Inspired by my husband's days as a server at Chili's, this chicken enchilada soup is rich and thickened with masa for that authentic texture. Made from scratch in one pot with options for homemade or canned enchilada sauce.
The fajitas and margaritas at Chili's get all the fame, but my heart has always been with the chicken enchilada soup. My now-husband Ryan was working at Chili's as a server when we met in 2002, and it was one of my favorite things he'd bring home after a shift.
This version has all the richness and depth of the original thanks to masa harina (the corn flour they make tortillas from), and it checks all the boxes for blood sugar balance that we focus on here. One pot, under 40 minutes, and endlessly customizable.
Tips, Swaps & Make-It-Your-Way Options
The base of this recipe is simple and solid, but you can take it in a lot of directions depending on what's in your fridge, who you're feeding, or how much time you have.
Chicken I use boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs interchangeably. Short on time? Skip the searing and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken right before the simmer.
Enchilada Sauce Canned enchilada sauce makes this easy peasy. If you want to take this soup to a completely different level, use my homemade red enchilada sauce. The color will look different depending on which sauce you use, and that's totally fine.
Masa Harina This is what gives the soup that thick, velvety body and tortilla flavor. It’s the same corn flour used to make tortillas. You'll find it in the baking aisle or the Hispanic foods section. If you don't have it, feel free to skip. The soup will be more brothy instead of creamy.
Bulk It Up Want a heartier bowl? Stir in drained canned black beans, frozen sweet corn or diced peppers during the last few minutes of simmering.
Cream The quarter cup of heavy cream at the end is totally optional. It adds a touch of richness and rounds out the spice, but the soup is full-flavored without it. You can also swap in a splash of half-and-half or a dollop of sour cream in the bowl.
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Season and sear the chicken. Toss the diced chicken breast with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Heat a tablespoon of oil in your Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat and sear the chicken until golden, about 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Build the base. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil (or use the chicken drippings for extra flavor). Sauté the diced onion for about 3 minutes until soft and fragrant, then add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add the liquids. Return the chicken to the pot and add the broth, Rotel (or petite diced tomatoes), enchilada sauce, and green chilies. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer.
- Make the masa slurry. Ladle out about 1½ cups of hot liquid from the pot into a small bowl. Add the masa harina and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Pour it back into the soup and stir to combine. This is what transforms the broth from thin and soupy to thick and velvety.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 20 minutes. The soup will thicken as it cooks. If it gets too thick, add a splash of broth or water. Then add the optional cream.
- Serve. Bring the soup back to a simmer, adjust seasonings to your taste and serve!
Storage & Freezing
This soup keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months. It will likely be thicker the second go-around so just add some broth or water when you reheat.
Joanie’s Balanced Bites
At nearly 30g of protein per bowl, this is a soup that satisfies and sustains. With fiber from the vegetables and masa, plus fat from the olive oil and optional cream, you've got a pretty balanced meal in just one bowl.
How to Enjoy It
For me personally, I like to offset the carbs a bit more with some thoughtful toppings. A dollop of sour cream, crumbled queso fresco, or shredded cheese adds a little more fat, which helps further blunt any potential glucose elevation.
And my end-all-be-all favorite (avocado) does double duty, adding fat and a hefty dose of fiber.
I'm also on team cilantro and love a squeeze of lime juice for some extra pizzazz. Crunchy tortilla strips are a great add for texture, served just like they do at Chili's.
Browse ➡️ Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes
One-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 - 6 servings
- Category: soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Diabetic, Gluten-Free
Description
A creamy chicken enchilada soup thickened with masa harina and either canned or homemade enchilada sauce. One pot meal in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 to 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (10 oz) can Rotel or petite diced tomatoes
- 1¼ cups (10 oz) enchilada sauce, canned or homemade
- 1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
- ⅓ cup masa harina (optional, for thickening)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
- Combine chili powder, cumin, and salt with the diced chicken in a bowl and toss to coat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden, about 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Add the onion and sauté about 3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and sauté another minute.
- Add the chicken back to the pot along with the broth, Rotel, enchilada sauce, and green chilies. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Ladle out about 1½ cups of hot liquid into a small bowl. Add the masa harina and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Pour the slurry back into the pot and stir to combine.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and chicken is cooked through.
- Stir in cream for a touch of richness, if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Notes
Shortcut: Use shredded rotisserie chicken in place of raw — skip the searing step and add it just before the simmer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 339
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1941.6 mg
- Fat: 13.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.8 g
- Fiber: 4.3 g
- Protein: 29.9 g
- Cholesterol: 93.7 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!