicken I used rotisserie
- 1 14 oz can white beans cannellini or navy, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Toppings:
- 1 ½ ripe Fresh California Avocados, 1/4 avocado per bowl
- Crumbled tortilla chips
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Chopped cilantro
instructions
- In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add in the onion and bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent and bell pepper is tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add in ground cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir mixture together and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- To the stock pot add green chilis, enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, white beans and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a simmer and then cook for an additional 15-20 minutes to marry the flavors together.
- Serve with fresh California Avocado slices, crumbled tortilla chips, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro.
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