This easy chicken enchilada soup has all of the flavors you love from chicken enchiladas but is lightened up and made in the slow cooker for a weeknight-friendly dinner the whole family will love.
In This Post
I’m a big fan of Mexican food—especially cozy Mexican dishes like my recipes for easy taco soup, homemade chile verde burritos, and chicken tortilla soup. This slow cooker enchilada soup recipe comes from my blogger friend Gina, of Skinnytaste, and is from her cookbook The Skinnytaste Cookbook. I love this recipe because it’s comforting and filling, yet healthy. Chipotle peppers give this soup a bit of a kick—but still tame enough to be family-friendly. While some may anticipate a thicker broth when perusing the recipe, it’s brothier than what you’d find on traditional enchiladas. This enchilad soup is made with perfectly tender chicken breast cooked right in the soup. It’s all topped with sour cream, cheese, green onions, cilantro, and avocado if you like. This enchilada soup is hearty and full of awesome flavor. Best of all, your slow cooker does all the work.
What’s in This Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
This easy soup has a lot of ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. Here’s what you’ll need to make it: For the soup:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chicken broth (we use low-sodium here)
- Tomato sauce
- Chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- Cilantro
- Black beans
- Petite diced tomatoes
- Frozen corn
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the toppings:
- Shredded, reduced-fat cheddar
- Scallions
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Reduced-fat sour cream
- Lime wedges
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
The slow cooker does (almost) all the work in this super easy recipe. Here’s how to make it:
- Sauté the onion and garlic. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Let the slow cooker work its magic. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker along with the broth, tomato sauce, chipotle in adobo, cilantro, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin, and oregano. Add the chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
- Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker. To serve, ladle into serving bowls and divide evenly.
- Top and serve. Top each serving of soup with shredded cheddar cheese, scallions, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle chile in adobo sauce , chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 15-ounce can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin , plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound boneless , skinless chicken breast
Toppings
- ¾ cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped scallions
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 medium , 4-ounces avocado (optional)
- 6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream , optional
Instructions
For the soup
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes. Add to the slow cooker along with the broth, tomato sauce, chipotle in adobo, cilantro, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin, and oregano. Add the chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker.
For the toppings
- To serve, ladle into serving bowls and divide evenly. Top with cheddar cheese, scallions, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream (if using).
Notes
Nutrition
More Healthy Mexican Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Fajitas
- Mexican-Stuffed Peppers
- Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs
- Chopped Mexican Kale Salad
- One-Pot Mexican Shrimp with Orzo and Zucchini
- Blackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Avocado Sauce
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Jessica Miller
I made it and it was delicious!!!! I prepped the ingredients the night before, put everything in the crockpot bowl in fridge and turned it on high in the morning. Me, my husband and our buddy John absolutely loved it!
So glad you enjoyed it Jessica !!
Evelyn
First time on your site. Can’t wait to try the chicken enchilada soup….looks delish. Is the chipotle chili in adobo sauce found in a can?
Jody Huntley
Yes, chipotle chili in adobo sauce is in a small can usually in the international/ Hispanic food isle. If you are adding the actual pepper as well as the sauce, be careful when you chop it. If you touch the pepper with bare hands, the oil ( just like a jalapeño) can burn your eyes. I either use gloves or hold the pepper down on a cutting board with a fork. BTW a little goes a long way as far as heat goes..
Amy
Just as an FYI – whenever I open a can of chipotles in adobo, I purée them in my mini food processor and store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They last forever (it seems), and I just measure out what I need when I need it!
Christine Zeller
I would love a copy of the Skinnycookbook as I am trying to lose weight and I have over 150 pounds to lose. I have about 40 pounds off so far and am looking at bariatric surgery to help my weight loss along. My diet I am now is a doctor’s supervised almost mostly liquid diet with a little bit of veges and protein allowed for one meal a day. I also need to feed my family so I want to be able to make recipes that we all can enjoy! Thank you.
Marisa
This soup looks yummy!
I, too, love Gina’s recipes. Her menus are always stunning.
Love the interview and you too, Heidi.
Caroline
Gina’s recipes are wonderful and this soup is no exception. We love southwestern flavors like this SO much. Pinned to make this week…it’s been so cold and this soup will make a perfect dinner.
Vanessa Larson
That chicken enchilada soup looks amazing! And I think we can all relate to needing to change our eating habits as we’ve gotten older.
Joan
These soup dishes are just the thing I want to try at this season. Love, Love, Love soup. And am planning on making large enough batches to freeze extra containers of them. So look forward to this sort of thing on those cold days when no one wants to cook. Also appreciate the effort to make dishes that are high in nutrition but lower in calories.
Christy S.
Lasagna
Heather
I just made this today. I just finished my bowl and I had to come on here and post stat. It is ahhhh-mazing!!!! Loved every bite and didn’t want it to end. Thank you for the recipe :-)
So glad you liked it Heather. I hope you remembered the avocado that I forgot to top mine with :)
Kathi Kirk
Gina’s website was the first blog I ever saw…didn’t even know what a blog was! She was my inspiration to start my own little blog. I’ve been secretly stalking her for years! Oh, and I have recently dropped 25 pounds. I go to her website a lot for inspiration…really does such a lovely job and everything is so simple to make!
