Crockpot Enchilada Soup

Crockpot enchilada soup is a dump-and-go slow cooker meal that really gives you the feeling that you spent a lot more time than you really did. It only requires a little shredded chicken, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and a couple cans of enchilada sauce, along with a few spices. If you have the time, take 5 minutes before cooking to brown the chicken. After that, toss everything into the slow cooker and set it to high for two hours to cook. Then, shred the chicken right in the pot.

My first bowl of this certainly wasn’t bad, but the leftovers are undoubtedly better. Something about the fridge makes the flavors get better, and it reheats super well. I’ve made this on stressed out Sunday evenings because I knew it would span lunch and dinner for two days straight. Recipes like these are the ones that end up getting a spot in the rotation for good.

Why the Timing Works

• Two cans of enchilada sauce give the broth real depth without having to make a sauce from scratch — the flavor is already built in
• Browning the chicken first adds a layer of flavor you don’t get from raw chicken dropped straight into the pot — five extra minutes that make a difference
• Black beans added undrained bring extra body to the broth — the bean liquid thickens the soup slightly without needing a separate thickener
• Two hours on high is the right time — long enough to cook and shred the chicken, short enough to keep the vegetables from going completely soft

What to Know Before You Start

If you’re cooking from frozen, you don’t need to thaw the chicken beforehand, but you’ll need to add 30 to 45 more minutes to the cooking time. If chicken breast is thawed, you’ll have more control over the shredding process — it shreds more cleanly after 2 hours on high.

Do not drain the black beans! The liquid goes into the pot and helps to thicken the broth. Also, the same applies to the diced tomatoes — both cans should go in undrained.

There is a range of heat levels for different brands of Enchilada sauce. Old El Paso and Las Palmas have a mild sauce option that is both reliable and easy to find. If you are cooking for children, use a mild option. The chili powder and cumin have an additional heat layer on top of what the sauce has, so you will have more control starting with a mild sauce.

Ingredients

Boneless chicken breast (1 to 1½ lbs) — Use one or two breasts depending on size. They shred easily after two hours on high. You can also use chicken thighs which stay a bit juicier — use the same amount.

Enchilada sauce. (2 cans, 10 oz each). Both cans go in. One can is not enough — the broth ends up thin and the flavor doesn’t carry through the whole pot. Red enchilada sauce is standard here; green enchilada sauce makes a completely different, also good soup if you want to try it.

Diced tomatoes (1 can, 28 oz, undrained) — The larger can gives the sauce more body. If you have fire-roasted diced tomatoes, use those instead — the char adds a smokier note that complements the enchilada sauce nicely.

Using regular broth will work but you may find the soup getting salty quickly due to the broth, enchilada sauce, and seasoning packet. Using low sodium broth will give you the ability to control the salt at the end.

Black beans – use 1 can (do not drain!) the liquid from the can will help thicken the broth. All brands of black beans are fine.

Frozen corn (10 oz pack) – Please thaw beforehand. You need to add this so that the corn doesn’t cool down the crock pot. Alternatively, you can use canned corn (make sure to drain it) instead.

Chili powder (1 tablespoon) and ground cumin (1 tablespoon) — These are not background spices. They’re load-bearing and essential to the flavors. Do not reduce. If you are sensitive to spice, consider starting at 1 ½ teaspoons of chili powder and taste the soup at the end before making any adjustments.

Fresh chopped cilantro (¼ cup) — Added with the other ingredients. If you’re in the camp that argues cilantro tastes like soap, feel free to leave it out. It doesn’t need it to taste good.

How to Make Crockpot Enchilada Soup

Sprinkle some seasoning on the chicken fillets and rub them in on both sides. Add some vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat it up to a medium temperature. Add the chicken breasts into the frying pan and let them cook for about 3 minutes on each side. You’re not cooking them all the way through – just enough to cook the outside and make it look good. Let me just say, this step is optional, but it really is a good idea. Browned chicken has way more flavor than just dumping in raw chicken into the crockpot.

Place the browned chicken in the crockpot. Add the undrained diced tomatoes, the two cans of enchilada sauce, and the chicken broth and black beans (still undrained). Add in the thawed corn, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cilantro. Stir to combine.

It will take about 2 hours on HIGH for the chicken to fully cook and pull apart easily with a fork. That will determine when the soup is done.

Take out the chicken breasts and shred them. You can easily do this with two forks or, if you’re making a bigger batch, you can do this with a hand mixer on low for about 30 seconds. Go ahead and return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir it in. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust as necessary. Then serve with desired toppings.

Toppings

You can enjoy the soup without any toppings, but it certainly makes it more delicious! Stirring sour cream into the soup will make it creamier and reduce spice level. Crunch is brought by crushed tortilla chips, and, added cheese (shredded cheddar or Mexican blend) melts into the soup beautifully. You can also add diced avocado or lime (quarter or half) and sliced jalapeños on top if you want to increase the spiciness.

Helpful Tips

Do not skip salting the chicken before browning it because if the chicken goes in unseasoned, it will taste bland regardless of how much seasoning is in your broth.

Sample the dish before plating and modify the salt if needed. In terms of salt content, the sauce, broth and beans depend on their brands so the variation is more than you would expect. Checking the seasoning one last time is the step that differentiates good from great.

If you’d like the soup to be thicker, you can either stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste, or let it sit on warm for about 20 minutes with the lid ajar to allow it to reduce a little.

Storage and Leftovers

You can keep it for up to five days in an airtight container in the fridge. This improves in flavor overnight. The spices bloom, and the chicken soaks up even more of the broth. Bowls on day two are even better than the first.

**Can I freeze it? Yes!** Let it cool first and then freeze it in portions for up to 3 months. To thaw, move to the fridge the night before, and reheat on the stove or microwave. If it has thickened too much, add a splash of broth before heating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken breast?

Yes! You can forgo the browning step and the 2-hour cook time! Just add all the ingredients for the soup into your crockpot and cook on high for 1 hour. This will heat everything through so the flavors can blend together. Then add your shredded rotisserie chicken in! This is the quickest way to make this recipe.

Can I make this on the stovetop instead?

Yes. Brown the chicken in a big pot or Dutch oven. Then, add everything else in and simmer on medium-low for 30 to 40 minutes until the chicken is done. Shred and bring back to the pot. The stovetop version is a bit more involved, but it comes together quicker if you’re short on time.

How spicy is this soup?

This is slightly spicy due to the mild enchilada sauce. The chili powder and cumin add some warmth, but most kids are fine with it. Use hot enchilada sauce and it has a real kick though. If cooking for a mixed group, err on the side of caution and go mild in the pot and set hot sauce on the table for people who desire it.

Can I add cheese directly to the soup?

Start by putting some shredded cheese in each person’s bowl. It should melt pretty easily. If you put in a whole block of cheese or a big amount of cheese to the slow cooker, you will probably get a grainy and clumpy texture. It’s best to add cheese to bowls as a toping.

More Hearty Soup and Chili Recipes

Take a slight detour down the comfort food lane with White Chicken Chili. It’s a creamier, brighter take on chili, featuring Great Northern beans instead. Just as easy as the others, it’s a throw it all in the slow cooker and forget about it recipe.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is hearty and filling; it’s the type of soup that makes sense to eat on a chilly evening.

As with other recipes in this collection that use a dump and go slow cooker format, the flavors are different and tortilla strips are incorporated into the soup as well.

Copycat Wendy’s Chili is a thick, beefy chili that comes together in a snap and reheats even better than it starts.