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Light & Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

light & easy crockpot chicken enchilada soup - featured image
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This light and easy crockpot chicken enchilada soup is packed with bold, smoky flavor without the heavy cream. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it meal that’s healthy, satisfying, and perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (15-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or light sour cream)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Optional Toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, reduced-fat shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, tortilla chips or strips, extra Greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Bloom the Spices: Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne (if using) to the skillet. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until aromatic.
  3. Deglaze the Pan: Pour about 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Let simmer for 30 seconds, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
  4. Combine Everything in the Slow Cooker: Add remaining chicken broth, enchilada sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, and diced green chiles to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid.
  5. Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, until chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
  6. Shred the Chicken: Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
  7. Add the Creamy Finish: In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt with about 1/2 cup of hot soup broth (tempering). Pour the tempered yogurt into the slow cooker and stir gently. Add lime juice and stir again.
  8. Taste and Adjust: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt, more cayenne, or extra lime juice as needed.
  9. Serve and Enjoy: Ladle soup into bowls and top with desired toppings like cilantro, avocado, cheese, and tortilla chips.

Notes

For best flavor, do not skip sautéing the aromatics and blooming the spices. Cook on LOW for the most tender chicken. Temper the Greek yogurt to prevent curdling. Soup tastes even better the next day. For a vegetarian version, swap chicken for two cans of black beans or pinto beans and use vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot chicken enchilada soup, light enchilada soup, slow cooker soup, healthy soup, chicken soup, enchilada soup, easy dinner, gluten-free soup

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