The dreary rain of the Pacific Northwest has a way of getting right into your bones. It’s quite remarkable the way a short walk can leave you chilled through and through. I find myself craving warm spicy comfort foods all season long, and this Keto Chicken Enchilada Soup has become one of my go-to recipes.
It’s one of those recipes that practically cooks itself, and it fills the house with mouthwatering aromas. My family adores Tex Mex meals like Keto Taco Pie and Mexican Cauliflower Rice. And this soup always lures my children out of their rooms to the dinner table, without any complaint!
I’ve made this soup countless times, testing it out in both the Instant Pot and the slow cooker. It’s a “set it and forget it” meal that requires very little prep work. And with only 5.9 grams of carbs per serving, it keeps you on track with your keto goals.
Chicken Enchilada Soup is the perfect blend of comfort food and low carb, high protein nutrition. Give it a try – I have a feeling it’s going into your regular rotation too!
What readers are saying
“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
Why You Will Love This Keto Soup Recipe
- Effortless prep: This really is astonishingly easy. Pop the ingredients in your Instant Pot or slow cooker and it does all the work for you.
- Hearty and flavorful: It’s a keto dinner recipe that really satisfies!
- Low carb comfort: With only 4.9 grams net carbs, this soup gives you all the enchilada flavor you crave.
- High in protein: Each serving has almost 30 grams of protein.
- Make ahead recipe:
- Customizable:
Ingredient Notes
- 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.
How to Make Keto Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Add the ingredients: Place all of the ingredients except for the sour cream into the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- 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.
- Add the sour cream: Remove 1 cup of the broth from the soup and whisk in the sour cream, then whisk this combo back into the pot.
- 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.
How to Serve Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Chopped avocado
- Jalapeño slices
- Fresh cilantro or green onions
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
More Delicious Tex Mex Recipes
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (907.18 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 2 cups (298 g) pureed tomatoes (canned is fine)
- 1/2 cup (80 g) chopped onion
- 2 jalapeños, diced
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) salt
- 5 cups (1.18 kg) chicken broth
- 3/4 cup (172.5 g) 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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although I haven’t tried this yet it sounds delicious! what would it do to the carb count to add a can of black beans? my family loves black beans in their soup!
This is a family favorite! My kids always ask for this when they come home from college/work. In fact, I often make a double batch (or more) and send it back with them in freezer containers. It’s really easy to vary the sides and toppings for variety.
My 1st recipe from Carolyn and it was outstanding! Sooo yummy and sooo easy! Even my husband loved it, which is no easy feat as he’s VERY picky! I’ve saved several recipes and looking forward to trying them! Thank you Carolyn
Incredibly easy and delicious!
I used a Costco chicken that had been in my freezer for almost a year. I put the frozen chicken in a stock pot on top of my stove with some water, to thaw the chicken out and make the broth at the same time.
I added the rest of the ingredients (doubled as it was a large chicken) and the result was amazing! Just the thing for the dark and dreary day like we’re having here today.
I really felt like I was cheating because it was so, so, so easy! Thank you once again for a great recipe!
This soup was very good! I didn’t put the Jalapenos as I do not like spicy food. I can take a little kick but don’t like them. I just added more taco seasonings! So good!
This was a perfect dinner on this extra cold night! My husband said it’s the best soup I’ve ever made and I agree! It was so easy in my instant pot and just the right amount of spice for us (I left the seeds in the jalapeños because we like a little spice)! This will be part of the regular rotation. So good!
I made this for supper tonight with a few adjustments to the recipe. I did not include jalapenos because my husband does not do spicy. I used one packet of taco seasoning rather than just 3 tablespoons. I also only used 4 cups of chicken broth. The soup was delicious! It will definitely be in my rotation of soups to make for the winter.
I just finished making this soup. Delicious! Full of flavor! My husband loves it too, although I had to tell him it was a regular recipe. He generally won’t try anything “keto”.
I made this for dinner tonight. I picked up a Rotisserie Chicken and had this ready in minutes. Even invited my neighbors over for a bowl. Big Hit! Adding to our Souper Sunday rotation
Yum!
Delicious! Definitely making this soup again.
Could I make this a day ahead and reheat in the crockpot? I’m thinking of making this for a retreat.
Yes, that should be fine.
This soup is really yummy and so easy. I added cut up no carb tortillas to my bowl and it tasted just like chicken enchiladas. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Back in June I was diagnosed As prediabetic. I have been following a lot of keto style foods. Now with it getting cold out, I have been craving soup. This came up and sounded delicious! I made this soup today and my kids loved it! They even asked me to make it again!
So glad everyone enjoyed it!
I just made this for the game tomorrow and ohhhhhh my goodness. It is SO DANG GOOD!!! Perfect for a cold football Sunday!!!
Glad you liked it!
Fantastic! So versatile for non-keto eaters, too. Just heat up some beans, rice, etc in separate pots and the non-ketoers can add them to their bowls.
I wish I could give 100 stars because this soup definitely earns it! Even my son finished a bowl and asked for seconds. This is definitely going into our rotation!