Creamy High Protein Chicken Enchilada Soup
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I used to think eating protein meant eating tons and tons of chicken. I got so sick of chicken that I didn’t even want to look at it. But chicken doesn’t have to be boring! These high protein chicken meals prove just that!
This creamy chicken enchilada soup is one of my favorite soups to make when I want something flavorful, filling, and super comforting. It’s high in protein, loaded with flavors and is one the entire family can enjoy.
If you love my lazy enchiladas or turkey lasagna soup, this chicken enchilada soup is the best of both worlds.
With hearty beans, tender chicken, sweet corn, and red enchilada sauce this soup packs a serious flavor punch. The cream cheese and Greek yogurt make a velvety, rich soup that’s impossible to put down.
The best part is you can make it in the crock pot, instant pot or stovetop on busy nights. Use leftover chicken, easy shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this recipe even easier.
For more high protein dishes, try protein Mac and cheese, slow cooker chicken and white bean chili, egg roll in a bowl and Cajun sausage and potato skillet.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients.
- 32g of protein and only 308 calories per serving.
- Add your favorite optional toppings.
- Classic enchiladas in soup form.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for creamy enchilada soup. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions.
- Chicken Breast: you can use chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken or even ground turkey, chicken and beef.
- Cream Cheese: use full fat if preferred, this helps add creaminess to to the soup.
- Greek Yogurt: use any fat percent or omit if you don’t want extra creaminess and little added protein.
- Chicken Broth: substitute with homemade broth, bone broth, vegetable broth or beef for a little added flavor.
- Corn: use fresh, leftover charred or frozen.
- Enchilada Sauce: both red and green are great options for this soup.
Dietary Modifications
- Gluten-free: make sure your enchilada sauce is gluten-free as many are thickened with flour.
- Dairy-free: use a dairy-free yogurt or full-fat coconut milk in place of cream cheese and yogurt.
How to make enchilada soup (a step-by-step visual guide):
Step 1: add everything except yogurt and cream cheese
Add the chicken the the base of the crockpot. Top with bell pepper, onions, corn, beans, tomatoes, chilies, enchilada sauce, seasonings, and chicken broth (image 1).
Step 2: set it and forget it
Stir to combine and set the crockpot to cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender (image 2).
Step 3: shred the chicken
Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred with forks. Return to the pot (image 3).
Step 4: make it creamy
Add the cream cheese and greek yogurt to the soup (image 4).
Stir until melted and combined (image 5).
Recipe FAQ’s
For extra flavor, serve your hot soup with your favorite toppings: cilantro, green onions, avocado, lime wedges, tortilla strips, cheddar cheese, hot sauce, or jalapeños.
Store your leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. You can also freeze your soup in a freezer-safe bag for up to three months.
Add all ingredients except the cream cheese and greek yogurt to the instant pot.
Set the instant pot on manual (pressure cook mode) for 20 minutes. Quick release the pressure when the timer in done. Remove the chicken and shred with forks. Add the chicken back to the instant pot. Add cream cheese and greek yogurt to the soup and stir until completely melted into the soup. Serve and enjoy with desired toppings.
In a large pot, sauté the chopped bell pepper and onion over medium heat until they begin to soften. Place the raw chicken breasts on top of the sautéed vegetables. Add the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies, enchilada sauce, and all the seasonings. Pour the chicken broth over everything, ensuring the chicken is mostly submerged. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Carefully remove the chicken breasts from the pot. Shred the chicken using forks and then return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the cream cheese and Greek yogurt until they are fully melted and combined with the rest of the ingredients. Let the pot simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
You bet! Since there are no noodles this soup freezes terrific. Just place in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy either let it defrost overnight in the fridge or, in warm water in a bowl in or go directly to a large pot on the stove. I like to add a little water to the bottom of the pot if cooking directly from frozen and covering with a lid to create steam to allow it to defrost without burning the bottom. Stir often!
Salad, pair with a small side salad with black beans and corn or tortilla chips for dipping. This also goes great with a margarita on Taco Tuesday or a Non-Alcoholic Moscow Mule Mocktail.
