This creamy crockpot chicken tortilla soup recipe is super easy—no chopping required! It's full of delicious flavor and quick to whip up before work in the morning using canned veggies. My family absolutely loves adding their own favorite toppings and devours it—a must-try!

A Must-Make Easy Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Crock Pot Recipe!
So Flavorful! Loaded with fire-roasted tomatoes, red chile enchilada sauce, seasonings, and lots of cheese! There is no lacking flavor here, and it tastes super indulgent without the effort.
Quick & Easy. This recipe is seriously the best and easiest recipe to throw together in the morning before work. No chopping required, primarily canned ingredients- just throw in the cheese and cream at the end and serve!
Family Favorite! Everyone in my family loves this soup! Top your soup with whatever your favorites are, like extra cheese, diced onion, avocado, fresh cilantro, and tortilla strips- it makes it fun and delicious!
Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this crockpot creamy chicken tortilla soup:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs: you can use either in this recipe! I like to use chicken thighs if cooking for longer as they stay tender when cooked for 8 hours.
- Chicken Broth: You can use chicken broth or stock, as well as regular or low sodium.
- Canned Red Chile Enchilada Sauce: use the spice level that you would like, from mild to spicy.
- Canned Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
- Canned Black Beans
- Canned Sweet Corn
- Half and half: you can substitute sour cream for half and half or use heavy cream. I used fat free half and half in combination with light cream cheese and found it perfectly creamy one the cheese is added.
- Softened Cream Cheese: make sure it is very soft- or warm slightly in the microwave prior to adding for the best result.
- Monterey Jack or Queso Fresco Cheese: you can also use shredded cheddar cheese.
- Lime Juice: this is a must and adds brightness.
- Crushed Tortilla Strips: use tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips.
- Seasonings: dried minced onion, Oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Garnish: diced onion, diced tomato, lime wedges, sliced avocado, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
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Substitutions and Variations
- Add or substitute black beans with pinto beans or white hominy.
- Add some spice with fresh diced jalapeno or poblano peppers.
- Use fat-free half-and-half and cream cheese if you are looking to lower fat.
- Use sour cream in place of cream cheese.
- Substitute fresh minced onion with the dried minced onion.
- Add some extra heat with hot sauce, hot peppers, or red pepper flakes.
- Other seasonings can be added, such as smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle, or taco seasoning.
How To Make This Crock Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
This is intended as an overview only. For detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below. Enjoy!
1. Add chicken, enchilada sauce, broth, dried onion, oregano, tomatoes, beans, and corn to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until done.
2. Turn the slow cooker to warm. Remove and shred the chicken and return to the crockpot.
3. Add in the cream cheese and stir until melted. Add in the cheese and half and half. Squeeze in lime juice and adjust the seasoning to taste.
4. For serving, put crushed tortilla strips in the bottom of your bowl and ladle the soup over the top. Garnish with your favorite toppings!
How to Serve It
- Serve your soup by starting with crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of your bowl- then ladel your soup over the top.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings, such as fresh chopped cilantro, diced onion or sliced green onion, sour cream, sliced avocado, and a lime wedge!
- Meal idea! Serve your soup alone or pair it with a simple, fresh garden salad with your favorite salad dressing. You could also pain with fresh, warm baked bread-yum!

Kori's Tips
- The cream cheese must be very soft and even slightly warm before adding it to the crockpot so it melts quickly.
- If you like a thicker soup, whisk together one tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of cold water and stir into the soup. Let it sit while the crockpot is on warm with the lid off until the desired consistency is reached.
- Use a crockpot liner to make clean-up easier when you're done!
FAQ's
Allow your soup to cool before transferring to an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months!
If reheating from the fridge, portion the amount you want to reheat into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds, stir, and continue heating in 30-second increments until at least 165 degrees.
If reheating from frozen, remove it from the freezer the night before and put it up in the fridge to thaw overnight. You can either portion and microwave as above or reheat in a pot on the stove until the temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Once you are done cooking your soup and it is on warm, it is recommended that you serve your food within 2-3 hours. The longer it is in the crockpot, the cooler it will get and risk bacteria growth.
In this recipe, you are slow-cooking the chicken with the soup all day. So, there is no need to cook it prior to adding it to the slow cooker as it will be cooked with the soup.
Recipe

Shortcut Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 24 ounces chicken broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can red Chile enchilada sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn (drained)
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 8 ounces half and half or heavy cream
- 4 ounces very soft cream cheese (soften the cream cheese in the microwave before adding to the soup - it will melt easier)
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack or queso fresco cheese (shredded or crumbled)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 2 cups crispy crushed tortilla strips (store-bought or homemade, or you can crumble tortilla chips)
- Optional toppings: diced onion, diced tomato, lime wedges, sliced avocado, sour cream, and fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a 6-quart slow cooker add chicken thighs or breasts, enchilada sauce, broth, dried onion, fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, corn, and oregano. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
- Turn the slow cooker to warm. Remove chicken and shred. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Add in the very soft cream cheese, stirring until melted. Add in the jack cheese and half and half. Squeeze in the lime juice to taste. Then adjust the seasoning further with salt and pepper.
- To serve, place about ¼ cup of tortilla chips on the bottom of the bowl, then ladle the soup over the top. Garnish with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: There are a lot's of ways you can vary this soup!
- Add in or substitute pinto beans or white hominy.
- Add diced jalapeno or pobablano peppers.
- Use fat free half and half or cream cheese if desired to reduced the fat. Sour cream can be substituted for the cream cheese.
- Dried minced onion was used as a shortcut but you can certainly use a fresh onion.
- Increase the spice level with hot sauce, hot peppers, red pepper flakes, etc.
- Other seasonings can be added such as smoked paprika and cumin. This kind of depends on the brand of enchilada sauce you use.
- TIPS:
- The cream cheese must be be very soft and even slightly warm before adding to the crockpot for it to melt.
- If you like a thicker soup, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir into the soup. Let it sit while the crockpot is on warm with the lid off until the desired consistency is reached.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Garnish the soup with your favorite toppings such as fresh chopped cilantro, diced onion or sliced green onion, sour cream, avocado, and a lime wedge.
Nutrition
© 2025 Slow Cooked Eats
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