Name: Chicken Enchilada Soup (Small Batch)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1/2 tsp. Salt (plus more to taste); 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder; 1/2 tsp. Paprika; 1/2 tsp. Mexican Oregano; 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder; 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin; 1 tbsp. Oil (like avocado or olive); 12 oz. boneless, skinless Chicken Breast; 1/2 cup finely chopped Onion (yellow or white); 1/2 medium Jalapeño (seeds removed / finely chopped (optional!)); 2 cloves Garlic (minced); 1/3 cup Masa Harina; 2 cups low-sodium Chicken Broth; 1 can Red Enchilada Sauce ((10 oz.)); 1 can Black Beans ((15 oz.), drained and rinsed); 1/4 cup Whipped Cream Cheese; 2 tsp. Fresh Lime Juice; 1 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro (finely chopped); Shredded Cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, monterey jack, or Mexican blend); Sour Cream; Cilantro; Crushed Tortilla Chips or Tortilla Strips

Makes: 6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) / Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 45 minutes

A super flavorful, slightly creamy, small batch chicken enchilada soup recipe that comes together in about an hour. This recipe can be doubled or tripled if needed!

This is a hearty chicken enchilada soup recipe with shredded chicken, black beans, and so much flavor. I’ve created this to be a small batch recipe, so it makes about 1 1/2 quarts of chicken enchilada soup, or 3-4 servings.

I played around with testing this recipe quite a bit before finally settling on these specific ingredients. Feel free to add your own spin to this soup (like bell peppers, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, or whatever you love!) You can also double or triple the recipe if needed. This soup comes simmers for a total of about 25 minutes, but it does benefit from simmering as long as possible! If you have the time (and patience), let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes (or up to an hour) once it’s made; this will give it the best flavor.

A ceramic bowl full of creamy chicken enchilada soup garnished with sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro. A linen and spoon rest nearby, as well as cilantro leaves and lime wedges.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. Olive or Avocado Oil
12 oz. boneless, skinless Chicken Breast
Seasoning Blend: (or one tablespoon of chicken taco seasoning, plus salt to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. Salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Mexican Oregano
- 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 cup finely chopped Yellow Onion (about 1/2 of a small onion)
1/2 medium Jalapeño, seeds removed / finely chopped (optional!)
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/3 cup Masa Harina
2 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 can (10 oz.) Red Enchilada Sauce
1 can (15 oz.) Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Whipped Cream Cheese
2 tsp. Fresh Lime Juice
1 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro (optional)

Optional Toppings:

Shredded Cheese (like Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese)
Sour Cream
Cilantro
Crushed Tortilla Chips / Tortilla Strips

Ingredients needed to make a small batch version of chicken enchilada soup laid out on a flat surface and labeled.

Ingredient Notes and FAQs

Chicken Breast

Boneless, skinless chicken breast is easy to cook and shred, but you can use chicken thighs or rotisserie chicken instead! If you’re using shredded rotisserie chicken, use about two cups, and start at step three. (Note: add the homemade seasoning blend to the onions and jalapeños in step three, rather than using it as the chicken seasoning in step one).

Masa Harina

What is Masa Harina? Do I need it? Masa Harina (I use Bob’s Red Mill!) is ground, dried corn dough. It’s commonly used to make corn tortillas, but it also works great as a thickener for this soup. It also adds a touch of corn flavor, which contributes to the corn tortilla flavor in typical chicken enchiladas. It is necessary to thicken the soup and add flavor, but if you can’t find any, you can try corn meal or finely ground corn tortillas instead! You can typically find masa harina in the Mexican food aisle at your local grocery store.

Seasoning Blend

I’m all about making small batch seasoning blends with spices that I always have on hand, but you can absolutely substitute this homemade version with one tablespoon of chicken taco seasoning or your favorite Tex-Mex / Southwestern seasoning instead!

Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

I’ve been developing recipes for about a decade now, and have found that low-sodium broth or stock is the best option when making soups. Typical stocks and broths already have a decent amount of salt added to them, and some people are very sensitive to that. For my recipes, I always suggest adding salt throughout the different steps of the recipe in order to build the best flavor; when we combine that mindset with the salt that already exists in typical stocks and broths, some people may find it to be a little too much. If you’re big on flavor (and salt), I always recommend using the Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (there is also a Better than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Roasted Chicken Base), or a Chicken Bone Broth for the best flavor in soups! The Better than Bouillon stuff may seem expensive at first, but it makes a LOT of broth / stock, and keeps for a very long time in the refrigerator. It’s way more cost effective for small batch recipes than using a couple cups of boxed stock, then possibly letting the rest go bad!

Whipped Cream Cheese

I use whipped cream cheese often, like in this Spaghetti Alfredo and Steakhouse Creamed Spinach recipe (both small batch recipes!) As a small batch recipe developer, a block of cream cheese always goes bad before I use the entire thing. But, I can buy a small container of plain whipped cream cheese and use it as needed for my recipes, or for a toasted everything bagel in the morning. 🙂

Fresh Lime Juice

Fresh citrus always has a place in my kitchen; there is no substitute, in my opinion. Fresh lime juice adds a hit of acidity to this soup, which balances out some of the flavors (and salt). Don’t skip it! I think you’ll be surprised how much it helps the flavor at the end!

Hopefully some of the following tips and tricks can help you make this Small Batch Chicken Enchilada Soup successfully, but if you have any other questions, feel free to email me anytime! 🙂

A ceramic bowl full of creamy chicken enchilada soup, with sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro on top. A linen and spoon rest nearby, as well as a pot of soup in the background.

