Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup is creamy without cream and loaded with hidden vegetables. Want your family to eat more veggies? This easy, flavorful soup is your answer!!!
You know that greasy, flavorless chicken enchilada/tortilla soup you get at restaurants?
Believe me when I say, THIS is not that soup.
You are in for such a treat!
This soup has graced my table possibly more than any other recipe on this here blog. Why?
- Because everyone loves it, including the kiddos
- Toppings, so many glorious toppings
- Hidden pureed veggies to the max, in every single glorious bite
I started making this soup many years ago after one of my favorite food bloggers of all time, Mel at Mel's Kitchen Cafe posted and raved about it.
It wasn't until a couple of years into my electric pressure cooker obsessed ways that I realized this was the perfect recipe to adapt to the Instant Pot.
And so I did, and it was mind-blowing.
Then I turned it into my go-to freezer meal . . . FIREWORKS (more on that in a sec).
Quite honestly, you won’t be saving much cooking time from the original recipe, but the fact that I could throw it all in, push a button and walk away (and also completely forget about it because I was getting a princess makeover from my daughter), makes this amazing recipe move to the top of the charts!
HIDING VEGGIES FROM KIDS
Let's talk about “hiding veggies” and “kids” for a second.
While I’m not into hiding my kid's veggies in their food, I’m 100% into pretending I don’t understand or hear the question, “So what exactly is in this?” until after they've tried their food and decided they like it. Which is how this soup experience went down.
Butternut squash, onions, chilies, red bell peppers, garlic, and potatoes get blended into the base until it’s so perfectly silky and rich (with absolutely no cream!).
All my kids see are white beans and juicy chunks of chicken. Top it with cheese and crushed chips and they’ll eat three bowls of it!
Of course, my bowl tops out at ten veggies after I add pico de gallo, avocado, corn, sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, and crushed whole grain tortilla chips! Heaven in a bowl right there!
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST CREAMY CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
- Don't worry about perfect size and shape with this meal. Rough chop all those veggies super quick and toss them in the pot. The Instant Pot can handle it, I promise.
- Buy cubed butternut squash from the produce or freezer section. If that's not available, use this Instant Pot Butternut Squash trick to make the job easy.
- Invest in an Immersion Blender! In a pinch, a high-speed, tabletop blender will work just fine, but an immersion blender can blend it into a silky smooth soup with less mess and no transferring of burning hot liquids. My opinion is that immersion blenders and pressure cookers go hand in hand. This Mealthy HandBlend is an excellent choice without a huge price tag.
- Go crazy with toppings:
- Our base layer is veggie-packed and contains my favorite white cannellini beans and juicy chunks of chicken.
- Next, add cheese (so it can melt over top the hot soup), then juicy gems of barely cooked fresh corn (or canned), fresh pico de gallo, creamy cool avocado, and finally a handful of crushed, salty whole grain tortilla chips over top.
- Then if you're like my crew, you take it a bit too far by adding a huge dollop of sour cream and half a bottle of Cholula! Yum!
This is the kind of soup you eat and literally feel your body being nourished. Know what I mean!?
TURN CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP INTO AN AMAZING FREEZER MEAL
This is one of my favorite meals to have on hand in the freezer and it works so well in the Instant Pot
- Gather all the ingredients except the chicken broth (this will get added right before you cook it)
- Layer it into the bag, chicken on bottom and everything else tossed inside in any order. Freeze it inside the pot to ensure it's the perfect size to go back into the pot once it's frozen
- When it's time to cook it, cut away the ziplock
- Place inside the pot and add chicken broth
- Cook for 30 minutes
- Remove chicken and shred or cut into bite size pieces
- Puree the soup
- Stir in chicken and beans
- Stir and serve
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
VARIATIONS FOR CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
- I know I excitedly pronounced that this has no actual cream in it, but I'll admit, a swirl of heavy cream is beautiful here.
- Make it vegetarian! Simply leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth.
- Bring the heat! Double the red pepper flakes or serve with a side of Cholula Hot Sauce.
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 days
- Freeze in a sealed container or freezer-safe ziplock bag (laid flat on a sheet pan for easy storage and quick thawing) for up to 3 months. Because there isn't any actual cream in this recipe, it'll freeze and thaw perfectly.
