Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Chicken Soup

• servings: 8 servings
• total time: 8 hours

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless (skinless chicken breasts)

1 cup small-diced yellow onion (or ½ large onion)

1 cup small-diced green bell pepper (or 1 small bell pepper)

½ cup small-diced poblano pepper (or 1 small poblano)

¼ cup seeded and finely diced jalapeno (or 1 jalapeno, optional)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

2 [4-oz] cans diced green chiles

One [15-ounce} jar green enchilada sauce (I use Siete Foods)

4 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 bay leaf

2 [15-oz] cans pinto or cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)

8 ounces dairy-free cream cheese (I use Kite Hill Dairy Free cream cheese)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Shredded Monterey jack cheese (omit for dairy-free)

Fresh cilantro leaves

Sliced radishes

White corn tortilla chips

Lime wedges

Directions

SLOW COOKER METHOD:

In a slow cooker, place the chicken, onion, bell pepper, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, green chiles, enchilada sauce, broth, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Drop in the bay leaf (does it do anything? I don’t know? haha), cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or preferably on low for 8 to 10 hours.

When the cook time is complete and the chicken is tender, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Transfer the chicken back to the soup and add the drained beans and the cream cheese and stir until well combined and the cream cheese is incorporated into the soup. Cover and let cook on low until the beans are tender, about 10 minutes.

Before serving, stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish as desired.

INSTANT POT METHOD:

In an Instant Pot, place the chicken, onion, bell pepper, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, green chiles, enchilada sauce, broth, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Drop in the bay leaf and lock in the lid. Make sure the valve is sealed. Cook on Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes, and walk away and let the InstantPot do its thing.

When the cook time is complete, release the pressure manually by turning the valve. Once the pressure is released, carefully open the InstantPot. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Transfer the chicken back to the soup and add the drained beans and the cream cheese and stir until well combined and the cream cheese is incorporated into the soup. Cover and keep on ‘warm’ until the beans are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Before serving, stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish as desired.

Nutrition

• Calories: 306 kcal
• Total Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 69 mg
• Sodium: 1207 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 8 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 3 g
• Protein: 25 g