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This copycat of Chili’s chicken enchilada soup tastes just like the restaurant’s version. It’s a new favorite dinner meal!
Sometimes I like to switch up our usual soup recipes, and opt for a soup with more of a Mexican flavor like today’s soup recipe and our Mexican Soup and Taco Soup as well!
We LOve a Good Soup!
We love a good soup recipe!!
This copycat version of Chili’s chicken enchilada soup is AMAZING!! I finally decided to try and make a copycat version, and it turned out SO full of flavor and tasted just like the real thing!
Why we love it:
- Easy. With a quick prep, this copycat recipe comes together quite easily.
- Flavor. The masa harina (corn tortilla mix) gives it that enchilada flavor that is addicting and delicious.
- Filling. With chicken and a thick creamy base, it’s a hearty soup!
Ingredients
- chicken breast – or chicken thighs
- minced garlic
- chicken broth – or vegetable broth. Or use chicken bouillon cubes to mix up chicken broth.
- masa harina corn tortilla mix – Masa harina is dried corn dough. As an alternative with the same flavor, put dried corn tortillas in a food processor until they turn into fine corn flour. Or use cornmeal which will give you the same texture, but not the same flavor.
- water
- mild red enchilada sauce – or spicy if you like the heat. Use store-bought or Homemade Enchilada Sauce.
- Velveeta cheese – Substitute all or half of the Velveeta with cheddar cheese.
- salt (and pepper)
- onion powder
- chili powder
- cumin
- garnish – tomatoes & corn tortilla strips
A Quick + Simple Soup!
- SAUTÉ. Begin by sautéing your garlic in a large pot and adding your chicken broth.
- ADD INGREDIENTS. In a separate bowl, whisk together masa harina and water until well blended. From there, you add the masa mixture to the pot followed by the remaining water, enchilada sauce, Velveeta cheese, and seasonings.
- BOIL & SIMMER. Bring this to a boil, add the chopped chicken, and simmer for thirty minutes. Add more broth, if needed, to be the consistency you like.
- SERVE. Top this delicious soup with your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, and tortilla strips (or regular tortilla chips), and you’re set!
In the Crock Pot
Add all the ingredients, except for the Velveeta cheese, to a crock pot. Stir and top with the lid. Cook on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours, or LOW heat for 6-8 hours. Add the Velveeta during the last hour of cooking time. Stir and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Texture. If it’s too thick, add a little milk, water, or broth. To thicken the soup add any one of the following:
- Extra enchilada sauce
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Cornstarch: In a separate bowl mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, then pour into the soup
- Mixins. Add a can of corn (drain liquid)
- For a milder flavor, reduce the amount of chili powder, cumin, or any other spices that add heat to the soup.
- For more spice, add additional spices or even hot sauce to amp up the heat.
- Vegetarian-friendly. Replace the cooked chicken with plant-based alternatives such as pinto beans, black beans, cooked rice, tofu, or tempeh. Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken base broth.
Storage Tips
- STORE leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freeze ahead of time. Make a couple of batches of this Chili’s copycat chicken enchilada soup recipe to freeze for later. Follow the recipe except for adding the cheese. Allow the soup to cool, and store it in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat using a large cooking pot or Dutch oven or reheat it in a crockpot. Once heated, add the cheese mix to combine, and enjoy!
For More Mexican Soups with Chicken:
Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup
This copycat of Chili's chicken enchilada soup tastes just like the restaurant's version. It's a new favorite dinner meal!
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breast cooked and cubed
- 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
- 1 cup masa harina corn tortilla mix – found near flour/corn muffin mix
- 3 cups water divided
- 1 cup mild red enchilada sauce
- 16 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- tomatoes (garnish)
- corn tortilla strips (garnish)
Instructions
- Add garlic to a large pot and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together masa harina and 2 cups water until well blended. Add masa mixture to the pot.
- Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cubed Velveeta cheese, salt, onion, powder, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a boil.
- Add cubed chicken, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. **Add more broth, if needed, to be the consistency you like.
- Garnish with tomatoes and tortilla strips.
Video
Notes
STORE leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freeze ahead of time. Make a couple of batches of this Chili’s copycat chicken enchilada soup to freeze for later. Follow the recipe except for adding the cheese. Allow the soup to cool, and store it in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat using a large cooking pot or Dutch oven or reheat it in a crockpot. Once heated, add the cheese mix to combine, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 104mg, Sodium: 2441mg, Potassium: 808mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1150IU, Vitamin C: 9.3mg, Calcium: 475mg, Iron: 2.5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe adapted from Food.com.
Can I put this in my slow cooker ?
I’m sure you can 🙂 I haven’t made it that way, but it will work!
I made this today and it was very good. The only modification I made was with the cheese. I was concerned about how strong the velveeta taste would be based on one of the comments on this recipe as well as similar comments on other chicken enchilada soup recipes. So I reduced the velveeta to 8 ounces and added 8 ounces of sharp cheddar and it was really good. It’s very close to the way Chili’s soup tastes. My daughter thought the velveeta taste was still a bit strong, but that didn’t stop her from eating 3 bowls of it. 🙂
That’s perfect!! Thank you so much for sharing that and for giving it a try 🙂
We just made this and my whole family of 6 loved it! Based on a previous comment I thought it might be too watery so I was worried about adding the third cup of water but it was still perfect. Because the soup thickens as it simmers. I only had 12 oz of velveeta so I just threw in an extra handful of cheddar cheese and it was great. We topped w tortilla chips, sour cream, hot sauce and of course more cheese. My family loved it!
YUM!!! Thank you for letting me know! I love to hear!
I really wanted to like this but I didn’t. Tasted like a thinned out velveeta cheese dip. Maybe another cheese and not so much would be better
Sorry to hear that! You could try whatever cheese you like..hope you’ll try it again and you like it better 🙂
Definitely DO NOT make this with Velveeta. Blech. Regular shredded cheddar tastes so much better. ????
Why do I have the feeling I could polish off a few bowls of this? It looks amazing!!
Soup is one of my favorite things I like to eat over the winter. This soup recipe looks very comforting and easy to make! I love tomatoes.
I haven’t been to Chili’s in so long, but this soup looks amazing! So warm and comforting!
This is a lovely soup recipe. Perfect for the cold weather.
Looks SO good! I love soup this time of year! 🙂
Okay, enchilada soup sounds like the most perfect meal ever! I love both so why not combine them?! I could easily make a veggie version, too, so this is great 🙂