Low Carb Green Chile Enchilada Soup
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Chicken, green chilies, salsa, and cream cheese combine for this rich and creamy Low-Carb Green Chili Enchilada Soup.
You can make this Green Chile Enchilada Soup on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the pressure cooker—whatever works best for your schedule. The pressure cooker is the fastest, the slow cooker is the most hands-off, and the stovetop version is perfect when you want a simple one-pot soup without any special appliances.
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Green Chile Enchilada Soup
One of my family’s all-time favorite dishes is this Slow Cooker Green Chile Enchilada Soup Recipe. We recently switched to a lower-carb diet, and I wanted to remake this delicious soup into one that fits our current macro goals.
This soup is so versatile – you can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs and combine them with any type of broth you have on hand, stir in your favorite salsa, add the chilies, and let it all simmer until the chicken is fork-tender and shreds easily. Mix in the cream cheese for a rich and silky soup that’s so satisfying.
Feel free to make this soup in your pressure cooker, which is the fastest method, throw it in the crock pot and let it simmer all day, or cook it right on the stovetop in a large soup pot.
Because there are no beans, tortillas, or rice in this soup, it is considered low-carb, but you can most definitely add any of these if you aren’t concerned about the carb content.
My Green Chile Chicken Tacos recipe actually 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. (Which was a mixture of the leftover broth, green chiles, and cream cheese.) He loved it so much, I figured I could make it into some sort of soup!
Why you’ll love this Green Chile Enchilada Soup
You definitely need to add this Low Carb Green Chile Enchilada Soup to your menu this week!
Whether it is the low carb or the not-low-carb version, it’s amazing either way! Since I’ve been using my pressure cooker so much lately, I included cooking instructions for both the slow cooker and the pressure cooker in the recipe card.
Ingredients Needed
(Ingredients at a glance; you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Chicken broth: The base for this soup. I used regular broth, but you can use low sodium so you can adjust the amount of salt to your liking. Either chicken broth or stock can be used.
- Chicken breasts: You can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Herdez Salsa Verde: I really like the mild version of this salsa for the true green chile flavor, but you can substitute 2 cans of green enchilada sauce or any brand of green salsa. I always get the mild, but it also comes in medium
- Green chilies: You can buy these in a can or use fresh.
- Spices: You need ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Optional for stovetop method: 1/2 diced onion, 3 cloves minced garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil
- Cream cheese: Use softened, room-temperature cream cheese and cut it into a few pieces so it melts more easily. Full-fat or low-fat both work.
- Salt and pepper: Add salt and pepper to taste depending on the sodium level of your broth, you may need more salt.
- Optional Toppings: shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream cilantro or sliced jalapenos
How To Make Green Chile Enchilada Soup in the Pressure Cooker
1 Place everything in the pressure cooker. Place chicken, broth, salsa, green chilies, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin into the pot, mixing everything.
2 Set pressure cooker. Set the pressure cooker to high for 15 minutes and do a 10-minute natural pressure release. If you used thighs, I’ve found a quick release will be fine.
3 Shred chicken. Remove chicken from pot, shred and, return to pot.
4 Add cream cheese. Add cream cheese to the chicken mixture, set the pressure cooker to soup/simmer for 2 minutes, and do a quick release. Mix cream cheese well so it dissolves in the broth.
5 Serve. Portion into bowls, top with your favorite garnishes and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
1 Add ingredients to slow cooker. Mix the broth, salsa, green chilies, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin in the slow cooker and add the chicken.
2 Cook on low. Cook the soup on low for 7 hours.
3 Shred chicken. After 7 hours, remove the chicken, shred it and place it back in the slow cooker.
4 Add the softened cream cheese. Add the cream cheese to the soup mixture and cook for another 30 minutes, making sure the cream cheese is mixed in and melts completely.
5 Serve. Portion into bowls, top with your favorite garnishes and serve.
Stovetop Instructions
1 For an optional flavor boost: add a drizzle of olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add 1/2 diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
If you don’t have time or aren’t up to the extra effort, just add the original ingredients to a large soup pot or Dutch oven: chicken broth, salsa verde, green chilies, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chicken.
2 Bring to a boil. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat.
3 Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
4 Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it with two forks, and return it to the soup.
