Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Soup Recipe
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You’ll love this Crockpot Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Soup! The flavors of green chiles, chicken, and creamy, cheesy goodness come together perfectly with Tex-Mex Spices.
Since this Green Chile Chicken Soup is made in the crockpot, it’s a snap to put together and you’ll come home and enjoy this amazingly warm and hearty soup. It’s the perfect way to warm up on cold winter nights!
Crockpot Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Soup
Brr… It’s cold outside!
I love this time of year: holiday celebrations, colder temperatures and all of the delicious soups, stews and other dishes that are so perfect to help warm us up on chilly nights! (Living in central Texas means our time to wear boot and sweaters is very short.) This super simple, Slow Cooker Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Soup recipe will definitely keep you warm and your belly happy…
One of my pantry staples is cream cheese. It’s just so versatile -not only does it make great desserts and frostings, but it also pairs well with savory and spicy recipes too. This hearty Green Chile Enchilada Soup is made so much more creamy and delicious with the addition of cream cheese.
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed quite a few of my recipes are made with cream cheese. A couple of my favorite savory cream cheese recipes are:
- Creamy Chicken Verde Tacos
- Green Chile Enchilada Casserole
- Creamy Green Chile Dip
- Creamy Buffalo Chicken
Ok- after looking over that list of recipes, it’s obvious that I have a thing for cream cheese, green chiles and enchiladas. (So does my family- I can’t tell you how much they love this recipe!) What I love most though, is that the prep for this green chile chicken soup is so easy. Just toss everything in the crockpot and 8 hours later, have this delicious soup for dinner!
Recipe Inspiration
The Chicken Verde Tacos recipe is actually what inspired this recipe.
True story: my hubby would come home from work and instead of making himself a taco, he would drink the excess cooking liquid from the tacos. (A mixture of the broth, green chiles, and cream cheese.) I figured if the cooking liquid was that good, I should probably come up with some sort of soup recipe using the same ingredients. With just a bit of experimentation, this green chile chicken soup was born!
Want more warm and hearty soup recipes?
I have an entire category of yummy and super easy soup recipes to browse here. There are slow cooker recipes, pressure cooker soup recipes, stovetop recipes – whatever your favorite cooking appliance is!
Ingredients Need To Make this Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Soup:
If you’re heading to the store and want to try this green chile chicken soup, these are the ingredients to add to your list. (Ingredients at a glance. Find the full list in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Chicken broth | Use whatever is your favorite.
- Chicken breasts | Raw.
- Green Chile enchilada sauce | I buy canned sauce, you could make your own if so inclined.
- Diced green chiles | Canned or fresh. (Canned is so much easier!)
- Tex-Mex Spices | cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder
- Corn | Fresh, frozen, or canned – doesn’t matter.
- Cream cheese | I like Philadelphia cream cheese for this – it seems to incorporate into the soup better. It also helps if the cream cheese is room temp.
- Instant rice | Not cooked
- Optional for Garnish: shredded cheese, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro and/or sour cream
How to Make the Soup:
I don’t know about you, but I love cooking in my slow cooker. Something about coming home to a house full of enticing aromas and a hearty meal gets me every time. You’ll love how easy this chicken enchilada soup recipe is to put together. (Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe card.)
- In your slow cooker, mix together the broth, green enchilada sauce, green chiles, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. (My spice measurements are to my taste, it is up to you if you like more or less…)
- Add the chicken breasts to the crockpot and cook on low for 7 hours.
- At the 7 hour mark, remove the chicken to another dish. Shred the chicken and put it back in your slow cooker. Add the rice, corn and cream cheese to the soup mixture and replace the lid. Cook for another 30 minutes and stir the soup, making sure to get the cream cheese mixed in. You may need to cook just a bit longer to ensure the cream cheese is melted completely.
- At this point, you can judge the consistency of your soup. If you would like it thicker, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with about 1/8 cup of water and then mix into the soup, after 10 to 20 minutes the soup should thicken considerably.
Green Chile Enchilada Soup Recipe Variations:
The flavors of this green chile enchilada soup are amazing. Almost like green chile enchiladas in a soup form. Cook the recipe as-is and you’re golden!
But if you are someone that likes to mix up recipes and put your own spin on it, a few options are:
- Add extra spices
- Add bell peppers
- Add white bean,
- Leave out the corn
- Double the green chiles
- Add minced jalapenos for an extra kick.
It’s up to you to make the soup your own!
FAQ’s + Tips
Is Chicken Enchilada Soup Considered Low Carb/Keto?
This Enchilada Soup Recipe has corn and rice in it, so it does not fit the keto or low carb eating plan. But GOOD NEWS!!! I updated the recipe to be low carb keto here ==>> Low Carb Green Chile Enchilada Soup. This new recipe includes slow cooker and pressure cooker instructions.
Can I Make This Enchilada Soup On The Stovetop?
Of course, this soup is great on the stovetop! (How many times have you planned a slow cooker meal and then forgot to start it in time? I’ve done that more times than I can count, lol.)
