The Popular Soup You Should Be Adding To Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas are a comforting casserole classic that you can customize with a range of different salsas, cheeses, and veggies. Cream of chicken soup may not be on your radar for possible ingredients, but it's the secret weapon to a creamier, more flavorful version of the dish.

Cream of chicken soup is a popular canned flavor that's as popular as an addition to other recipes as it is on its own. Plus, as a condensed soup, cream of chicken is ultra-thick, adding moisture to an enchilada filling without creating a watery or soupy texture when cooked. In fact, it's a great binder to hold other filling ingredients together as you roll them up and bake them. You can add a cup of cream of chicken soup to shredded canned chicken and cheddar or jack cheese for a simple three-ingredient enchilada filling that's bursting with savoriness. You can also add equal parts sour cream or cream cheese and cream of chicken soup to the filling for a balance of tangy and savory.

If you don't want to use cream of chicken soup in the filling, use it as the creamy base for enchilada sauce. Its heavy, creamy richness will stand up to spicy, smoky, and zesty seasonings, salsas, and cheese toppings. You can blend it with a cup of red or green salsa and Mexican crema to smother over freshly packed enchiladas before adding the final layer of shredded cheese and baking.

Cream of chicken soup can easily substitute for multiple filling and sauce ingredients in chicken enchiladas, making for a quicker preparation process that won't skimp on flavor. However, there are plenty of other canned or frozen additions to pair with cream of chicken soup for an effortless upgrade. For example, you could add diced chipotles in adobo to the filling for a kick of sweet, spicy smokiness. If chipotles are too spicy, try adding a can of hatch green chilies or roasted red peppers. Supplement chicken with cans of drained black beans and corn for more heft, earthiness, and sweetness. Drained diced black olives would provide a salty compliment to all that savory richness.

The same applies to enchilada sauce; pair your favorite brand of salsa with cream of chicken soup for a preparation-free sauce. You could even combine jarred queso with cream of chicken soup and a can of diced green chilies and tomatoes for an ultra-rich and zesty enchilada topping.

There are other condensed soups like cheddar cheese soup and cream of mushroom that you can blend into the filling or sauce of chicken enchiladas or any other type of enchilada you have in mind. While salt and pepper are fundamental seasonings to enhance the taste of enchilada fillings, dried seasonings like chili powder, cumin, granulated garlic, and onion powder will bring more traditional Mexican flavors to the mix.