5 Add cream cheese. Stir in the softened cream cheese and continue simmering for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is melted and incorporated into the broth.
6 Serve. Add salt and pepper to taste, then top with shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, or your favorite soup toppings.
Recipe Tips:
- Thighs are amazing in this Low Carb Green Chile Enchilada Soup recipe, but you’ll want to remove as much fat from the thigh as you can prior to cooking. Otherwise, you could have an oily film over the top of the soup.
- Spice measurements are to taste; I’ve had one person tell me they thought it was too spicy, but hundreds have said they like it as is, so use judgment.
- For best results, make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. (for faster melting) and don’t use store-brand cream cheese, I have found certain brands won’t dissolve/mix in all the way!!! (If needed, you can warm/soften the cream cheese a bit in the microwave before using
Variations
- Anything goes with this soup, so you can spice it up with jalapenos, chipotle in adobo sauce, or red chili flakes.
- Change up the salsa and use different flavored salsas like chipotle or tomatillo salsa.
- Throw in some beans or corn for more texture and added protein.
- Try adding sour cream instead of cream cheese for a thinner soup.
- Substitute bone broth for the chicken broth.
Storage
- Leftover soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat over the stove or in the microwave.
FAQs
Can I use cooked pre-cooked chicken to make this Low Carb Chicken Enchilada Soup?
You can use cooked chicken to make this soup though cooking the chicken in the broth does add flavor. If you use cooked chicken, I recommend cooking the recipe on the stovetop.
Is this soup spicy?
As written, and if you use mild salsa verde, the soup is not spicy, just flavorful and delicious.
Can this recipe be made on the stovetop?
Yes! This Green Chile Enchilada Soup can be made on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the pressure cooker. I’ve included full stovetop instructions above and in the recipe card, so you can choose whichever cooking method works best for you.
Do you have a few extra minutes?
To achieve extreme yumminess 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 pot. Add the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Shred chicken and add softened cream cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and top with your favorite soup toppings.
How can I thicken the soup?
If you want a thicker green chile enchilada soup, you have a couple of options.
If you are adding beans or potatoes, you could just mash a few of them up a bit to increase the thickness. You could also add a bit of cornstarch. To add cornstarch, thoroughly mix cornstarch into a small amount of cool broth or water or broth. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the soup. Turn the heat back to medium and bring the soup to a boil for a few minutes, then reduce the heat.
Pressure Cooker Recommendations:
Don’t have a pressure cooker, but been thinking about getting one? I suggest looking at these:
- Cuisinart 6 quart pressure cooker
- Fagor 8 qt pressure cooker
- Instant Pot 6 quart,
- Instant Pot 8 quart
- Pressure Cooker Meals: Recipes, Tips, and Explanations
I have a few more delicious low-carb recipes here => Low Carb recipes. (You definitely don’t want to miss that chili dog casserole recipe!)
Did You Make This Green Chili Enchilada soup?
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Low Carb Green Chile Enchilada Soup
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Total Time: varies based on cooking method
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: slow cooker or pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Description
If you enjoy the flavors of green chilies, chicken, and cheese, you will love this Low Carb Green Chile Enchilada Soup. Bonus: this recipe can be made on the stovetop, in the pressure cooker, or in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 24 oz boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 15 oz jar of Herdez Salsa (You can substitute 2 cans of green enchilada sauce)
- 8 oz of diced green chilies
- 3/4 cup of water
- 2 tbsp of ground cumin
- 1 tbsp of chili powder
- 1 tsp of onion powder
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 8 oz block of softened cream cheese (cut up into a few pieces)
- salt and pepper to taste (depending on the sodium level of your broth, you may need more salt.)
- optional: shredded cheese, avocado and/or sour cream for garnish
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Instructions
Pressure Cooker Instructions:
- Place chicken in the bottom of the pressure cooker insert.
- Add the broth, salsa, green chilies, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin to the pot, mixing everything together.
- Set the pressure cooker to high for 15 minutes. Do a 10-minute natural pressure release, though if you used thighs, I’ve found a quick release works fine.
- Remove chicken from the pot, shred, and return to the pot.
- Add cream cheese to chicken mixture. Set pressure cooker to soup/simmer for 2 minutes and do a quick release.