Signed,
Your first fan :)
Susan P
Lasagne or mac & cheese! My sister has this cookbook and we made the shrimp & grits recipe on the cover. Let me tell you it is absolutely to die for. I put the book on my Xmas list. Keeping fingers crossed for an early present here!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
Lasagna?
ali
mac n cheese!
Abby Dumont
Sweet potato pie!
Ann P.
Gooey butter cake!
melisa
I love all her recipes!!
Maribeth M
I love all of Gina’s recipes! Casseroles would be my vote!
diana berru
can’t wait to try the soup. looks awesome.
Megan
More lightened up comfort food. But I have made the enchilada soup and it’s FANTASTIC!
Heather Gardner
Gina’s recipes always look so good!
Bridget @ Champagne Frosting
I made Gina’s Zucchini Lasagne TWICE this week for dinner parties!! Another chicken casserole recipe for a crowd would be good to have in my arsenal. Can’t wait to see her book!
Katie
I love Skinnytaste – every recipe I have tried has turned out delicious!
Elizabeth
This recipe is do-able! And freezeable.
Linnea Felty
Love, love, love, Gina and her Skinnytaste! First found her on Facebook and she was/is my “go to guru” for recipe ideas after weight loss surgery last May.[Down 90 lbs!] I usually divide her meals into 4 portions,’ cause I can only eat a 2-3 oz.amount,so the #-numbers-# really work for me!
I’m hooked on Zoodles and Zucchini Boats and just made the Pumpkin Swirl Cupcakes. Slurpalicious!!!!!
Sometimes I tweak the recipes,like the cupcakes, I used a small amount of Graham cracker crumbs, instead of the Vanilla wafers,and Truvia brown sugar instead of the regular, or was that the Pumpkin Cheesecake I’m making for Thanksgiving? so many recipes,so little time!
I need some suggestions for a lighter Mac and cheese.I used the zucchini that I scooped out of the zucchini boats with a melon baller,[Since I’m only making them for myself,that works for me]..They look like gnocchi pasta,and if you cut them in half,they resemble mini pasta shells! I use cheddar soup,shredded cheese and top with sparingly with Panko.I use a tiny amount of milk,but the still come out too watery. Any suggestions ladies?
I love that you’ve shared some great tips for us that have worked for you! Congrats on the weight loss, that’s so inspiring! Lighter mac and cheese? Gina has a recipe in the book that uses low fat milk. You could also use light cream cheese to bring in the cream. Thanks for sharing!
Michelle Zieger
I can’t wait to try this version of a family favorite!
Kim Garner
I’d like to see a lightened up Chicken & Dumplings!
Heather R
We use one of her recipes once to twice a week. Can’t wait to get a copy!
Lindsay
I love Skinnytaste and can’t wait to read through the cookbook!
Aggie
Love the interview!! Gina’s recipes and I go way back, lol…I was on Weight Watchers a couple of time and finding really good WW friendly recipes were hard, Gina truly nails them! I love reading more about her…and boy does this soup look so good!!
Karen
love all her recipes!
Alyssa
Boston Cream Pie!
Judy
I love that you put the weight watchers points on the recipes and the calories
Kris G
Don’t think I have any recipes on my wishlist after finding SkinnyTaste!
Sandy @ ReluctantEntertainer
I love this recipe, adore Gina, and WOW, I’m one of her top 3 to read? I am humbled and grateful … now I wish I could host a dinner party this weekend and invite you all over, Heidi. We’d cook up a storm from Gina’s new fabulous book. BTW, it was a blast taking that pic of Gina writing on the wall. I KNEW that she’d get there … and she did! :)
I will take you up on the dinner invite any time! And your blog is totally reader worthy, because you help people solve entertaining dilemmas and inspire us all to spend more time getting together with others. It’s the good part of life~
JoHannah
Looks fantastic! I can’t wait to try the soup and get a copy of her book!
Ashlee Aleshire-Ash
Tiramisu! I know it’s a dessert but I’ve always avoided it because it’s so ridiculously calorie dense.
Dawn McPherson
Yummy! Looks great! I would love to have this cook book
christina
wow! this looks delish! I have been hearing about skinnytaste all over but it is nice to get to know her a lil bit! I would love the boook!!!!!
Julie
I love Gina and her website. Her recipes are always delicious.
JC
Gina has already lightend up so many of my favorites. But I really do love classic chicken parmesan, and pasta with tomato sauce, and about a pound of melty cheese on top. I don’t think you cna lighten it up without skipping at least some of the cheese though and that just ruins it.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Love the interview and love that Gina wouldn’t give up her spiralizer. For most people it’s a stand mixer or a Vitamix…love her pick! Pinned your soup, looks awesome. And I’d love to see a lightened up hunk of brie and light wine to wash it down with :) Seriously all Gina’s recipes are amazing and I need to check out her book!
Millie l Add A Little
Looks so delicious – I love Gina’s recipes!