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Here’s a flavorful twist on traditional chili — Chicken Enchilada Chili! With some ingredients used in traditional chili, plus enchilada soup ingredients this is a flavorful soup that will be the star this fall.
Our first annual Defined Dish Soup Week (#DDSoupWeek) is off to a delicious start with this Chicken Enchilada Chili! With the idea of a traditional Beef Chili with Beans and my Chicken Enchilada Soup in mind, this final creation is beyond delicious. I know this will be a recipe you come back to soup season, after soup season!
Chicken Enchilada Chili Ingredients:
Don’t let a long ingredient list scare you! A lot of these ingredients are spices and pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
- Avocado Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Ground Chicken
- Dired Seasonings: Salt, Black Pepper, Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Paprika, Dried Oregano
- Tapioca Flour
- Tomato Paste
- Diced Green Chiles
- Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Chicken Broth
- Black Beans and Kidney Beans
step one: saute the veggies
To start this recipe, saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large pot or Dutch oven. This will be a base of flavor for the soup.
step two: cook and season the chicken
Next, add the ground chicken to the pot and saute until cooked through. Use the edge of a spoon to break up the meat into small pieces! After you drain off any excess fat, if needed, add the seasonings and cook until fragrant. Then add the tapioca flour and tomato paste. Stir until well combined with the chicken.
step three: add the remaining ingredients and simmer
Once the chicken is seasoned, add the diced green chiles, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and broth and stir until well combined. These canned ingredients bring so much flavor so easily! After the soup begins to simmer, add the black beans and kidney beans. Continue cooking the soup at a low simmer until the beans are tender.
step four: serve and enjoy
While the soup is delicious as is, I love providing lots of topping options for everyone to serve their soup up exactly how they want to.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! Before seasoning the chicken, be sure to drain any excess fat from the skillet.
The tapioca flour helps the soup to thicken up slightly!
While this soup is great when served simply, I love setting up a toppings bar for my family to pick and choose exactly what they want! Find a variety of toppings options below.
I hope you enjoy the kickoff to #DDSoupWeek2023! Comment below once you try this recipe!
for more soup recipes:
Chicken Enchilada Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 ½ cups diced-small yellow onion
- 1 cup diced-small red bell pepper
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 pounds ground chicken preferably dark meat (sub ground turkey)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Two [4-ounce] cans diced green chiles
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 15- ounce jar red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- One [15-ounce] can black beans drained and rinsed
- One [15-ounce] can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
Optional for Serving:
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Corn tortilla chips or Frito Corn Chips
- 1 jalapeño thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Shredded Monterey jack cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add the ground chicken and continue to cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off excess fat, if needed.
- Add the salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano and toss until well combined and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tapioca flour and stir until very well combined. Then add the tomato paste, tossing until very well combined in with the meat.
- Add the diced green chiles, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and broth and stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, stir in the drained and rinsed beans and reduce the heat to a light simmer, about medium-low to low heat, cover and cook to allow the flavors to meld and the beans to become tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
Can this one be done in a instant pot?
yes- this should work great in an IP (high pressure for 20-30 mins)
Brought leftovers do a coworker and she said it was so good I should be a chef 🤭
If making in the crock pot is it necessary to cook the veggies and meat prior to putting in the crock? Also when doubling the recipe I noticed all ingredients double except the beans? Is that a mistake? Thank you!! Cant wait to make this for the family!!
Hi Fallon-
I would just brown the ground chicken, the veggies don’t need to be cook prior to the slow cooker.
That plug in sometimes can act funny and not be accurate, i am sorry- I am trying to get the tech to fix it but it’s a wordpress plug in that helps adjust the serving amount that they are constantly updating to make better. Some recipes it just gets goofy on– so yes that is a mistake im sorry about that!
Excellent chili recipe! My husband didn’t pick up on the enchilada twist until I told him so I did feel it was subtle overall. We topped ours with sharp cheddar, pickled jalapenos and fritos. Can’t wait for leftovers!
Excited to try this weekend!! Any changes if I wanted to cook it in the crockpot?
Not many changes– just cook it on low for 4-6 hours! 🙂
Did you cook the meat first or throw it all in the crockpot?
yes, absolutely!
The minute I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. But I had half a rotisserie chicken that I wanted to use, and I didn’t have red enchilada sauce, but I had plenty of green. Those two substitutions still tasted great in this amazing recipe. Perfect for the beginning of fall weather.
So excellent! Grocery out of red enchilada sauce so had to sub with green. I’m sure red is better. But still a total HOMERUN dinner! Thanks, Alex!
Absolutely loved. Will be enjoying for lunch all week long. I used the Whole Foods 365 “bean trio” (black, red, and pinto beans), and it was delish!
Love this sub! I bet it was delicious.
We LOVED this recipe & will definitely be making it again!! This basically tastes like your favorite chili recipe with a little extra twist to jazz it up. The red enchilada sauce adds a richness to it that’s stellar & we loved being able to control the spice level based on what toppings you chose. 10/10 recommend making this!
What could I use instead of tapioca flour?
You can swap in arrowroot, cassava, or corn starch!