If you want to make this recipe on the stovetop, you can cook it exactly with the ingredients called for:
Add everything to a large pot, except the rice, corn, and cream cheese. Bring to a boil, add in the corn, rice and cubed and softened cream cheese. Reduce heat and 25 minutes to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and top with your favorite soup toppings.
Have a few extra minutes on the stovetop…
This is how to achieve extreme yumminess: If you are going to make this soup on the stovetop, I recommend ditching the powdered onion and garlic.
Instead, in a large pan or soup pot, saute 1/2 diced large onion, and 3 teaspoons of minced garlic (or 3 cloves minced) in a bit of olive oil until translucent and starting to brown. Then add the green chiles and other spices and cook for another few minutes.
Add the broth to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken to the pan, bring to a boil, then add in the corn, rice, and cubed and softened cream cheese.
Reduce heat and 25 minutes to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and top with your favorite soup toppings.
What Toppings For This Creamy Enchilada Soup?
I love serving this soup topped with sour cream, extra cheese, and a sprinkle of cilantro, but you could also add it with sliced avocado, jalapenos, Cotija cheese, or maybe even crispy tortilla strips (You know the crunchy found near the salad toppings at the grocery store.)
How Long Does Enchilada Soup Last In The Fridge?
This soup will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge, and 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
How To Freeze Freeze Green Chile Enchilada Soup?
Want to freeze this soup for later? You can freeze this soup! Let the soup cool significantly, package it up in 1 to 2 servings into a freezer bag or container, taking care to remove all the air from the bag or container. Then when ready to eat, just microwave it on medium power until defrosted. Transfer to a bowl and continue to heat until warmed through.
I love these silicone freezer bowls for freezing soup in individual servings.
More Recipe Tips:
How to Thicken the Soup:
Like your soup a bit thicker? Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with about 1/8 cup of water and then mix into the soup, after 10 minutes or so the soup should thicken considerably.
How to Thin the Soup:
Serving leftovers and now the soup is too thick? Just add in a bit of chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached.
Why Won’t the Cream Cheese Melt all the Way:
I’ve noticed this happens on occasion as well. It still tastes great, but the soup does not look as pretty.
My best tips for getting the cream cheese to dissolve all the way into the soup is to 1. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before using it. 2. Don’t just toss the entire bar of cream cheese into the soup, cut it into chunks first. 3. I have found some “store brands” don’t melt as nicely as the Philadelphia brand, so keep that in mind when purchasing the cream cheese.
Soup is Too Bland for My Taste:
Keep in mind the recipe was developed for a family with small children, so if you like a spicy soup, double the cumin and diced green chiles. You can even add diced jalapenos. Just give it a taste and add what’s needed towards the end of the cooking time.
Products used and recommended in this post:
- Hamilton Beach Set it and Forget it Slow Cooker
- Soup Ladle (Love that this has the oz labeled in the ladle)
- Herdez Salsa Verde (Best green salsa ever works as a sub for green enchilada sauce in a pinch!)
Tell us what you think!
Print
Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Soup
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 7.5 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Category: main dish
- Method: slow cooker
Description
The flavors of green chiles, chicken and creamy, cheesy goodness come together perfectly in the slow cooker to make this Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Soup.
Ingredients
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 24 oz chicken breasts
- 2 cans of Green Chile enchilada sauce
- 4 oz can of diced green chiles
- 3/4 cup of water
- 2 tbsp of ground cumin (see tip above)
- 1 tbsp of chili powder
- 1 tsp of onion powder
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 cup of frozen corn (defrosted)
- 1 block (8 oz) of cream cheese (cut up into a few pieces)
- 3/4 cup of instant rice (not cooked)
- salt and pepper to taste (depending on the sodium level of your broth, you may need more salt.)
- tablespoon of corn starch (only if needed)
- optional: shredded cheese, avocado, and/or sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- In your slow cooker, mix together the broth, green enchilada sauce, green chiles, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. (My spice measurements are to my taste, it is up to you if you like more or less…)
- Add the chicken breasts to the crockpot and cook on low for 7 hours.
- At the 7 hour mark, remove the chicken to another dish. Shred the chicken and put it back in your slow cooker. Add the rice, corn, and cream cheese to the soup mixture and replace the lid.
- Cook for another 30 minutes and stir the soup, making sure to get the cream cheese mixed in. You may need to cook just a bit longer to ensure the cream cheese is melted completely.
- At this point, you can judge the consistency of your soup. If you would like it thicker, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with about 1/8 cup of water and then mix into the soup, after 10 to 20 minutes the soup should thicken considerably.
- Serve and top with optional garnishes.
Enjoy!
Notes
- Thighs are amazing in this Green Chile Enchilada Soup recipe, but you’ll want to remove as much fat from the thigh as you can prior to cooking.
- Spice measurements are to taste, I’ve had one person tell me they thought it was too spicy, but hundreds who have said they like it as is, so use judgment.
- The recipe calls for 1 can of diced green chiles, but I actually use 2 for even more flavor
- For best results, don’t use store brand cream cheese, I have found certain brands won’t dissolve/mix in all the way!!!
Four more fabulous slow cooker recipes you might enjoy:
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