Lo-Cal Chicken Enchilada Soup (129 Calories Per Serving)
You can make an amazing chicken enchilada soup out of your regular enchilada ingredients. Here is a very easy recipe you can make at home.
Equipment
Large stockpot or Dutch oven (5-quart / 4.7L minimum)
10-inch non-stick skillet (for browning the ground chicken)
Instant-read thermometer
Large mixing bowl
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Sharp knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 can non-stick cooking spray - or 1 tsp / 5ml neutral oil
¼ cup taco seasoning - 30g, store-bought or homemade
10 oz ground chicken - 285g, cooked and crumbled- 2 cans green enchilada sauce - 10 oz / 283g each
3 cups chicken stock - 720ml, chicken broth or chicken bouillon
4 medium corn tortillas - cut into 1/2-inch / 1cm wide strips
½ cup yellow onion - 75g, chopped, about 1/2 medium onion
2 medium yellow bell peppers - seeded and diced
1 ½ cups celery - 150g, chopped, about 3 stalks- 1 can pumpkin puree - 15 oz / 425g, not pumpkin pie filling
1 cup corn kernels - 150g, frozen
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Spray a large stockpot with non-stick spray and place over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced bell peppers, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened.1 can non-stick cooking spray, 1/2 cup yellow onion, 2 medium yellow bell peppers, 1 1/2 cups celery
- Add the frozen corn kernels, cooked ground chicken, taco seasoning, and chicken stock to the pot. Stir well to combine and distribute the seasoning evenly.1 cup corn kernels, 10 oz ground chicken, 1/4 cup taco seasoning, 3 cups chicken stock
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the green enchilada sauce and pumpkin puree until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.2 cans green enchilada sauce, 1 can pumpkin puree, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper
- After 20 minutes, add the corn tortilla strips (cut into roughly 1/2-inch / 1cm wide strips). Stir them into the soup, cover, and simmer for 5 more minutes until the strips have softened and begun to thicken the broth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.4 medium corn tortillas
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as the tortilla strips absorb liquid — stir in a splash of chicken stock when reheating.
Freezing: Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Tortilla strips will soften and blend into the broth, but the flavour remains excellent.
Make-Ahead: Prepare the soup completely, cool to room temperature within 2 hours, and refrigerate. Flavours improve overnight as the taco seasoning melds with the broth.
Substitutions: Swap ground chicken for ground turkey at similar calories, or use shredded rotisserie chicken — skip the browning step and add it directly with the broth.
Pro Tip: Brown the ground chicken in a separate hot pan without moving it for the first 2-3 minutes to develop a golden crust — this adds savoury depth that simmering alone cannot replicate.
Sodium Note: This recipe contains approximately 1,000-1,300mg sodium per serving depending on brands used. To reduce sodium, use low-sodium chicken stock, reduced-sodium taco seasoning, and reduce or eliminate the added teaspoon of salt. Check taco seasoning labels — store-bought blends vary enormously in sodium content.
Dietary Note: This soup is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free when made with certified gluten-free corn tortillas and taco seasoning without wheat-based fillers. Always check taco seasoning labels for wheat or dairy additives.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 154kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 10gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 983mgPotassium: 507mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 8108IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
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