This green enchilada chicken soup is creamy, comforting and easy to make in the crockpot. It’s packed with tender chicken, white beans, corn, green enchilada sauce and cream cheese.
If you love my green chile chicken enchilada casserole or green chile chicken enchiladas, you’ll love the flavors in this cozy slow cooker recipe!
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Key Takeaways: Easy Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
- Easy crockpot dinner. Add everything to the slow cooker in about 10 minutes, then let it cook until the chicken is tender.
- Creamy enchilada flavor. Green enchilada sauce, green chiles and cream cheese create a cozy soup with mild Southwest flavor.
- Hearty and customizable. Chicken, white beans and corn make it satisfying, while everyone can add their favorite toppings.
Why I Love This Recipe
I love an easy dinner that can cook away in the crockpot with very little prep. This green enchilada chicken soup is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes and a fun twist on my popular chicken enchilada soup, using green enchilada sauce instead of red.
The green enchilada sauce adds a a bright, tangy flavor similar to salsa verde, while the green chiles add a little warmth. Cream cheese brings everything together for one of those creamy soup recipes that feels extra cozy.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Use thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs will make the soup slightly richer.
- Chicken stock: Creates the flavorful base. Low-sodium stock makes it easier to control the salt.
- Green enchilada sauce: The main source of tangy enchilada flavor. Choose mild or medium depending on your preferred spice level.
- Green chiles: Canned diced green chiles add mild heat without making the soup overly spicy.
- White beans and corn: Cannellini or Great Northern beans make the soup hearty. Frozen or drained canned corn will both work.
- Seasonings: Cumin, chili powder and garlic powder add warm Southwest flavor.
- Cream cheese: Soften and cube it so it melts smoothly into the broth. Full-fat cream cheese gives the creamiest result.
Variations
This crockpot green enchilada chicken soup is easy to customize based on what your family likes or what you have available.
- Add more heat. Use hot green chiles or add jalapeños, red pepper flakes or your favorite hot sauce.
- Try different beans. Add another can of white beans or substitute black or pinto beans. They also work well in my crockpot chicken tortilla soup.
- Add vegetables. Diced onion, bell pepper or zucchini can be added at the beginning with the chicken.
- Use chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can replace the breasts for slightly richer flavor and tender shredded chicken.
How to Make Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
Step 1: Combine the boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, white beans and corn in a large slow cooker. Add in the cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.
Step 2: Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is tender enough to shred. Remove chicken and place on a cutting board and shred (removing any extra fat).
Step 3: Stir cream cheese (make sure it’s at room temperature so it doesn’t curdle). Then place chicken back in the slow cooker and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cream cheese has melted. Salt and pepper to taste and then serve!
Green Enchilada Soup Toppings
Set out a few toppings and let everyone finish their bowl with their favorites.
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
- Sliced jalapeños
- Fresh lime juice
Green Enchilada Chicken Soup FAQs
Yes. Combine the chicken stock, green enchilada sauce, green chiles, beans, corn and seasonings in a large pot. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, then add 3 cups cooked shredded chicken and the softened cream cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the soup is hot.
When made with mild green enchilada sauce and mild green chiles, the soup has plenty of flavor without being overly spicy. For more heat, use medium or hot enchilada sauce or add sliced jalapeños, red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
Use softened, full-fat cream cheese and cut it into small cubes before adding it. For an extra-smooth broth, whisk the cream cheese with a ladleful of hot broth in a separate bowl, then stir the mixture back into the soup.
Use thawed chicken in this recipe. Frozen chicken can take too long to reach a safe temperature in a slow cooker. The chicken is ready to shred when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
More enchilada recipes to try include creamy chicken enchiladas, easy chicken enchilada casserole or cream cheese chicken enchiladas.
More Soup Recipes
Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds chicken breasts , I used frozen
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 10 ounces green enchilada sauce
- 4.5 ounces chopped green chiles
- 15 ounces white beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened and cubed
- Salt and Pepper
Optional toppings: shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, cilantro and tortilla strips
Instructions
- Combine in crockpot. Combine the 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, 32 ounces chicken stock, 10 ounces green enchilada sauce, 4.5 ounces green chiles, 15 ounces white beans and 1 cup corn in a large slow cooker. Add in 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Cook. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is tender enough to shred. Remove chicken and place on a cutting board and shred (removing any extra fat).
- Add cream cheese. Stir 4 ounces cream cheese (make sure it's at room temperature so it doesn't curdle). Then place chicken back in the slow cooker and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cream cheese has melted. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls. Serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Natalie Case
Your recipe blog is hands down my favorite one I’ve subscribed to!! I have this recipe in the crockpot as we speak and can’t wait to try it out! Every recipe I’ve tried from you has turned out incredible. And just when I was feeling frustrated with what I was going to make this week, your email shows up to the rescue with some tasty soups!! Thank you for being amazing!!
Jamielyn Nye
So glad to hear Natalie! You’re too kind. Thanks for the review :)
Gina
Love the heartiness the white beans bring to this soup. Great one for winter!
Natalie
This soup is everything! It’s nutritious, warming, and delicious. Perfect for cozy winter evenings. I’m making it for sure. Thanks!
Molly
So much goodness in this soup recipe! Delicious!
Tami
I won our soup cook off at work with this recipe!!!!!
I didn’t add the black beans til the end though…. worried they might become mushy because I cooked it for 8 hours on low vs 4 on high.
Jamielyn
That’s so great to hear! Glad you won! :)
Michelle
I love your green enchiladas so I can’t wait to try these! YUM!
Ivy
This is cooking in my corckpot as we speak. Quick question. What is the serving size?
Kathy
Can’t wait to try this but I have a couple questions… Did you defrost the chicken first and could you use fat fre or low fat cream cheese without compromising the flavor?
Jamielyn
Hi Kathy! I don’t, I just put the chicken breasts in frozen. Also, I think it would taste just as good with low fat cream cheese! Hope you enjoy this recipe. :)
Sammi
I love soups and my crock pot so this looks like a winner in my book! Can’t wait to try it!
Amy@theidearoom
Looks so tasty! Especially on a cold day like to today!