Chicken Enchilada Soup Instant Pot Spice Cravings

Every time I venture out to Chili’s, chicken enchilada soup is my first choice. My mouth waters as I see the server carry over a piping hot crock of soup filled to the brim with shredded chicken and veggies. (true story:))

This inspired me to make enchilada soup at home, a bit lighter than the restaurant version. And, in a fraction of the time with my trusty Instant Pot, of course. And one special trick simmers the soup to thick and creamy goodness every time! 🙂

Why We Love This Recipe

This creamy, homemade chicken enchilada soup has the same slow-cooked flavors as the restaurant version and is ready in 35 minutes. It’s a real crowd-pleaser because:

One simple technique (hello, tortilla chips!) creates a thick, velvety texture. It’s packed with chicken, beans, and vegetables for a complete one-pot meal! The Instant Pot allows you to get the soup on the table in 35 minutes, most of which is hands-off time! It’s a wonderful make-ahead recipe as leftovers are even better the next day (deeper flavors). It is freezer-friendly, kid-friendly and mom-approved!

Another enchilada favorite: Green Enchiladas Chicken (Verde)

Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions

Here’s what we need to make this delicious enchilada soup: Aromatics: Peppers, onion, and celery provide flavor and add an extra dose of veggies to make it a complete meal. Enchilada Sauce: Any 14-16 oz jar (about 1.5 cups) of your favorite brand will work - mild, medium, or hot. I buy medium spicy sauce from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. Beans: My family prefers black beans, but pinto and kidney beans work just as well in this recipe. Just rinse and drain before using. If you like to cook them from scratch, here’s an easy recipe for dried black beans. Chicken: I use 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, which I shred after pressure cooking. Boneless chicken thighs work just as well (trim the excess fat). Alternatively, use 2 cups cooked (rotisserie/grilled/poached) chicken, shredded or cubed into bite-size pieces, and add at the end of cooking. Tortilla Chips: This is the secret ingredient! I use crushed tortilla chips to add body and flavor to this enchilada soup. I grind them in the food processor to get a fine texture. Cheese: Whenever using cheese for melting, freshly grated is always best. The pre-shredded cheese has a cornstarch coating on it that doesn’t melt as well. But if pre-shredded makes your life easier, go for it. Toppings: Our favorites include lime wedges (for squeezing), cilantro, tortilla strips, diced avocado, sour cream, and more cheese! Fresh sliced jalapenos add a nice kick at the very end (a must for my hubby!). Cooking Tip: For restaurant-style chicken enchilada soup, use ¼ cup masa harina dissolved in 2-3 tablespoons of water instead of crushed tortilla chips. Add while stirring and simmer the soup for a few minutes to cook off the raw flavor.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup

Here are the step-by-step instructions for this incredibly flavorful chicken enchilada soup recipe, which is mostly hands-free thanks to the electric pressure cooker. As the soup simmers away, I like to prep my finishing touches and toppings.

1. Saute and Pressure Cook

Turn on saute mode and preheat the cooker. Add oil, chopped onion, peppers, celery, and garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until veggies soften a bit (Pic 1). Add salt, chili powder and stir. Saute for one minute. Add tomato, enchilada sauce, beans and corn and stir (Pic 2). Next, add water. Give it a good stir (Pic 3). Add the chicken breast and push them under the liquid. If using cooked chicken, wait for later. Cancel saute and close the lid. Pressure cook for 8 minutes at high pressure, sealing mode. Adjust the cook time to 10 minutes if chicken breast are thicker than 1-inch (Pics 4).

2. Finish & Serve

Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then follow the quick-release instructions of your cooker. Open the lid after the pin drops. Remove chicken breast and cool for 5 minutes (Pic 5). Turn on Saute. Stir in ground tortilla chips and sour cream (Pic 6). When the soup starts bubbling again, stir in shredded cheese and keep stirring until it melts (about 30 seconds). Check for seasoning and adjust (Pic 7). Using two forks, shred the chicken or cut it into bite-size pieces. Add it back to the soup (Pic 8). Serve warm with your favorite toppings!

Serving Suggestions

Serve this with a fresh, flavorful Mexican toppings bar for a real fiesta! My family loves lime wedges, cilantro, tortilla strips, avocado cubes, sour cream, cheese, and jalapeno. If I have the time, I’ll make a batch of guacamole and serve it alongside chips and salsa.

How to Store & Freeze

The soup keeps well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just like all soup recipes, the flavors get better as they sit since the ingredients have time to marry. To reheat, place the entire contents of the soup in a large saucepan, cover slightly and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally until hot and bubbly. Alternatively, you can heat it in individual microwave-safe bowls in 30-second increments until it warms through. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and follow the same reheating instructions above.

Recipe Tips & Notes

Celery is optional but recommended, for more flavor, greens and nutrition.Try not to skip it! Use store-bought or homemade enchilada sauce. Purchase one 14-16 oz jar of your favorite mild, medium or hot enchilada sauce. Use any variety of canned beans. Black beans, pinto and kidney, all work just as well. Alternatively, cook them from scratch, using this easy recipe for dried black beans. Use water or low-sodium chicken broth. I prefer water as it helps to control the salt. If using chicken broth, use low-sodium and decrease the salt to ½ teaspoon. Adjust to taste after pressure cooking. Add boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, and shred after pressure cooking. Or add 2 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie/grilled/poached) at the end, shredded or cubed into bite-size pieces. Thicken the soup to velvety goodness. I grind tortilla chips in the food processor to get a fine texture. Alternatively, use ¼ cup masa harina dissolved in 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add while stirring and simmer the soup for a few minutes to cook off the raw taste. Purchase block cheese and grate at home. For best flavors, shred a whole block of any Mexican-style cheese. If short on time, use pre-shredded cheese. Create a fiesta toppings bar! Personalize the toppings based on what you like. Our favorites include lime wedges, cilantro, tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, extra cheese and jalapeno. Store in the fridge or freeze for meal prep. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month and thaw overnight in the fridge.