Can I tell you one thing that makes me unreasonably happy on a day-to-day basis?
Strangers smiling at me.
Even better?
Strangers waving, or nodding, or offering a pleasant hello, or even (my favorite) the ol’ one-finger-raise-on-the-steering wheel.
For whatever reason, I always notice those little things and they make me so happy for a moment or two. Actually, I think the best way to say it is that my heart genuinely feels warmed. And I’m reminded how much I just really like people. And how cool it is that two complete and utter strangers can make an encouraging connection in this big world, however fleeting. And how a moment so brief can have the power to make your day just a little brighter…just like that!
Crazy. And very cool. And call me cheesy, but it makes me want to return the favor to the world and smile or wave or say hi to strangers more often. Yes. That is exactly what I want to do.
What does that have to do with this soup? Nada. But it’s wonderful and also makes me smile, and it will keep you feeling warm and happy all winter long. Here’s how to make it…
Actually when I had the craving to make a batch of chicken enchilada soup, I took to Facebook to ask all of you if you would prefer a slow cooker or a 20-minute version. Both are quick and easy, but I couldn’t decide…and apparently, neither could you! It looks like the responses were pretty much split down the middle.
So because I aim to please and make you smile, and because there’s no such thing as too much chicken enchilada soup in my world, I went ahead and developed both recipes! Thus, today you get the slow cooker version. And if you tune back in on Wednesday, it’ll be a stovetop 20-minute cheesy version that a slightly different flavor variation too. (Actually it’s a copycat take on my old-time favorite chicken enchilada soup from Chili’s — you’ll have to check it out!)
Today, though, it’s all about the slow cooker. And I think this may be a winner for one of the easiest slow cooker recipes I’ve ever published on this site. You basically just toss everything in the slow cooker. (Or if you love color as much as I do, you can line the ingredients all up to look extra pretty…which is also pretty much 100% useless but…pretty!)
Then add in the key ingredient — enchilada sauce.
Since it is the key ingredient and will basically serve as the seasoning for the soup, I can’t recommend enough that you use a really good enchilada sauce for this recipe. And — ahem — I happen to have a homemade red enchilada sauce recipe on here that is my all-time-forever-and-ever-favorite. So if you are so inclined, I highly suggest you make a batch of that. But any enchilada sauce will work.
Then just let it cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours — whatever fits your schedule.
And once it’s done, shred the chicken and you’re ready to go!
Seriously, just look at that! I can hardly believe it only took about 10 minutes of prep time.
SO good, so much flavor, and it’s actually pretty light and good for you too.
You can either serve it just plain…
…or garnish it up with whatever toppings sound good. (I’ve included a mega list of suggestions below if you like to go topping-crazy.)
However you serve it, I’m pretty sure that this one will make you and your friends and family smile. And then we can all go on with our days and pass on the smiles to some other people.
Deal?
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 2 cups good-quality chicken stock
- 1 1/4 cup (or a 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce*, homemade or store-bought
- 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn**, drained
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste
- optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Serve warm, with optional garnishes.
- You can also refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!This post contains affiliate links.
Hi there! I have made this soup several times to rave reviews, I simply love it! I use the homemade enchilada sauce recipe and substitute regular canned tomatoes and jarred jalapeños to cover what I cannot buy in my local supermarket.
Question: how would you adjust the recipe to allow for the use of dried black beans?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks Carla — we’re so glad you’re a fan! If you’re using dried black beans for this, just make sure you plan ahead and soak the beans the night before. Here are some tips we found: We would just cook them separately and then add them in towards the end. We hope this is helpful, and that you enjoy! :)
Excited to try this recipe! The recipe calls for only 2 cups of broth, do I add water too? I’m a total newbie to cooking, will two cups broth really make enough soup for four people?
Hi Lulu! Yes, this will be enough soup for four people — in addition to the stock, you also have liquid from the tomatoes and the tomato sauce. We hope you enjoy! :)
What is the nutritional content of this? i.e. calories per serving, etc.
Hi Stacey! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
Great recipe! I didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes so I just used a can of Rotel and it still was great. I found fire roasted tomatoes at our local Aldi so I am excited to try it again with the correct ingredients! Thank you for sharing a wonderful recipe that is so easy.
Thanks for sharing Brandi — we’re glad you enjoyed it! :D
I am on a continuous search for a chicken tortilla / red sauce soup that is similar to a restaurant I used to live near that closed. While this recipe wasn’t quite like the one I used to love, it was by far, the best chicken red sauced slow cooker recipe I have ever tried. I thought, just cumin? My last fave had 5 seasonings it called for, but this? This hit the spot. I added a little shredded cheese and a little avocado with smashed tortilla chips and I was just thrilled. Thank you for a great recipe I will use till for ages!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this Wendi! Thanks for giving it a try! :)
I have made this 4 times now (in fact I’m off to the store for ingredients to make more). It is so easy to make and freezes well (I always put some of it in individual serving size containers so that we can bring it to work). My husband absolutely loves this. So good!!!!!
We’re so happy you and your husband love this Heather! :D
I’ve made this twice now. I super big puffy heart love it. Delicious, comforting and most importantly, EASY. Thanks for posting on Pinterest.
We’re so happy you love it Piper, thanks for sharing! :D
Do we have to wash and drain the can beans
Yes – we hope you enjoy! :)
I would love to try this recipe! I’m in Canada, where I have never seen canned fire-roasted tomatoes, even in the large grocery stores, so I guess I’ll have to try to make my own. Now that I live in a more rural area, I have an even less chance of seeing them! And what do you mean by “diced green chiles”? Are these diced jalapeños? Does the can just say “diced green chiles”?
Hi Marise! We’re sorry you’re unable to find any fire-roasted tomatoes. Don’t worry though, they’re not crucial to the recipe (they just add a little extra oomph). : ) We hope this makes sense, and that you enjoy the soup!
First time I have tried one of your recipes and it was fabulous!! I will continue to visit for new dinner, dessert, etc ideas! Thank you! ( and I am from KC so loved reading your background!0
Thanks Jennifer, we’re so glad you enjoyed this! :D