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This Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup is sure to become a favorite! Bright, creamy, while also dairy-free, what is not to love?
Green enchiladas are an absolute favorite in my house; as you can see from the variety of recipes I have on my site and in my books! The brightness and creaminess is something I absolutely love so wanted to reimagine the flavors in this simple Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup.
And I already know what you are thinking, “Simple?! With this many ingredients?!” But y’all, so many are pantry staples and convenient condiments. Between the green enchilada sauce, cans of green chiles, and a few other items, flavor will be infused so easily as everything cooks away in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. You’ll have dinner ready in no time!
more Enchilada Recipes:
Sour Cream and Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchilada Bake
Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup Ingredients:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Yellow Onion
- Green Bell Pepper
- Jalapeno
- Garlic
- Diced Green Chiles
- Green Enchilada Sauce
- Chicken Broth
- Salt and Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Ground Cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Fresh Cilantro
- Bay Leaf
- Pinto or Cannellini Beans
- Dairy-Free Cream Cheese
- Fresh Lime juice
- Plus, Optional Toppings!
Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup Step-by-Step: slow cooker method
Step One: Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker
In a slow cooker, place the chicken, onion, bell pepper, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, green chiles, enchilada sauce, broth, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Drop in the bay leaf, cover, and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or preferably on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Step two: shred chicken and add the final ingredients
When the cooking time is complete and the chicken is tender, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Transfer the chicken back to the soup. Add the drained beans and the cream cheese and stir until well combined and the cream cheese is incorporated into the soup. Cover and let cook on low until the beans are tender about 10 minutes.
Step three: add lime juice, serve, and enjoy!
Before serving, stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish as desired!
Recipe FAQs:
If you can tolerate dairy, you can use regular cream cheese instead! But the Kite Hill brand dairy-free cream cheese is a wonderful option.
I love laying out lots of topping options for everyone to garnish their soups exactly how they want to! I’d recommend Shredded Monterey jack cheese, cilantro leaves, white corn tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
I hope y’all enjoy this Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup! Comment below once you try it!
For More Soup Recipes:
Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup small-diced yellow onion or ½ large onion
- 1 cup small-diced green bell pepper or 1 small bell pepper
- ½ cup small-diced poblano pepper or 1 small poblano
- ¼ cup seeded and finely diced jalapeno or 1 jalapeno, optional
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 [4-oz] cans diced green chiles
- One [15-ounce} jar green enchilada sauce I use Siete Foods
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 [15-oz] cans pinto or cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces dairy-free cream cheese I use Kite Hill Dairy Free cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Optional, for serving:
- Shredded Monterey jack cheese (omit for dairy-free)
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Sliced radishes
- White corn tortilla chips
- Lime wedges
Instructions
SLOW COOKER METHOD:
- In a slow cooker, place the chicken, onion, bell pepper, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, green chiles, enchilada sauce, broth, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Drop in the bay leaf (does it do anything? I don’t know? haha), cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or preferably on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- When the cook time is complete and the chicken is tender, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Transfer the chicken back to the soup and add the drained beans and the cream cheese and stir until well combined and the cream cheese is incorporated into the soup. Cover and let cook on low until the beans are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Before serving, stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish as desired.
INSTANT POT METHOD:
- In an Instant Pot, place the chicken, onion, bell pepper, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, green chiles, enchilada sauce, broth, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Drop in the bay leaf and lock in the lid. Make sure the valve is sealed. Cook on Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes, and walk away and let the InstantPot do its thing.
- When the cook time is complete, release the pressure manually by turning the valve. Once the pressure is released, carefully open the InstantPot. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Transfer the chicken back to the soup and add the drained beans and the cream cheese and stir until well combined and the cream cheese is incorporated into the soup. Cover and keep on ‘warm’ until the beans are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Before serving, stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
Can you sub chicken thighs? And if so would you adjust the recipe at all?
You don’t need to adjust it at all- and yes you can definitely swap in chicken thighs!
Would you brown the thighs before throwing them in the instapot?
Delicious flavor! I did add the Kite Hill cream cheese. It was a little clumpy…any tips?
Maybe just make sure it’s at room temperature when you add to the soup so it doesn’t seize up/curdle at all.