Am I the last person in the whole U.S. to try “chicken enchilada soup” or….is there someone else who needs to get out more, too? It seems to be “all the rave”, but I just don’t care for very many restaurants anymore. I pretty much don’t care for the whole restaurant “experience” anymore in general. Every now and then it can be a treat to not have to do the dishes, but it’s usually WAY overpriced, low quality, (even for a supposedly decent restaurant), and frankly, just leaves me feeling like I should’ve just made it homemade at home. In my own kitchen. In my jammies. 

I should’ve called myself “The Singing & Dancing Pajama Chef”, because that’s what I love to do in my kitchen! I love to sing and dance in my pajamas while I’m cooking and I have a blast doing it, even if it does scare our cat. But I have fun, and that’s all that matters. 😉 

And this day was going to be no exception! (I’ll spare you my singing, though!) Quite a while back my hubby had returned from a business trip and as I usually do (being a total foodie nut), after hearing about the business part, asked about what he had to eat! It was pretty much the same old same old, but he did mention that he had a soup that was “pretty good” but forgot where he had it. It was a “Chicken Enchilada Soup” he said, and that instantly peaked my curiosity! He couldn’t remember where he had it, his business trips are always extremely hectic and the days are very long, but I’m thinking that it might of been Chili’s, but he honestly didn’t recall. He did say it was good, but “kind of bland” and only “so-so”. 

So, I decided to try my hand at this “mystery soup” many months later after the weather cooled off and soup sounded a bit more appealing. I googled one recipe after another, and started to see what he was describing. He said that it didn’t really have much in it and that it was “kind of thick”. Not much to go on. But after gathering all of the info I possibly could from him and Chili’s, I came up with my own version and my own additions to make it a bit more fun, and substantial enough to have as a main meal rather than just a cup to accompany a main dish or something appropriate for a light lunch.  I mean, I’m married to a 6 foot tall ex Navy man! It takes more than broth to keep him going! 😉

And this soup turned out wonderful! I was really pleased with it, other than the fact that I could’ve made it hotter for myself. But adding jalapeños on top as a garnish took care of that for me. 😉 I added black beans for extra protein, plus extra veggies including corn, onions, and peppers. I also added chorizo sausage for extra fun and a little bit of crushed red pepper for even more pizzaz! 😉 

The garnishes on top are of course optional, but we really enjoyed the shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions and especially the black olives! 😀 You can add whatever you personally enjoy, though! 

I hope you enjoy my version of this rich and creamy, thick and cheesy chicken and sausage chorizo soup that really does taste like an enchilada! It’s a meal in itself that will stick to your ribs that you can enjoy as a full meal and not be left feeling hungry. But if wanting something to go with, some crusty bread for mopping or some chips and pico de gallo go nicely with this! 😉 

Take care all, and I’ll see you soon! 😀 ~Kelly 

Creamy Chicken & Chorizo Enchilada Soup

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Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• 5-6 chorizo sausage links, depending on amount in pkg.
• 3 cups chicken broth, (1/2 quart)
• 1 (19 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
• 2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
• 1/2 of a yellow, orange or red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup masa harina flour, can sub [i]finely[/i] stone-ground cornmeal such as Indian Head brand
• 16 oz. Velveeta, diced
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can corn, drained well, or 1 1/2 cups frozen
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Optional Garnishes:

• shredded mexi-blend or sharp cheddar cheese
• crumbled queso fresco or blanco
• sour cream
• avocado slices
• pico de gallo
• white corn tortilla chips
• pickled jalapeños
• black olives
• snipped green onions
• fried thin corn tortilla strips

Instructions

Into a large oval crock pot put first 14 ingredients. (*Up to but not including the masa harina.) Turn crock pot on HIGH, and cook with lid on for 3-4 hours or just until chicken is tender and easily pulled.

Remove chicken and chorizo to a plate and loosely cover.

Whisk in masa harina until well blended. Slice chorizo at an angle and add back to pot. Pull chicken into chunks and add back to pot as you go.

Add cut-up Velveeta, drained corn, and rinsed and drained black beans. Fold gently to mix.

Replace lid and continue cooking on HIGH for another hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring gently only a few times to mix in cheese as it melts. Soup is done when cheese has fully melted and soup is thick.

Ladle into bowls and serve hot with garnishes of choice.

Notes

*If you prefer this even thicker, you can add up to a 1/2 cup more masa harina if desired. We liked it as written, though.