Serve the soup with all the fixings laid out on the table and let folks pick and choose their garnishes. Now that’s festive and fun!
The Enchilada Sauce
The soup base is inspired by a traditional red enchilada sauce, with deep red ancho chilis as the hallmark. Ancho chilis are dried green poblanos. It has a smoky flavor and a little heat, but it’s not hair-on-fire spicy. For this recipe I use ground ancho chili powder as a shortcut. Add the ancho chili powder with some oregano to the sautéed onions and garlic and cook for a minute to let the spices bloom. Start with 1 tablespoon (mild with a little kick) and add more if you like heat.
Cream and Cheese
The inspiration for this soup comes from enchiladas Suizas (Spanish for Swiss, so named for the addition of dairy). Enchiladas Suizas swim in a green sauce made with tomatillos and a hefty amount of crema. For this recipe, I’m using a red sauce with heavy cream. It’s important to use heavy cream, not milk or half-and-half. The extra fat in heavy cream keeps the soup from curdling when added to the acidic tomatoes. For a subtle taste of cheese, I add Monterey jack to the soup. I also use dairy as a pretty and tasty garnish to drizzle over the soup. Crema is another Mexican treat akin to crème fraîche. It is naturally sour and has the consistency of thick cream. You can make a substitute by thinning sour cream with a little milk or heavy cream. For garnish, you could use crumbled cotija cheese. It is a cow’s milk cheese with a salty punch.
Substitutions
Look for fire-roasted canned tomatoes for the base, but don’t worry if you can’t find them. Even with regular canned whole tomatoes, your soup will still have plenty of flavor. If you can’t find cotija cheese for garnish, you could substitute feta or ricotta salata.You could bump up the cheese factor by using sharp cheddar instead of the Monterey jack.
The Garnishes (Where the Fun Is)
You can go crazy with garnishes! Place them out for each person to garnish their own soup. I usually start with cilantro, lime wedges (for squeezing into each bowl), homemade crema (for additional creaminess), and sliced fresh jalapeños (for my fire-loving friends.) There’s always more: chopped white onion, more shredded cheese, cotija, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, or warm tortillas.
How to Store and Reheat Enchilada Soup
Cool the soup to room temperature (it’s okay if it is a little warm) and refrigerate it for up to three days. Although many creamy soups don’t freeze well, I found this one to be freezer friendly. Freeze for up to three months in an airtight container, and defrost, stirring often, over low heat in a soup pot over the stove.
More Chicken Soups to Try
Creamy Chicken Soup Lemon Chicken Chickpea Soup Colombian Chicken Soup Chicken Pozole Chicken and Dumplings
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium white onion, halved and sliced 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 2 (28-ounce) cans whole, peeled tomatoes with juice, preferably fire roasted 4 ounces (about 1 heaping cup) Monterey jack cheese, shredded 1 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup heavy cream 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded 3 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost) 1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
For the crema
1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup heavy cream
For garnishing
Cilantro leaves Thinly sliced jalapenos Lime wedges Crumbled cotija cheese (or feta) Diced avocado Warm corn tortillas Diced white onion Shredded Monterey jack cheese
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
