Chicken Enchilada Soup

Our creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is loaded with tender chunks of chicken in a thick, rich, zesty tomato-based broth that has tons of delicious flavor.

Zesty and Delicious Chicken Enchilada Soup

There are lots of different Chicken Enchilada Soup recipes online – with most using some shortcuts like rotisserie chicken, canned chicken stock, and pre-made enchilada sauce for flavor.  (There’s nothing wrong with taking shortcuts!)

But this is a real-deal, 100% from-scratch Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe. It takes a little bit of extra time, but the flavors and texture make it all worthwhile!

• Mexican-Inspired Chicken Stock – You’ll make a homemade chicken stock infused with fresh Poblano peppers and dried Pasilla chiles (also called Chile Negro). Both of these can be found at most supermarkets in the produce aisle. For the rest of the stock you’ll also need:
  • Whole Chicken – You can typically make chicken stock with any bone-in chicken pieces, but for this recipe, you’ll use a whole chicken and shred the cooked chicken breast to add to the finished soup. If you want an extra rich stock, you can add more chicken pieces such as extra wings, thighs, and legs. We also often add some turkey necks to our stock.
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Italian Flat-Left Parsley
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Bay Leaves
  • Kosher Salt
  • Whole Black Peppercorns
  • Scallions
  • Water
  • Onion – We recommend a yellow onion for its mild flavor
  • Poblano Peppers
  • Dried Pasilla Chile
  • Garlic Cloves

• To Assemble the Soup:
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Onion – We recommend a yellow onion for its mild flavor
  • Fresh Garlic
  • Tomato Paste
  • Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
  • Spices – Smoked paprika, ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, ground coriander
  • Masa Harina
  • Cream Cheese – Or you can use mascarpone, queso fresco, or Cotija cheese.
• For Garnish:
  • Corn Tortillas – Cut into strips and fry in vegetable oil, for garnish
  • Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • Chopped Scallions
  • Sour Cream

1. Cook the homemade Mexican-inspired chicken stock. Strain out the solids (reserving the broth in a bowl or pot as you strain), then pick the meat off the bones and shred.
2. Saute onions and garlic in a stock pot until just starting to brown.
3. Add tomato paste, tomatoes with green chiles, plus the spices.
4. Reserve three cups of the prepared stock in a measuring cup. Set aside.
5. Add the rest of the stock to the stock pot.
6. Whisk masa harina into the reserved three cups of stock, add to the pot and cook on a low simmer, whisking frequently.
7. Fry the tortilla strips while the soup thickens.
8. Shred the cheddar cheese and prepare the other garnishes.
9. Once the soup is thickened, add cream cheese.
10. Puree soup until smooth with an immersion blender.
11. Add shredded chicken and heat through for serving.
12. Serve in bowls, topped with tortilla strips and cheddar cheese, plus other optional toppings.

We kept things simple with our Chicken Enchilada Soup – adding some shredded cheddar cheese and crispy tortilla strips to the top.

But you could go farther—adding a dollop of sour cream, chopped scallions, and a drizzle of enchilada sauce or even hot sauce if you prefer.

Additionally, you could add black beans, cooked corn kernels, chopped fresh tomatoes, and any other favorite cheese if you’d like.

This Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe originally appeared on A Family Feast in April 2019. We’ve updated the post but the delicious recipe remains the same.

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