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Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup with Easy Lime Crema

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A rich, creamy, and slightly spicy slow cooker chicken enchilada soup that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Topped with a bright and tangy lime crema, this dump-and-go meal is comfort food at its finest.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 28 ounces (794g) red enchilada sauce (e.g., Las Palmas)
  • 10 ounces (283g) diced tomatoes with green chiles (e.g., Rotel)
  • 15 ounces (425g) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup (150g) frozen corn
  • 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt)
  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
  • ½ cup (120g) sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • Pinch of salt
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
  • Diced avocado (for garnish)
  • Tortilla chips or strips (for garnish)
  • Shredded Mexican cheese blend (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the black beans. Measure out the spices. Soften the cream cheese by leaving it out for 20 minutes, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, black beans, and frozen corn on top. Pour the enchilada sauce and chicken broth over everything. Sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper over the top. Do not stir.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
  4. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  5. Add the cubed cream cheese to the slow cooker and stir gently until it starts to melt. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir again until fully incorporated.
  6. Using an immersion blender, blend about half the soup directly in the slow cooker until creamy. (Alternatively, transfer 3 cups of soup to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and stir back into the pot.)
  7. Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half. Let cook for another 10-15 minutes on low. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  8. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, fresh lime juice, lime zest, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
  9. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with lime crema and garnish with cilantro, avocado, tortilla chips, and shredded cheese as desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature cream cheese to avoid lumps. Do not add cream cheese at the beginning; add it after shredding the chicken to keep the soup silky. The soup thickens as it sits; add a splash of broth when reheating if needed. The lime crema is essential for balancing the richness.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chicken enchilada soup, creamy enchilada soup, chicken enchilada soup, lime crema, easy slow cooker soup, dump and go soup, weeknight dinner, comfort food, gluten-free soup

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