This healthy chicken enchilada soup recipe is gluten-free, high in protein, and full of fiber! It’s a nourishing, delicious soup that’ll warm you up from the inside out!
This High-Protein Chicken Enchilada Soup Tastes Even Better Than It Looks
This time of year, I’m looking for a meal that multitasks, and this gluten-free chicken enchilada soup recipe definitely fits the bill. It’s easy, delicious budget-friendly, high in protein AND has plenty of fiber. There’s so much to love!
🌱 EASE: This easy enchilada soup recipe is delightfully simple to make! It’s made from pantry staples, leftover chicken, and minimal fresh ingredients. This makes this delicious soup budget-friendly and helps keep the prep easy & straightforward.
🌶️ FLAVORS: The BEST part! Think of this as red chicken enchiladas in soup form! You’ll get smoky seasonings and an enchilada sauce flavor, paired with aromatics, fresh cilantro, and a little cheese. Delicious!
🧀 TOP TIPS: Set out 2-3 toppings for serving, and let everyone “build” their own bowl!
Happy cooking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
One thing you’ll LOVE about this healthy chicken enchilada soup recipe is the simple ingredients list. Let’s take a look:
How To Make Gluten-Free Chicken Enchilada Soup, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Sauté The Onions. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add diced onions and cook 5-7 minutes, or until translucent and tender.
- Build Flavor. Add the diced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Combine. Next, add diced chicken, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Give it a good stir until evenly mixed.
- Simmer. Bring the soup up to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer (medium or medium-low heat). Let the soup simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and the soup looks a little thicker.
- Finish Soup. Turn off the heat and add grated cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste and add additional salt or seasonings, to taste, as needed.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy warm with more cheese and your favorite toppings (tortilla chips, cilantro, jalapeño slices, a squeeze of lime juice, some diced avocado, sour cream, Greek yogurt, etc.), or store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days. Soup can also be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge, then reheat on the stove for best results.
Make It a Meal (Side Dishes To Try)
To upgrade this healthy enchilada soup to a full meal, let’s add some side dishes! Here are a few of our faves to pair with this smoky soup:
- Tortilla Chips or Tortilla Strips. I LOVE a bit of crunch with a soup like this, so some crispy baked tortilla chips or baked tortilla strips are a go-to. (For tortilla strips, just cut the corn tortillas into strips instead of chips before baking!)
- Cornbread or Corn Muffins. If you prefer something a bit more substantial, some gluten-free cornbread or gluten-free corn muffins are a great choice! (These pumpkin cornbread muffins are one of my kids’ favorites!)
- A Green Salad. For a soup and salad vibe, a classic house salad or simple green salad can be great. It’s nice to have a cooling side dish paired with this warm soup!
- Fresh Fruit. My kids will never turn down fresh fruit, so a side dish of whatever fruit is in season is usually on the table. Grapes, sliced apples…you name it! Pair with a little yogurt dip to help cool off your mouths and add a bit more protein!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Chicken Enchilada Soup
Don’t Skimp On Toppings! I love to serve this soup with plenty of toppings. Some easy favorites are more cheddar cheese or cotija cheese, lime wedges, crispy tortilla strips or baked tortilla chips, cilantro, diced avocado, sliced jalapeño, diced red onions, Greek yogurt or a dollop of sour cream. I usually set out 2-3 toppings and let everyone add their own!
Vegetarian Option. To make this soup vegetarian, you’ll need to add another 1-2 cans of beans. I like 2 cans of black beans and 1 can pinto beans, but feel free to mix and match your favorites. White beans, kidney beans, and even black-eyed peas can be good, too! Then, you’ll just swap out the chicken broth for a good-quality vegetable broth!
Dairy-Free Option. To keep this enchilada soup dairy-free, just leave out the cheese! The rest of the ingredients are naturally dairy-free. (For thicker soup, you may want to add 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste along with the tomato sauce.)
Turn Up The Heat! I’d classify this soup as medium heat or mild heat, but you can absolutely add more warmth or spice by adding a can of diced green chiles, some minced jalapeño peppers, or a diced poblano pepper along with the other veggies in the soup. Or, just use more chipotle chiles in adobo!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Healthy Gluten-Free Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
For Chicken Enchilada Soup:
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce* finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 16 oz. Cooked Chicken Breast cubed or shredded
- 1 1/2 cups Frozen Corn
- 1 (14-ounce) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce) can Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can Tomato Sauce
- 4 cups Chicken Broth (We Like Bone Broth with 8-10 grams or protein per cup!)
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1/3-1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro
Optional Toppings, For Serving
- Grated Cheddar Cheese
- More Fresh Cilantro
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt
- Tortilla Strips or Tortilla Chips
- Sliced Jalapeños or Diced Avocado
Instructions
- Sauté The Onions. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add diced onions and cook 5-7 minutes, or until translucent and tender.
- Build Flavor. Add the diced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Combine. Next, add diced chicken corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Simmer. Bring the soup up to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer (medium or medium-low heat). Let the soup simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and the soup looks a little thicker.
- Finish Soup. Turn off the heat and add grated cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste and add additional salt or seasonings, to taste, as needed.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy warm with more cheese and your favorite toppings (tortilla chips, cilantro, jalapeño slices, diced avocado, sour cream, Greek yogurt, etc.), or store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days. Soup can also be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge, then reheat on the stove for best results.
Notes
- Kick Up The Protein! We recommend chicken bone broth over regular chicken broth, since it’s much higher in protein. Look for brands with 8-10 grams of protein per cup!
- Chipotle Chilis in Adobo are not always gluten-free (some are thickened with flour or wheat starch), so make sure to choose a safe brand. We like La Costeña brand.
- Dairy-Free Option. Just leave out the cheese! The rest of the ingredients are naturally dairy-free. (For thicker soup, you may want to add 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste along with the tomato sauce.)
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/chicken-enchilada-soup/
Do you have a brand for dairy-free sour cream or cheese that you like? My son might be lactose intolerant so we are just starting a dairy-free path.
Hi Anne! I actually love Organic Valley Lactose Free Sour Cream, though I haven’t tried any vegan ones I love.