MORE INSTANT POT SOUP RECIPES
TOOLS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
- Instant Pot or Mealthy MultiPot
- Immersion Blender or High-Speed Blender
- For freezing – Ziplock Freezer Bags
*Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.
PrintPressure Cooker Creamy Enchilada Soup
Easy, delicious, veggie packed soup to warm you up on the cool evenings ahead.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 medium size boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (3.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies
- 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 4 – 5 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (store bought or homemade recipe to follow)
- 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Additional toppings: pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh or canned corn, diced avocado, Cholula hot sauce, whole grain tortilla chips, etc
Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Whisk together taco seasoning ingredients if using homemade version.
- Add chicken broth, chicken, green chilies, onion, potatoes, pepper, squash, garlic, salt, cumin, tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning to the pressure cooker pot and gently stir.
- Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, use a natural release. 10-minute natural release can also be used and then release any remaining pressure.
- Remove chicken and place on a cutting board, cover with foil.
- Using an immersion blender, blend soup until very smooth.
- This can also be done in batches with a blender. Be careful not to overfill the blender! Place a towel over the lid and gently pulse before turning the speed up to blend.
- Chop or shred chicken and return it to the pot of soup.
- Add cannellini beans and stir.
- To serve, ladle soup into a bowl, immediately sprinkle with cheese and top with desired toppings.
Freezer Meal Instructions:
- To a freezer safe gallon size ziplock bag or glass container that is the same size as your pressure cooker pot, add chicken (in a flat layer on the bottom), green chiles, onion, potatoes, pepper, squash, garlic, salt, cumin, tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning; seal the bag. Label the bag with the recipe, date, and contents. Freeze inside pressure cooker pot until solid then remove the bag from the pot and place back in the freezer until ready to use
- When ready to cook, add chicken broth to the pressure cooker pot. Cut down the sides of the ziplock to remove and place the frozen ingredients into the pot
- Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes then proceed with the directions in step 4
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, simply omit chicken and use vegetable broth
Keywords: instant pot soup, comfort food, creamy soup
Is the cooking time reduced if I use chicken thighs?
Jane, Nope, I would use the same time. I’ve never tried it with thighs, but I bet that will be delicious!
I haven’t made this yet, but I’ve printed it out and will definitely make it and will come back to comment when I do. But right now, I really am commenting to ask if, in the fourth photo of this post, you deliberately arranged the tortilla chips at the bottom to look like a running man? If not, that’s quite a coincidence! LOL, he even has eyes! 😀
Donna, I had to go see what you were talking about and just about died laughing, haha! Good eye!
I normally can’t stand butternut squash but in this soup, it’s absolutely heavenly! I just made it for a second time and completely forgot I’m supposed to add the beans after it cooks…so they got pureed, too. I used sweet potatoes instead of the white this time and truly think the soup is just as delicious. I used homemade enchilada sauce in place of tomato sauce, too – we like it spicy. Lastly, I squeezed a lime into the pot after I pureed everything and I think it was just the right touch. This is a delicious soup and it freezes perfectly.
Dani, well now I want to try it with sweet potatoes! This soup was my gateway to being more open to butternut squash. Five years ago I couldn’t stand it, and now I’ll eat it roasted, pureed, mashed, and everything in between :). I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! It’s my kids’ favorite.
This was a hit with the whole family. Finding something healthy that 6 out of 6 will ear is nearly a miracle. So, this is a winner!!
★★★★★
Kristal, right!? I get so excited to serve this to my kids because it’s so packed with veggies, some they would never consider eating otherwise.
Delish soup. I did add one habanero pepper seeded after reading the reviews and My family likes it spicy!
I made your white beans first, froze half. Then partly cooked the squash whole to cut easier. This will be a frequently made meal.
★★★★★
Diane, I like the way you think! I love it spicy myself. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Marci, the already cubed butternut squash I found is frozen. Do I need to thaw it before proceeding with the recipe? Thanks!
Glinda, Frozen works great!
Made this last night and it made SO much! We are going to be eating it all week. So good and loved that there were so many veggies in it!
★★★★
Jamie, Yep, it is a FULL pot! It freezes great too if it’s more leftovers than you want.
Fantastic! We LOVE it! Btw, I assume that 300 calories is before I start dumping the goodies on top.
