Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Soup (5 ingredient!)

At a glance

What stands out: Switch up your chicken soup routine with this straightforward and flavorful green enchilada soup. This recipe is straightforward, and everyone loves it. Make it on the stove if you don’t have time for a slow cooker.

How long it takes: 4 hours in the slow cooker
Equipment you’ll need: crockpot
Servings: 6

It’s hard to choose what we like most about this green enchilada soup. The ease of its preparation is definitely up there. It’s a great alternative to chicken noodle soup. It’s warm and comforting if you’re feeling a bit under the weather but perhaps a standby part is all the toppings!

(we're obsessed with toppings. We think sometimes we make chili, tacos, and nachos just for the toppings. It’s all about the toppings for us, especially those vegetarian nachos We shared awhile back? Yum.)

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Only five ingredients! Chicken enchilada soup, while memorable, is pretty simple which is one of the reasons we love it. All you need to do is throw 5 ingredients (all raw!) into the slow cooker and 4 hours later (or 8 hours on low), dinner is ready. It doesn’t get much easier than that! Be sure to check out all our crockpot soup recipes.

Add toppings if you like. The soup is reliable the way it is but it’s extra great with toppings. We like crispy tortilla strips and fresh cilantro, but shredded cheese, avocado, diced tomato, and sliced jalapeño peppers are all reliable, too.

Imsen Said:

“This soup is so tasty!! We just had a bowl and knew we had to come let you know how great it is. Thank you for sharing this.”

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What goes in

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: There’s no need to dice the chicken or mess with it at all. It will shred easily after cooking in the broth in the slow cooker.
• Onion: Just chop up any kind of onion you happen to have on hand.
• Green enchilada sauce: A can of this sauce flavors the broth and adds just a bit of heat.
• Canned diced green chiles: Buy the chopped variety so you don’t have to chop them yourself. Choose mild, hot, or fire roasted, whatever you like.
• Chicken Broth: Choose low-sodium or unsalted if you can.

How it comes together

Combine ingredients and cook. Simply put everything into your crockpot and let it cook! Before serving, remove the chicken breasts, shred them with two forks and put them back into the soup.

Make your own tortilla strips. You can buy crispy tortilla strips but it’s straightforward and more economical to make your own. Buy plain corn tortillas, cut them into strips, and spread them out on a baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray and bake 15 minutes or so. Do it while the soup is cooking. They can be made ahead of time, too, and stored in an airtight container.

Ways to change it

• Make this soup on the stove. If you don’t have time for a slow cooker, you can make this soup in a large pan on the stove. If you use raw chicken, cook for 30 minutes or so, until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken and shred it, returning it back to the pan to simmer briefly. Another alternative is to use shredded cooked chicken instead of the raw chicken. Sauté onions in Dutch oven, then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Prefer dark meat? Substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs for the breasts.
• Stretch it. Add a can of corn (or frozen corn) or canned black beans, rinsed and drained, or a can of each.
• Alternative recipes: For a more tomato-y soup, try chicken tortilla soup, it’s fantastic. If you prefer creamy soups, you’ll love creamy chicken enchilada soup. If you’d rather have enchiladas than enchilada soup, try chicken enchiladas verde or chicken enchilada skillet.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 4 hours
• Total: 4 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (or boneless skinless chicken thighs)
• 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (10 ounces) green enchilada sauce
• 1 can (4.5 ounces) diced green chiles (we like mild)
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• optional toppings: shredded cheese, cilantro, crispy tortilla strips, chopped avocado, hot sauce

Method

1. Add chicken, chicken broth, enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, and diced onion to a slow cooker.
2. Cover, and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.
3. Remove chicken and shred, using two forks. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker.
4. Stir, and serve garnished with desired toppings.

Notes

How to make crispy tortilla strips: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, avocado oil, or olive oil spray. Cut corn tortillas into thin strips. Arrange in an even layer on prepared baking sheet; spray lightly. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown and crispy. Check frequently to make sure they don’t burn.

Stovetop instructions: There are two options. Use shredded cooked chicken instead of the raw chicken. Sauté onions in Dutch oven, then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes. If you prefer to use raw chicken, cook all the ingredients for 30 minutes, remove chicken to shred, add it back to the pan, and simmer for a couple of minutes

Make ahead/freeze: This soup freezes well in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat slowly over medium heat in a saucepan (or use the slow cooker again and heat on low until hot).