Chicken Enchilada Soup

The Why:

I told you I'm a big soup fan -- I love making a large batch and having leftovers, or portioning soup into individual containers to put in the freezer for crazy days. Nothing like almost-instant comfort!

This is another favorite soup in our house -- it took a couple of tries to get it just right, but this version is virtually identical to the soup you get at Chili's. This is another great comfort food that's especially great on a cool day. Unfortunately, it has yet to last long enough in our house for me to actually get any as far as the freezer.

The How:

Chicken Enchilada Soup

½ C. vegetable oil 


¼ C. chicken base 


3 C. diced yellow onions 
(1.5 to 2 medium onions)

2 t. ground cumin 


2 t. chili powder 
(1 t. pasilla chile, 1 t. pequin chile)

2 t. granulated garlic 


½ t. cayenne pepper 


2 C. masa harina  


3.5 quarts water from boiling chicken (14 cups) (divided – 4 C and 10 C)

1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes 


2 C. enchilada sauce

½ lb. Velveeta, cut into small cubes 


2.5 lbs. cooked, cubed chicken 

(weight after cooking)

For garnish:  tortilla strips/chips, pico de gallo, and grated Mexican blend cheese

Add the oil, chicken base, onion and spices to a large stockpot and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and clear, about 5 to 7 minutes.




In a bowl, combine the masa harina with 1 quart of the water.  Stir until all lumps dissolve.  Add the masa harina mixture to the sautéed onions; bring to a boil. 

Once the mixture starts to bubble, continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. This will eliminate any raw taste from the masa harina.

Add the remaining 3.5 quarts of water to the pot, along with the crushed tomatoes.  Return to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the cheese and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cheese melts. Add the chicken and heat through.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with pico de gallo and grated Mexican blend cheese, if desired.

Serve with crispy tortilla strips / chips, grated cheese, and pico de gallo to garnish.

(For pico de gallo, I just use 2 parts fresh finely diced tomatoes to 1 part each finely diced onion and jalapeno).