CopyCat Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
This is it – the chicken enchilada soup recipe that will be your go to. Now, I am not bragging ((at all)), rather just stating the simple fact: this is the BEST enchilada soup recipe. It is just the right amount of thick and creamy, perfectly spiced and so very simple to make.
There is a good mix of pantry staples that go into making this yummy soup and two of those ingredients are key in elevating this to All-Star status.
Perfect for an overcast fall day, this soup is assembled in under 10 minutes – but fills the kitchen with a comforting, spicy aroma. It’s a promise of good things to come!
Here is what you need:
- ½ diced white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can of tomatoes & green chilies ((I prefer mild))
- 1 can diced green chilies
- 1 T Mexican oregano
- 1 T mild green chili powder
- 1 T mild red chili powder
- a dash of cumin ((½ t))
- 6 ounces taco sauce
- 1 c masa harina
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ block of Velveta cheese ((8 ounces))
- 1 T chicken stock paste
- water
- diced rotisserie chicken breast
- salt & pepper to taste
The key ingredients are Velveta & masa harina. The Velveta adds that smooth, cheesy quality I love so much — I am not really sure it could be achieved without Velveta. The masa adds that corn tortilla flavor and thickens the soup to perfection. Well, the spices definitely have an important role too; New Mexican chili powders and Mexican oregano do a wonderful job of turning this soup into the very best it can be.
Start off by adding onions, garlic and bayleaf into a large soup pot, over medium flame. Allow the onions and garlic to get a little color ((not quite as much as I gave them – oops, the flame was on high instead of medium high, ho hum)). Next add the spices and chicken base.
Masa harina gets tossed in as well.
Then everything else ((but the cheeses)) go in the pot in rapid-fire succession.
Once the liquid comes to a simmer, add the cheeses & continue stirring frequently until the cheeses are incorporated. It may help to whisk the cream cheese – it seems to hold out the longest before totally incorporating.
You can see the tiny bits of cream cheese speckling throughout the soup. Never fear, it will dissipate eventually.
Continue stirring the soup frequently over medium/medium-low flame ((this keeps the masa from sticking & burning to the bottom)) until the desired thickness has been achieved.
Garnish with a little shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream and some diced tomatoes – or in my case some fiery hot Korean red chili peppers. Actually, this bowl was for David. I knew what he didn’t about the peppers. Let me think… I think his comment was something like this: “Oh gosh. Oh wow! Wow!! Wow, I don’t know what to do…that pepper is SO hot!!”. And then the hiccups ensued, well the hiccups for David AND the tear-streaming cackles of laughter from his loving, devoted, loyal wife & children. It was the highlight of our day – well that and this delicious COPYCAT soup!
- ½ diced white onion
- 2 cloves garlic ((whole))
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 T Mexican oregano
- 1 T mild green chili powder
- 1 T mild red chili powder
- a dash of cumin, approximately ½ t
- 1 c masa harina
- 1 can of tomatoes & green chilies ((I prefer mild))
- 1 can diced green chilies
- 6 ounces taco sauce
- 1 T chicken stock paste
- water
- 3 c. diced rotisserie chicken breast
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ block of Velveta cheese ((8 ounces))
- salt & pepper to taste
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped cilantro
- diced tomatoes
- sliced peppers
- Place onions, garlic & bayleaf into a large soup pot over medium flame. Allow the onions to turn slightly translucent in color, this will take no more than 5 minutes. Next, add spices and masa. Give it all a quick stir and then add the cans of tomatoes and chopped chilies, taco sauce, chicken stock paste, water* & diced chicken.
- Bring the liquid to a low simmer and add the cheese into the soup. Stir until the cheeses are well incorporated. You may need to whisk the soup in order to completely incorporate the cheese into the soup. Continue stirring** every minute or so, until the desired thickness is obtained.
- Garnish & serve as desired.
- serves 12
- * I add enough water to reach a level of 2" below the top of the pot.
- **If you don't stir regularly, the masa harina will stick and probably burn to the bottom of the pot ((not good)).
