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This Chicken and Rice Enchilada Soup is a hearty, flavorful dish that brings the essence of enchiladas into a cozy bowl. It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights or lazy weekends!
Loaded with smoky spices, tangy enchilada sauce, and diced green chiles, this soup delivers a deliciously bold and slightly spicy kick that will keep everyone coming back for seconds. With lean chicken breast, hearty rice, black beans, and plenty of fresh vegetables, it’s a balanced, protein-packed dish that’s both filling and nutritious!
This soup is made in a single pot, saving time on cleanup while letting all the flavors meld beautifully. It’s ready in just 45 minutes, making it an ideal dinner solution.
Elevate each serving with optional toppings like shredded Monterey Jack cheese, a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. These add-ons let everyone personalize their bowl to their liking. You can also tortilla chips if you’d like!
Ingredients:
- Avocado oil
- Yellow onion
- Green bell pepper
- Jalapeno
- Garlic
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Dried oregano
- Ground cumin
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Red enchilada sauce
- Canned diced green chiles
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- White basmati rice
- Canned black beans
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Step-by-Step:
Step One: Saute the veggies
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, about 7 minutes.
Step Two: Toast the Spices
Add the smoked paprika, oregano, and cumin and stir to combine, toasting the spices for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
Step Three: Add liquids and simmer
Pour in the broth, enchilada sauce, and green chiles. Bring to a rapid simmer.
Step Four: Add the Chicken and Rice
Add the chicken and the rice to the soup and stir to combine. Reduce the heat so that the soup is gently simmering, about medium-low heat. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Step Five: Shred the Chicken
When ready, using tongs transfer the chicken to a sheet pan. Using two forks, shred the chicken.
Step Six: Warm the Black Beans
Add it back into the soup along with the can of black beans (drained and rinsed), lime juice, and cilantro. Stir to combine and let simmer gently for about 5 more minutes, to allow the black beans to heat through and the flavors to meld.
Step Seven: Serve and Enjoy!
To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.
Recipes FAQS:
Swap the chicken for an extra can of black beans and use vegetable broth. Looking for a heartier meal? Serve it with warm tortillas or crusty bread for dipping.
I love putting out lots of toppings for everyone to dish up their soup exactly how they want it! You can top your soup with shredded cheese, Greek yogurt or sour cream, some cilantro, and even crushed tortilla chips!
I hope you enjoy this Chicken and Rice Enchilada Soup as much as I do! Comment below once you try it!
looking for More Chicken Soup Recipes? try these!
Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
Green Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken and Rice Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup small-diced yellow onion
- 1 cup small-diced green bell pepper
- ¼ cup seeded and finely diced jalapeno
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- One [15-ounce] jar red enchilada sauce
- Two [4-ounce] cans diced green chiles
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise
- ½ cup white basmati rice
- One [15-ounce] can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Optional for Serving:
- Shredded Monterrey jack cheese
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, about 7 minutes.
- Add the smoked paprika, oregano, and cumin and stir to combine, toasting the spices for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
- Pour in the broth, enchilada sauce, and green chiles. Bring to a rapid simmer.
- Add the chicken and the rice to the soup and stir to combine. Reduce the heat so that the soup is gently simmering, about medium-low heat. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- When ready, using tongs transfer the chicken to a sheet pan and using two forks, shred the chicken.
- Add it back into the soup along with the can of black beans (drained and rinsed), lime juice, and cilantro. Stir to combine and let simmer gently for about 5 more minutes, to allow the black beans to heat through and the flavors to meld.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you think this would freeze well? I’m trying to make a bunch of frozen meals before having a baby and have been scouring your website. If you think any others would be good options, please let me know. Right now I’m planning on making your egg breakfast sandwiches, shredded beef chipotle bowls, and crockpot Mexican Piccadillo but would love any and all ideas!
Not to be dramatic but this is the best soup I’ve ever had/made. No notes. It’s like a chicken tortilla soup, but elevated. Using the enchilada sauce in the broth is genius, it adds so much flavor!
yay! thank you.
Whenever I need a new recipe, I come to your blog or devour your cookbooks. 10/10 for this and all of your soups! If I could, I’d be a walking advertisement for your recipes😂 thanks for all you do! Also, my kids are wonderful eaters – mainly because we cook at home from your recipes most days. They love it too. Cheers!
aw thank you so much!!!
So delicious! We made it last weekend and we’re making it again tonight. We had an extra ear of corn so we cut off the kernels and added those which added a nice pop of sweetness!
This was delicious and so easy to make. I did use pre-shredded chicken, because I had it on hand. But everyone loved it. Thanks for another great recipe, Alex!