- Mix the soup with cream cheese, making sure the cream cheese is fully dissolved in the broth. (If the cc doesn’t dissolve all the way, it’s ok, the soup will still be delicious!)
- Top with your favorite garnishes and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- In your slow cooker, mix together the broth, salsa, green chilies, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin.
- Add the chicken breasts to the crock pot 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 cream cheese to the soup mixture and replace the lid. Cook for another 30 minutes, stirring the soup to make sure the cream cheese is mixed in. You may need to cook just a bit longer to ensure the cream cheese is melted completely.
- Top with your favorite garnishes and serve.
Stovetop Instructions:
-
For an optional flavor boost: add a drizzle of olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add 1/2 diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
If you don’t have time or aren’t up to the extra effort, just add the original ingredients to a large soup pot or Dutch oven: chicken broth, salsa verde, green chilies, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chicken. - Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, shred, and return it to the soup.
- Add the softened cream cheese and stir until melted and incorporated into the broth. Simmer for a few more minutes if needed.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with your favorite garnishes and serve.
Notes
- Thighs are amazing in this Low Carb Green Chile Enchilada Soup recipe, but you’ll want to remove as much fat as possible from the thighs before 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. (Remember the age of your spice will affect the taste: brand new = spicy, 5 yrs old = not spicy, lol)
- 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!!!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
- Calories: 256
- Sugar: 1
- Fat: 17
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 19
Enjoy!
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This was one of the best soups I’ve had in awhile and bonus it’s low in carbs!
Made this soup and it was a big hit. So tonight I double it.
Delicious! I did the crockpot version. Instead of cumin and chili powder i used 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning and 1 tbsp of tajin. I also added some chipotle in adobo and a can of rotel. Yum yum! So glad iI found this recipe- thanks!
Can it be frozen? Can’t wait to try it!
I have not tried freezing it, so I cant say for sure.
This was so so good, my husband and son LOVED IT!! I had enough left over I’m going to freeze for days that I need something easy! I also added bacon to the top before serving and that was so good!!! Will definitely make again!
This was amazing! Made 1/2 of a recipe and added Jack cheese. Even better the next day.
Loved this! I made it in the instant pot with extra chicken thighs. Served with crispy jalapenos and avocado.
I made this today on the stove. boiled 4 chicken thighs then followed instructions. instead of canned chili peppers I had a pablano pepper that I roasted and peeled chopped up and added. I also cooked a 1/2 bag of cauliflower rice in microwave and added that for texture. Delicious! Thanks for recipe.
sooooooo good!! my family loved it.
Delicious…added Greek yogurt cream cheese,added additional can green chile, rotel,and pepper jack cheese. Yum
Can I use rotisserie chicken and still put it in the crockpot?
You could, but I would just do it on the stove top instead and let everything simmer for about 25 to 30 min.
everyone loved it!!! Even my picky eater had 2 bowls
Sooo good!! Topped it with cheese and sour cream.
Easiest meal ever! Such a lifesaver for those tired nights
I really enjoyed the soup, although next time I will bump up the spices, especially the cumin and chili powder (admittedly I like food very spicy). I added some crushed red pepper after cooking, and added two cans of chilis as suggested. I made it with rotisserie chicken meat from Costco, so I was unsure how long to cook it. I guessed, and set my Instant Pot for six minutes on high pressure, quick-release, and it turned out perfectly. I will say it looked nothing like the photo, the color was closer to brown than the gold color. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing.
I think the color depends a lot on the fat of the chicken and spices. I have made it where it looks greener from the chilies ant another time it was red from the dark red chili powder.
I made this a while back and my family loves this!! Fastforward to today …I want to make it but my chicken is frozen!! Can I use frozen chicken for the pressure cook recipe??
Yes you can. If the chicken breasts are huge, you might add 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time.
Delish! Thanks for the recipe.
Wondering what size instant pot you’re using? I have a mini so have to adjust since it’s only 3qts and I’m assuming you’re using a bigger one. Thanks 🙂
yes, I have the 8 quart.
TThis looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
I love this soup it’s so easy to make in my intstant pot! I make it on Sundays and it helps with my weekday dinners ?