If You Like Cozy, This Soup’s For You

So, let me start by saying: I first threw together this Creamy Green Enchiladas Chicken Soup on a rainy Tuesday when my fridge looked just, well, uninspired. You know those days? But digging around, I found some rotisserie chicken, a can of green enchilada sauce (leftover from a nacho night that got out of hand, don’t ask), and what can only be described as a “handful” of cheese. I thought, why not toss it all in a pot and see if a miracle happens? Turns out, miracle achieved—the whole crew raved (even the little one who tries to live exclusively on toast and apples…). Also, if you haven’t lost your cheese grater in the depths of the utensil drawer, count yourself luckier than me.

Why You’ll Love This (And Maybe Cry If You Run Out)

I make this when I want something comforting but don’t feel like rolling actual enchiladas (who has the patience every time?). My family goes nuts for it, especially with a pile of crushed tortilla chips on top. And, honestly, it’s one-pot magic—it makes my kitchen smell like someone actually planned dinner instead of frantically cobbling things together (which, uh, maybe I did). Plus, you can sneak in some extra veggies if you’re feeling virtuous, or just keep it simple if not. Oh, and if you ever forget to defrost the chicken? Been there. Still worked.

Gather the Goodies (Ingredients)

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (Rotisserie is easiest. Or, I’ve swapped in turkey when I had leftovers. No one noticed. Shh!)
1 (15 oz) can green enchilada sauce (I’ve tried both Hatch and the store brand; both tasted good. My grandma swears by La Preferida but she also swears aliens made her guacamole…)
1 (10 oz) can diced green chilies (if you’re spice-shy, skip or halve these)
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, cut into cubes (the regular stuff melts best, but I sometimes use the light version and it’s fine…ish)
4 cups chicken broth (if I’m out, I’ll use water and bouillon cubes, no shame)
1 cup sweet corn, frozen or canned (fresh is best but—have you ever tried to shuck corn when you’re tired?)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or heck, whatever cheese you’ve got. Colby, cheddar—mix it up)
1/2 cup chopped onion (sometimes I just use a scoop of dried, honestly)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced…if you’re fancy)
1/2 teaspoon cumin (not vital, but nice if you have it. Sometimes I forget)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: black beans, chopped jalapeños, lime wedges, cilantro—totally up to you!

How to Throw it Together (Directions)

Grab your biggest pot. Heat a swirl of oil over medium. Toss in the chopped onion. If you’re using dried onions like I sometimes do, just toss them in—it’ll be fine.
Once the onions look a bit soft (not brown, don’t stress if they brown a little), add the garlic powder (or fresh, if you’re doing that) and cook for a minute. If you forget this step, just move on. Soup is forgiving.
Pour in the enchilada sauce, diced green chilies, chicken broth, and cumin. Stir a bit. Add your chicken and corn. At this point, it looks a bit like a weirdly spicy stew and that’s ok! (This is when I usually sneak a taste—careful, it’s hot… speaking from experience.)
Chunk in the cream cheese. I mean, literally just chuck it in. Stir until it starts melting. Sometimes it looks lumpy for a while, but keep stirring gently and it’ll smooth out. Patience, friend.
Bring just barely to a simmer—don’t let it do that wild, volcano-boiling thing. Once the cream cheese is all cozy with the broth, add shredded cheese. Let it melt. Stir some more. Add salt and pepper as you like.
If you want to get wild, now’s when you can toss in black beans or a handful of chopped jalapeños. Or just leave it be!
Ladle into bowls and pile on the toppings: tortilla chips, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, more cheese if you’re as cheese-obsessed as my spouse.

Some Notes from the School of Hard Soups

Cream cheese: Don’t try to substitute with Greek yogurt (I did, and it curdled—yikes). Stick to cream cheese, or even a spoonful of sour cream after cooking.
If your cream cheese isn’t softening: microwave it for 20 seconds before adding. It melts waaay happier then.
Forgot to shred the chicken first? No biggie—just shred it with two forks right in the pot once it’s heated.

Fun Experiments and the One I Regret

Once, I tried tossing in kale instead of corn. Don’t do that. It’s…not the right vibe. But if you want to swap in black beans for half the corn, it works and adds more heft. Adding diced zuchinni in late summer is actually pretty tasty, though it’s not traditional. Also, for my dairy-free cousin, I did coconut cream and vegan cheese—it wasn’t bad, just different. More like green curry, honestly.

Gear You Need—And What To Do If You Don’t Have It

All you really need is a decent-sized pot (I love my Dutch oven, but even a beat-up old soup pot works), a wooden spoon, and a ladle. If you don’t have a ladle, old coffee mugs make great scoopers in a pinch (ask me how I know). And, sure, a cheese grater is handy but in a pinch—pre-shredded works!

Keeping Leftovers—If There Are Any

This soup actually gets even better the second day, honest. Store it in the fridge in a covered container. It should last about 3 days…though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day because someone always sneaks a midnight bowl. If you do refrigerate it, give it a good stir and maybe a splash more broth when reheating.

How to Serve It Up

I’m all about piling on the toppings. Crunchy tortilla chips, a handful of shredded cheese, maybe even sliced avocado if the mood strikes (pretentious? Maybe). Oh, and plenty of lime wedges. Sometimes we serve it with warm flour tortillas instead of chips, because, you know—sometimes you run out and don’t want to drive out in your pajamas. That’s what we call “plan B dinner.”

Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)

Don’t try to speed up the cream cheese melting by cranking up the heat. I did and got weird clumps. Low and slow is your friend here.
Actually, I find it works better if you stir the cheese in off the heat. On second thought, try that.
If you use too much broth, you’ll get more of a chowder vibe. That’s not bad, just unexpected! Maybe cut back a cup if you want it thicker the first go-round.

FAQ—Stuff People Really Asked Me

Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yep! Just dump everything in except the cheeses, cook on low for 4 hours, then add those at the end and let them melt (I only learned to wait with the cheese after one spectacularly strange texture). I love this video guide if you want visuals.
Is it spicy?
Not much. If you’re super sensitive, leave out the green chilies—or add more if you like that “whoa, that’s hot!” vibe.
Could I use leftover turkey?
Oh, absolutely. In fact, one of my best “accidents” with this soup was after Thanksgiving when I tossed in turkey and a rogue spoonful of cranberry sauce. Wild, but oddly tasty.
Why does my soup look weird and separated?
It happens. Usually it just needs more stirring (or you added the cheese when it was too hot, like I used to). It’ll still taste good.
Can I find green enchilada sauce online?
You bet—I’ve ordered it from Target’s pantry when my local shop runs out. Or try your luck at the Hispanic foods aisle!
Is there a vegetarian version?
Sure, swap chicken for white beans, veggie broth for the chicken kind—just as comforting (maybe more so if you love beans).

Oh! Before I forget (I do this every time), if you want an even easier approach, some folks just use a can of green chili salsa instead of enchilada sauce. Unsure if that’s “authentic” but hey, who’s checking?

And if you make it, send me a pic or just let me know how it went. Or if you did something totally wild with it and survived, cheers to that, too.

Creamy Green Enchiladas Chicken Soup