Is Chicken Enchilada Soup Healthy? (Solved)

Enchilada soup is a savory dish that is so nourishing and flavorful that it brings a smile to everyone’s face.

They’re packed with beans, chicken, and all of your favorite Tex-Mex flavors in one excellent cup of soup.

Without a doubt, a creamy chicken enchilada soup is ideal for any night of the week, especially a busy weekday when you need dinner in a hurry.

But, is it healthy?

If you’re still asking that question, then keep reading for more info.

Related: Top 30 most popular Mexican foods

Is Chicken Enchilada Soup Healthy?

Yes, it mostly is! Chicken enchilada soup is an essential source of healthful, easy-to-digest calories with several nutritional advantages. Hence, it is apparently a healthy dish to consume.

Onions, garlic, and other veggies added to your chicken soup are beneficial factors that offer a good dose of phytonutrients – crucial for a robust immune system. They can also aid in reducing inflammation or alleviating the symptoms of a nagging cold.

Main Reasons Why It Is Healthy?

  1. It’s a source of lean protein that helps maintain muscle mass and preserve a healthy metabolism
  2. It contains a great deal of selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and niacin
  3. It has a minor anti-inflammatory effect (heat relaxes muscles, relieves sore throat discomfort, and dilates blood vessels to enhance blood flow).

How Many Calories Are In A Cup Of Chicken Enchilada Soup?

There are 187 calories in a cup of Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup.

Below is the list of all nutrients and ingredients that make up this healthy chicken soup:

  • Total Fat 9.2 g
  • Saturated Fat 4.1g
  • Trans Fat 0.2g
  • Cholesterol 44mg
  • Sodium 850mg
  • Potassium 144mg
  • Total Carbohydrates 11g
  • Dietary Fiber 1.2g
  • Sugars 2.3g
  • Protein 15g
  • Vitamin A 9%
  • Vitamin C 2%
  • Calcium 16%
  • Iron 8%.

Can You Eat It For Breakfast?

We can eat chicken enchilada soup in the morning because it provides enough calories to make you more energetic and active.

However, this soup requires a wide range of ingredients and should be eaten with side dishes such as guacamole or Salsa Fresca to enjoy its full flavor.

Yet, it may not be worth spending much time preparing it for breakfast for busy people. Therefore, the chicken soup should be reserved for lunch or dinner.

What Side Dishes Can Go Well With It?

When it comes to entertaining, chicken enchiladas are one of our most popular dishes. They’re obscenely delicious, and everyone adores them. But how can you put together a menu that fits the mood and complements the main course?

Black beans and rice

Shredded cabbage, carrots, and thinly sliced red onions, combined with acidic apple cider vinegar and cilantro, work nicely with it. Cumin seeds and ground cumin are used in this recipe, giving it a unique flavor. The crisp vegetables offer a great contrast to the cheesy enchiladas.

Simple guacamole

This is one of the most fantastic homemade guacamole recipes out there! The ingredients are essential, yet the flavor combination is well-balanced and delicious. The recipe is simple: chop the vegetables and then mash everything together in a bowl (or a molcajete, if you have one!). Tortilla chips are a traditional side dish for enchiladas.

Salsa Fresca

Of course, chips and salsa are the most popular enchilada accompaniments! When there are plenty of ripe tomatoes, try our best salsa recipe. You won’t be able to stop dipping since it has the perfect balance of acidic, garlicky, and savory flavors. If tomatoes aren’t in season, make our Roasted Tomato Salsa or Salsa Verde instead.

Best Tossed Salad Recipe

This tossed salad goes well with just about anything, but it’s especially good with enchiladas when coupled with our Creamy Avocado Dressing! Red and green onion, radishes, carrots, cucumber are among the crisp veggies in this salad. For a Latin twist, top with handmade tortilla strips and a creamy cilantro dressing.

Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad

This combination of fresh vegetables is an excellent match for Latin-style flavors! Red onion, cumin, and lime are combined with ripe tomatoes, chilled cucumber, and avocado. It’s light and airy, and it’s a great counterpoint to rich, baked flavors.

Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn)

Elote is grilled corn with sour cream, mayonnaise, chili powder sauce, and cheese sprinkled on top. It is known as Mexican street corn because it is a popular snack sold by street sellers in Mexico. When paired with zesty lime and cilantro, the crunch of the corn against the creamy, sloppy sauce is to die for.

Easy Refried Bean Dip

Refried bean dip is a delicious side dish to pair with enchiladas, but most bean dips are loaded with cheese, making for a cheese-laden lunch. This one, on the other hand, is the ideal fresh and nutritious twist! There’s no cheese in this dish, but it’s packed with flavor thanks to onion, jalapeno, and cumin.

Who Should Eat This?

Everyone can eat this soup simply because it’s nutritious. In particular, chicken enchilada soup is good for those who want to lose weight because it mainly contains chicken breast which is well-known for its low-calorie properties.

How To Make A Good Bowl

Ingredients to prepare

Enchilada sauce

You can create your red enchilada sauce or use two 10-ounce cans of red enchilada sauce (which we highly recommend). Homemade enchilada sauce has a flavor that is a million times better than any store-bought one I’ve ever tried! Easy Enchilada Sauce made with chili powder, or Authentic Red Enchilada Sauce made with whole dried chiles are two homemade possibilities.

Shredded chicken breast

You may use chopped chicken breast or prepare your breast chicken recipe. You could buy a prepared chicken breast from the grocery store and shred it at home if you don’t have time to make it from scratch.

Masa harina

This is the secret ingredient responsible for the soup’s distinctive corn tortilla flavor. Masa harina is usually found in the grocery store with the other flours or in the Hispanic foods section.

Canned goods

This recipe becomes easy to make thanks to canned black beans, diced green chiles, and fire-roasted tomatoes.

The secret ingredient

We highly recommend using an 8 oz block of cream cheese to make this soup creamy and delicious. Light Philadelphia is a good choice, but you can use any brand.

Toppings for serving (optional)

This is optional, and we recommend using a kind of topping that is eye-catching and suitable for family members: tortilla strips; sour cream; cilantro chopped; avocado diced; cheese shredded.

Step-by-step guide

  • Sauté some onions, jalapenos, and garlic until the onions become translucent (The jalapeno is entirely optional)
  • Add the masa harina and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw masa flavor
  • Put in the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, all of the canned products, and a pinch of salt after that
  • Stir everything together to remove any lumps of masa that may have formed at the bottom of the saucepan
  • Cook for almost 10 minutes, or until the soup starts to thicken
  • Take the soup from the heat and toss in the cream cheese once it has reached a simmering stage
  • Stir everything until the cream cheese has dissolved and melted thoroughly into the soup
  • Include more broth if the soup has thickened or more cream cheese to the soup if you want it to be even creamier
  • Serve this soup in some bowls with crispy-crunchy tortillas strips and chopped cilantro, or homemade tortilla chips and chopped green onions as well

Conclusion

Basically, all you have to do here is toss a few easy ingredients into your slow cooker and leave it to work for a short time. Almost all of the ingredients are likely to be found in your fridge.

This recipe is beneficial to help you show off your cooking skills and give your family a nutritious meal. If you have any questions regarding the recipe, let us know and we’ll help you out!

Tamara Pierce

Tamara Pierce is a food writer at Elapasony, passionate about exploring diverse cuisines and sharing recipes and food experiences. From trendy restaurants to local hotspots, she's always on the lookout for new and exciting flavors.

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