Directions

How to Make Small Batch Chicken Enchilada Soup

Step One: Season the Chicken, and let it Rest at Room Temperature. Combine the homemade seasoning blend: (1/2 tsp. each of salt, garlic powder, paprika, Mexican oregano, chili powder, and cumin). Season the chicken on all sides with the blend, then set the chicken aside to rest at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

A seasoned chicken breast resting on a plate.

Step Two: Cook the Chicken. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan, medium pot, or medium-ish ceramic dutch oven (the one in these photos is a 3.5 quart ceramic dutch oven). Cook the chicken in the oil for 5-6 minutes per side, or until browned on the outside and the internal temperature is 165 F. Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a large bowl or plate to briefly cool.

A seasoned chicken breast cooking in oil in a ceramic pot.

A seasoned, cooked chicken breast in a ceramic dutch oven.

Step Three: Cook the Onions, Jalapeños, and Garlic. Add the chopped onion, jalapeño, and a pinch of salt to the pot, stirring any browned bits into the vegetables. Cook until the onions are softened, about 3-4 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Chopped onions cooking in a ceramic pot.

Step Four: Add the Masa Harina, Chicken Broth, Enchilada Sauce, and Black Beans. Stir the masa harina into the softened vegetables. Cook for about two minutes, stirring frequently, then pour in the chicken broth, enchilada sauce, and black beans. Turn the heat beneath the pot up to medium-high to bring everything to a simmer. Simmer, stirring frequently (to prevent the masa harina from sticking to the bottom), for about ten minutes.

A woman's hand shaking a small bowl of masa harina into a ceramic pot full of cooked onions.

A wooden spoon stirring masa harina into cooked onions in a ceramic pot.

Step Five: Stir in Shredded Chicken and Whipped Cream Cheese. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred it into fine pieces. Add the shredded chicken to the pot of soup, along with the whipped cream cheese. Stir to combine (the whipped cream cheese may not melt immediately, but that’s ok!), then let the soup simmer for another fifteen minutes. Stir every now and then to encourage the whipped cream cheese to blend into it.

A woman's hand holding a plate of shredded chicken over a pot of soup.

A woman's hand scraping shredded chciken into a pot of soup.

Step Five: Stir in Lime Juice and Cilantro. Before serving, stir in the fresh lime juice and finely chopped cilantro (if using). Taste and season with more salt if needed, then serve with your favorite toppings!

A woman's hand stirring a pot of chicken enchilada soup with a wooden spoon.

A woman's hand squeezing a lime wedge into a pot of soup.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Let the Chicken Rest at Room Temperature First: This might feel weird, but trust me. When you’re about to start preparing your ingredients for this soup recipe, get the chicken breast out of the refrigerator first. Season it all over with the homemade seasoning blend, then set it aside while you cut veggies and get everything else together. Ideally, it should sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cooking. Why? The chicken has a chance to come to room temperature, which helps it cook more evenly and prevents it from getting too tough on the outside, while not cooked through on the inside.
Stir the Soup Often once the Masa Harina is Added: The masa harina has a tendency to want to stick to the bottom of the pan, so stir often to prevent this from happening. Also, don’t miss the sides of the pan when stirring; sometimes the masa harina can kind of clump up around the sides on the bottom of the pot.
Salt as You Go! The BIGGEST piece of advice I can give to you when making any recipe: salt. as. you. go. Salt builds flavor, and you only have to add a little at a time throughout the recipe to make a recipe taste great. Don’t wait until the end; adding a ton of salt at the end will overpower the flavors (and all of the work you put into creating your recipe). Add some with the onions, then with the black beans, and even a little more towards the end if needed.
Lime Juice Helps! Adding acidity to soups is a great way to brighten their flavor, and balance the other flavors. Add it towards the end so it doesn’t get muddled in with everything else, and feel free to squeeze a little more over the top just before serving.

Make this Creamy Enchilada Soup Recipe Yours!

I fully encourage you to adapt recipes to fit your tastes, and this one is no exception. Here are some ideas on how to make this customized for yourself and your family:

Customize this Recipe:

Make it Spicy by leaving the seeds in the jalapeño, or adding more jalapeño!
Add more Veggies like frozen or roasted corn, fire roasted tomatoes, green or red bell pepper, green onion, green chiles, celery, or carrots.
Make it Cheesy by adding shredded cheese along with the shredded chicken and whipped cream cheese.

A ceramic pot full of chicken enchilada soup (small batch recipe)

Can I Make this Soup Ahead of Time?

Absolutely yes. Soup almost always tastes better the next day, so you can make this a couple of days before serving it, and it will be perfect.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Storing: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Reheating: Reheat in a small, nonstick pot over medium-low heat until warmed through. Garnish and serve as you normally would.

What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup:

Crusty Bread 🙂
Creamy Refried Beans
Spicy Smashed Black Beans
Tortilla Chips and Homemade Guacamole or Pico de Gallo

More Small Batch Soup Recipes

Want to make more than six cups? Increase the amount you want to make in the recipe card; there is a little slider bar near the “servings” section on the recipe card if you’re on a desktop, or if you’re on your phone, touch the number of servings on the recipe card (it will be a number, and colored dark red). You can adjust the slider bar that way instead of doing the calculations on your own! 🙂

If you make this Small Batch Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe and love it, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share it on Instagram and tag me, or use the hashtag #aflavorjournal so I can see it! If you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.

xx Sara