Description
A lightened-up, creamy slow cooker chicken enchilada soup that’s quick to prep and packed with smoky, tangy flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights, this soup uses cottage cheese for creaminess without the heavy cream.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Low-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream (for garnish)
- Crumbled queso fresco or reduced-fat shredded cheese (for garnish)
- Diced avocado (for garnish)
- Lime wedges (for garnish)
- Tortilla chips or strips (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Season the chicken: Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a little chili powder from the seasoning blend.
- Layer the slow cooker: Place seasoned chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour enchilada sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices), and diced green chiles over the top. Add frozen corn and drained black beans. Sprinkle remaining seasoning blend (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne if using) over everything.
- Add the broth: Pour chicken broth into the slow cooker. Do not stir.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily.
- Shred the chicken: Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks in a large bowl. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir gently.
- Blend the cottage cheese: Scoop out 1 cup of hot broth from the slow cooker and add to a blender with cottage cheese. Blend until smooth (about 30 seconds). Pour mixture back into the slow cooker and stir well.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste and add salt, pepper, or more chili powder as needed. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with desired garnishes.
Notes
Don’t skip sautéing the onions and garlic for best flavor. Watch salt levels as enchilada sauce, canned tomatoes, and broth contain sodium. Blend cottage cheese while soup is hot to avoid curdling. Let soup rest 10-15 minutes before serving to thicken. For a thicker soup, mash some black beans or add a cornstarch slurry. For a vegetarian version, skip chicken and add extra beans; use vegetable broth. For a dairy-free version, blend soaked cashews with broth instead of cottage cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cu
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 32
Keywords: slow cooker chicken enchilada soup, lightened-up enchilada soup, healthy enchilada soup, easy enchilada soup, creamy enchilada soup