★★★★★
Lin, yep, the 300 is before the toppings. So I guess I’m double that after I add a handful of chips and sour cream 😉
We’re going to a potluck tonight and I made this recipe. I had waaaay too much butternut squash so I put the remaining chunks in a baggie for your Butternut Squash Thai soup. Can’t wait to try it. It did fill my 6-qt IP to the line, though. Did you use an 8-qt pot for this? I also added more chilies because we like spicy. I think this one’s a keeper!
Sunny, and I’m giddy at the thoughts of you making the butternut squash soup, it’s so yummy! It fills the 6 quart, but not beyond what it should. I’ve done it in my 8 quart as well. And you’re speaking my language, I always add a splash of Franks Red hot to my bowl!
Hi Marci,
This soup was a big hit in our house. The butternut squash made it so creamy and tasted like fall. Will be making this again soon.
★★★★★
Beth, I’ve got this on the menu for next week. It’s possibly the only soup everyone can agree on. I’m glad you guys loved it!
This was absolutely delicious! My husband doesn’t like squash and didn’t notice the taste at all. Love a healthy recipe that the whole family enjoys. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Catherine, it’s a good one, huh?! It’s one of the few meals that makes every single person happy, and the fact that it’s loaded with veggies just makes it that much better!
IP newbie so I’m still figuring things out. Can I use frozen chicken breasts for this or should I thaw them first? Thanks in advance!!
Kimberly, Frozen works! I always do 1 1/2 the time for frozen so cook this one for 30 minutes if you’re using frozen chicken
I mad this for my family a few weeks ago and we all absolutely LOVED it!! My wife even took some in to share with her coworkers and they all raved over it. Going to make it again this week for everybody and we are all looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Paul, This one is always a big hit with my friends and family too, and so many vegetables! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! Thanks for the great recipe!
Kelly, I’ve made it so much, I keep thinking I’ll get sick of it, but it’s so heartwarming and delicious every time! I’m so glad you loved it!
What’s the recipe for your homemade taco seasoning?
Thanks!
Stacy
Never mind! I Just saw it!
🙂
Is the 8 cups of cubed butternut squash a typo?? I checked Mel’s Kitchen’s recipe calls for 3-4 cups. My Instant Pot Duo 60 is full to the 2/3 line (the maximum) as I used 5-6 cups of butternut. There is absolutely no way your recipe can accommodate the mid-size Instant Pot as written. Please double check your quantities. Even the video where you show how to freeze the ingredients for use later, shows a small amount of butternut squash dumped into the 1 gallon freezer bag. I am making one soup for now, and bought enough ingredients to also prep for one frozen soup for later, and my 1 gallon bag is literally bursting at the seems…again, I used less butternut squash than your recipe states, more than Mel’s. Please check because it would be a real shame if my soup doesn’t turn out due to a typo, which I’m pretty sure there is….
Maria, I often times buy the already cubed up butternut squash from the produce section at the grocery store and between 2 bags, it contains 6 – 8 cups. I’ll be making this again next week and will double check my amounts. I’ve made this so many times, using the recipe from my cookbook that calls for the same amount. I’ll check back next week!
So I’m pleaseto report that the soup turned out and tasted excellent, especially with the addition of suggested toppings! I will definitely be keeping this recipe, however modifying it to accommodate no more than 5 cups fresh peeled and chopped butternut squash, which is about one medium squash.
This soup is somewhat spicy and hence likely not suitable for many young children, such as my own.
★★★★★
Maria, Thanks for letting me know your experience! I decreased the amount of squash written in the recipe for now, and will be experimenting with it next week to be sure.
Marci,
I’m not a fan of squash, but would like to make this soup to get the health benifits and also find a way to enjoy it! Is the squash taste detectable or do the other ingredients cover it up? Thanks for your great recipes!
Constance Mattson
Constance, I’m also on the fence with squash, especially butternut, and my children won’t go near it. So will you like this? YES! I don’t notice the squash taste, but it makes it so creamy
No one here guessed there was squash in it.
★★★★★
What pressure cooker do you own? I don’t own one and am looking for a recommendation.
Michele, I have a few different Pressure Cookers but my favorite 2 are hands down the Instant Pot Duo60 and the Fagor Lux Multicooker. You can’t go wrong with either of those! I really like having the 8 quart size, but most people I find have the 6 quart.
I have the cosori brand 6qt and love it
Why not pinto beans? Wouldn’t that be more in keeping with the Mexican flavors?
Pam, you could use black, pinto, kidney, etc. Whatever you like best!