This Chicken Enchilada Soup is hearty, creamy, and so satisfying. Chockfull of chicken and spices, it’s one of my favorite keto instant pot recipes. Slow cooker instructions included too!
Have you ever heard the word “hygge“? It’s all the rage these days and I am seeing it everywhere. It’s a Danish term that roughly translates to coziness. And this Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe is hygge to the max.
We are knee deep in winter now, and by all accounts, it’s been a tough one across the country.
As always in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve had an incredible amount of cold, dreary rain. It’s a tough time of year to stay positive and be happy. But if anything can make you feel warm and cozy, this easy chicken enchilada soup is it!
Why this recipe is so awesome
Part of what makes this keto chicken enchilada soup so appealing is the ease factor. You simply toss all the ingredients in your Instant Pot, and dinner is ready in 45 minutes, start to finish. Or if you prefer, you could use your slow cooker and set it to be finished cooking whenever you arrive home from work.
It’s warm and comforting with minimal effort. It’s the dietary equivalent of a cozy blanket. Or a roaring fire.
Best of all, the whole family loves it so I don’t have to listen to any complaints about what’s for dinner. Whiny children do have a tendency to kill that hygge vibe!
Reader Testimonials
“Made this tonight for dinner. This recipe was so easy to follow! The soup came out amazing and was delicious! Hubby and kid approved! Thank you for your talent and for sharing it with the world!” — Rachel
“I have yet to find a single recipe by Carolyn that isn’t absolutely amazing!” — Phil
“Made this soup this weekend and oh my — super delicious and super easy! I topped my soup with avocado and my husband topped his with cheese and sour cream. Just delightful — thanks for sharing!!” — Stephanie
Ingredients you need
This easy keto soup recipe takes just a handful of ingredients that you can find at any grocery store. You will need:
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. It cooks quickly and is easier to shred.
- Pureed tomatoes: You can use canned or fresh tomatoes for this soup.
- Onion: Onions have a fair bit of carbs, so keep it to a minimum to add flavor. I use half a cup.
- Jalapeño: I use fresh peppers, but you can also use canned chopped jalapeños. Just add two or three tablespoons, depending on how much heat you want.
- Butter: The butter makes the soup richer and creamier, so it’s more satisfying. Grassfed butter also adds healthy keto-friendly fats.
- Sour cream: Sour cream and enchiladas are an ideal combination! I recommend using full fat sour cream for the best flavor. You can sub whole milk Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
- Pantry staples: Taco seasoning, chicken broth and salt.
Step-by-step directions
This recipe is so easy, it almost feels like you’re cheating!
1. Add the ingredients: Place all of the ingredients except for the sour cream into the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
2. Cook: Set the Instant Pot to the soup function for 20 minutes. For the slow cooker, cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Add the sour cream: When cooking is complete, remove the chicken to a plate. Remove about 1 cup of the hot broth to a bowl and whisk in the sour cream, then whisk this combo back into the pot.
4. Shred the chicken: Shred the chicken with two forks and add back into the pot. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Expert Tips
I use forks to shred the chicken but you can also do it easily and quickly by using a mixer. Just add the cooked chicken to the bowl and use the paddle attachment and turn to medium high.
This soup works well with frozen chicken too. Give it an extra 10 to 15 minutes in the Instant Pot. You shouldn’t have to add more time for the Crockpot version, if you use the longer end of the time range.
If using pre-cooked chicken, just do this chicken enchilada soup in a pot on the stove. Combine all the ingredients except the chicken and sour cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the cream and shredded chicken as instructed.
Dairy-Free Option: Skip the butter and use 1 cup of coconut cream in place of the sour cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enchilada soup contains simple, easy ingredients such as chicken, tomatoes, broth, sour cream, chilies, and spices. Conventional recipes take canned beans and tortilla strips. However, this keto soup leaves out the higher carb ingredients without sacrificing flavor.