Check out our other high protein recipes!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Enchilada Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, raw
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped 144g
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped 150g
- 15 oz. can Whole Kernel Corn (no salt added) drained
- 15 oz. can low sodium Black Beans Low Sodium drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can petite diced Tomatoes (no salt added)
- 10 oz. can mild Red Enchilada Sauce
- 4 oz. can diced green chilies
- 4 cups low sodium Chicken Broth 32 oz.
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1.5 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1.5 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 4 oz 1/3 less fat Cream Cheese
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt 56g
Instructions
Crock Pot Instaructions
- Add the chicken the the base of the crockpot. Top with bell pepper, onions, corn, beans, tomatoes, chilies, enchilada sauce, seasonings and chicken broth.
- Stir to combine and set the crockpot to cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred with forks. Return to the pot.
- Add the cream cheese and greek yogurt and stir until melted and combined. Serve and enjoy with desired toppings.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the cream cheese and greek yogurt to the instant pot.
- Set the instant pot on manual (pressure cook mode) for 20 minutes. Quick release the pressure when the timer in done.
- Remove the chicken and shred with forks. Add the chicken back to the instant pot.
- Add cream cheese and greek yogurt to the soup and stir until completely melted into the soup. Serve and enjoy with desired toppings.
Stovetop Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté the chopped bell pepper and onion over medium heat until they begin to soften.
- Place the raw chicken breasts on top of the sautéed vegetables. Add the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies, enchilada sauce, and all the seasonings. Pour the chicken broth over everything, ensuring the chicken is mostly submerged.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Carefully remove the chicken breasts from the pot. Shred the chicken using forks and then return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Stir in the cream cheese and Greek yogurt until they are fully melted and combined with the rest of the ingredients.
- Let the pot simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are an estimate and will change with any substitutions.
- For mild heat lower chili powder to ½ Tbsp.
- You can adjust the heat by adding more Greek yogurt to the crockpot or individual servings. I mix in additional yogurt to the kids’ bowls to lower the heat for them and keep it spicy for adults.
I made the smallest tweaks to make it our own, but it was 90% all you. Absolutely spectacular lady! I would like to drink the entire pot, but am refraining… Barely.
Drink away Jen!! Haha, thank you!
Do you know how many cups is a serving size? I don’t have food scales to measure 480 grams. Thanks!
Perfect! Used skyr yogurt instead (didn’t have Greek yogurt)
So yummy, easy to follow recipe!
Yum yum this exceeded our expectations. I omitted the yogurt/cream cheese and just topped our bowls with a little labne at the end. Delish. Will repeat.
So happy you loved it! Thank you!
Will a Double batch fit in an instapot?
It most likely wouldn’t fit!
One of my favorites! So good for fall and winter or really any season. Easy to make her recipes never disappoint.
Thank you so much! This one really warms you up on those cold nights!
I live in New England and it is cold and snowy today. Hubby said “I want hot soup”. Made this in the Instapot dairy free and it was the best soup I’ve had in a very long time. Thank you for your wonderful recipes and sharing them with us!
SO glad you both loved it! Thank you!!
How did you make this dairy free?
This was delicious!! Question does this freeze well? We have so much leftover I don’t want to go to waste! As always love love love your recipes!!
Yes, freezes great! I like to pre portion before freezing in soupercubes and just take out a serving or two at a time to defrost and reheat. Thank you!! So glad you loved it.
This is SO good. Was easy to make, delicious and had plenty for leftovers- which somehow tasted better the next day. Highly suggest. Best part is, I can fit it easily into my macros and meal planning !
Got to love leftovers that age like a fine wine!! So happy you loved it!
A new obsession. Made this in the instant pot and normally find instant pot chicken breast to be a little rubbery but in this it cooked perfectly! I made mine a little extra spicy and it is just so filling and warm. Couldn’t get the cream cheese to melt/combine very well so next time I’ll try to let that warm up a little while the soup is cooking, prior to adding it in.
Made this for dinner tonight & we loved it so much! Followed the recipe exactly. The tortilla strips on top add a nice crunch!
Totally agree, the tortillas are such a great addition! Glad you loved it, thank you!
Can you use frozen chicken?
This is the 10th recipe of yours we have tried and every single one has turned out so good! I’m able to meet my macros, and my husband and kids get to eat really well! Yum!
So great to hear, thank you so much!!