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.
Rachel Baumeister says
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!
Nicole says
DAIRY-FREE option! I made this dairy-free by subbing vegan butter and a can of coconut milk. So good!
Betsy says
Would substituting yoghurt for sour cream work ? Also use already cooked chicken ? Thanks
Carolyn says
I am sure yogurt will be fine but this is a recipe that requires raw chicken.
Brionda Risen says
Would it be alright to use canned diced jalapenos instead of fresh? That’s all I have on hand.
Carolyn says
Sure, that works!
Leah Kedra says
This is really yummy and was easy
I used FROZEN chicken breast and did 12 mins in the pressure cooker and let it release for 5 mins. I’m wondering what the purpose of the butter is? Will make this again! Topped with avocado and some feta.
Sadia says
The butter will make it creamier and if you use grass fed butter, it has benefits from the type of fat that are good for people doing the keto diet. Grass fed butter is used in many keto recipes. Besides everything tastes better with butter! I haven’t tried this yet but I’m just about to. Starting back on keto tomorrow!
Phil says
I have yet to find a single recipe by Carolyn that isn’t absolutely amazing!
Shawna says
I just got an Instant Pot for Christmas and I tried it for the first time using this recipe. It was delicious! My husband even liked it and he can be difficult to cook for. Thanks for posting these recipes!
Carolyn says
Hooray! Thanks so much.
Margaret Shea says
I made a half-recipe of this (because I had only one pound of chicken) for dinner tonight and it was SUPERB. And so easy to make! Im going to ask for your cookbook for Christmas! Thank you for sharing your recipes with us.
Riri says
How about using frozen chicken breasts? How long would cooking time be? TIA
Carolyn says
I don’t know, that’s not how I made this recipe. I am sure you can google it to find out.
Stephanie says
This soup is so yummy! I put only 1 jalapeño in my soup. It was still had some heat. I will make this recipe again.
Andrea Sherman says
Making this today! Does it freeze well?
Aimee Shugarman says
I love using my instant pot for making this soup. So good.
Tara says
The Instant Pot makes this recipe SO easy. Delicious!
Natasha says
This look Ah-mazing! And even better its made in the instant pot! Who has time otherwise!?
Suzy says
This fits right into my diet! Love to find delicious recipes that are keto friendly.
Sommer says
Such delicious and comforting flavors in this soup!
Stephanie Deal says
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!!
Heather Cheney says
Thanks so much for sharing my Queso Chicken Soup! Your recipe looks delicious!!
Kai says
Can you do this well with chicken thighs?
Carolyn says
The recipe specifies chicken thighs or breasts…
Karen says
Oh how YUM. It is raining here in San Diego (shocking, I know!) like crazy today. We don’t even know what to do. This soup will be perfect for dinner tonight. HYGEE on !