This keto chicken enchilada soup recipe has 5.9g of carbs and 1.0g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4.9g net carbs per cup of soup.
Store leftover chicken enchilada soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, defrost frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
How to serve Chicken Enchilada Soup
To serve top your keto chicken enchilada soup soup with:
- Chopped avocado
- Jalapeño slices
- Fresh cilantro or green onions
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
More Mexican-Inspired Keto Recipes
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 2 cups pureed tomatoes (canned is fine)
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 jalapeños, diced
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 5 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Place the chicken, tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, butter, taco seasoning and salt in the bottom of an Instant Pot or slow cooker. Pour the broth overtop.
- For the Instant Pot, seal the lid and make sure the vent is on seal. Set to the Soup Function for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- For a slow cooker, place the lid on and set to low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
- When cooking is complete, remove the chicken to a plate. Remove about 1 cup of the hot broth to a bowl and whisk in the sour cream, then whisk this combo back into the pot.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and add back into the pot. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot with cheese and chopped avocados.
Lisa says
I just made this soup and oh my another incredible recipe Carolyn!!! unreal! So delicious I can seriously eat the entire pot! I made this in a crock pot and it is so easy, so clean and so delish! I love enchiladas but do not have them anymore but this is just like I am thanks to you ! I added some cheese and a slice of avocado . YUM!!!!
Linda Paul says
I make this often & freeze several serving sizes. I learned that the easiest way to shred the chicken (or beef & pork) is to use an electric hand mixer. Remove the cooked chicken to a bowl with just alittle soup broth. Turn mixer on to medium-high & shred away. In one minute, you’ll have beautifully shredded meat with no effort.
Juenessa says
Added about 12 ounces of cheese to the soup, because we love cheese and this made it even more creamy! We loved this recipe, thank you so much for posting it.
Sharon Webb says
Just made this for supper tonight. My non-keto hubby LOVED it. He did microwave a potato and cut that up into it. I took an EGGLife southwest egg wrap and cut it into “noodles”. FANTASTIC. My husband asked me to make sure I make this again! Ya hit another one out of the ball park, Carolyn!
Texas Nurse says
Could you please clarify the size can of tomatoes? From the video, it looks like 2-14oz cans…? I use 2-28oz cans in my chili, so unsure.
Carolyn says
I am not sure what you’re asking… the recipes says 2 cups, not cans. And the video shows them being poured out of a measuring cup. So it’s just 2 cups of pureed tomatoes.
Rachel says
Yum-o! We used ground chicken because that’s what was on hand and cooked the soup on the stovetop instead of the instant pot but made no other changes and it was a HIT! I’m already thinking of making it again very soon. I expected we’d like it but we didn’t just like it, we loved it!
Jennifer says
We loved the flavor of the broth. I wanted a little more than chicken in it for dinner so I added spinach leaves (which got very soft) and walnut pieces. Yep, walnuts. I throw walnuts into a lot of keto recipes, I especially love to jazz up vegetables. I added the spinach and the walnuts to the bowls after filling them with the soup. The walnut didn’t change the flavor of the delicious soup but they did add variety and something to chew (like adding crackers to soup). It was a very satisfying combination. This soup recipe is a keeper!
Red says
Can you freeze this soup after cooking?
Carolyn says
I would think so, yes.
Mmorris says
I just made this for my dinner. I used one small can petite diced tomatoes and one can tomatoes with chilies that I puréed. I used the chicken broth that I cooked the chicken in, so it was fresh and pure. Can’t wait to take leftovers to work and show off my keto diet. Sooo good.
CathieD says
Terrific recipe! I was feeling yucky and wanted soup and checked out several recipes and this one met my needs of using what I had on hand and bonus being able to use my Instant Pot. I left out the chilies as the hubs can’t eat them, and used bone-in chicken thighs as that’s what was in the freezer . So tasty and easy to make. Highly recommended
Rich Adney says
I don’t have an Instant pot but I made it in my crock pot with breasts and it turn out fantastic.