Arizona Sunset Enchilada Soup Recipe

This Arizona Sunset Enchilada Soup recipe turns Frontier Soups Arizona Sunset Enchilada Soup Mix into a hearty, Southwestern-inspired meal with chicken, salsa verde or green chile enchilada sauce, and melted cheese. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s an easy weeknight dinner with plenty of bold, comforting flavor.

Ingredients

You Will Also Need

Arizona Sunset Enchilada Soup Mix
6 cups chicken broth (48 oz.)
2 cups cooked chicken, cut up (8-10 oz.)
Salsa verde or green chile enchilada sauce (1 cup)
(choose mild, medium or hot!)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (4 oz.)
(optional: ½ cup sour cream and/or squeeze of lime)

Instructions

Here's What You Do

In a 3 to 4-quart pot, bring broth to a boil.
Reduce heat and add stir in soup mix, one cup salsa verde or green chili enchilada sauce, and chicken.
Return to a simmer, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add shredded cheese, stir until melted, and serve with a lime wedge garnish.

Optional: For a creamier version, stir in ½ cup sour cream.
If leftovers, reheat over low heat to avoid cheese sticking to soup pot.

Got leftovers? Learn how to cool, store, and reheat soup safely in our guide to soup storage and food safety.

Cooking & Nutrition Tips

Reducing Sodium

Broth:

To reduce sodium, use an alternative broth such as: low-sodium, organic, stock, bone broth, unsalted, or try making a homemade broth. See chart below to compare.

All our mixes contain no added salt, only what occurs naturally in the ingredients. In the interest of transparency, we use regular (full-sodium) store-bought broth to create our recipes and calculate the nutrition panels — which is why the sodium levels may appear higher than you desire.

While we don’t like it from a health standpoint, salt is a major flavor booster. If you are using reduced sodium broth and looking to enhance flavor, try adding these depending on your preferences: fresh ground pepper, herbs & spices, lemon juice, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, hot-sauce, flavored vinegar.

Salsa Verde/Enchilada Sauce:

Instead of salsa verde or green chile enchilada sauce, use 1) a low-sodium salsa/enchilada sauce, 2) ¼ tsp. cayenne and/or 1 Tbsp. lime juice, 3) a can (14 oz.) of no-salt-added diced tomatoes (add ¼ tsp. cayenne for heat), or 4) 1-2 cans (10 oz.) of no-salt-added diced tomatoes & green chilies.

Variety (1 cup)	Sodium (mg)	% Daily Value
Standard Broth	860 mg	37%
Low-Sodium Broth	570 mg	25%
Organic Broth	550 mg	24%
Stock	510 mg	22%
Bone Broth	400 mg	17%
Organic Low-Sodium Broth	100 mg	4%
Unsalted Broth	35 mg	2%

Boosting Protein

Add ½ cup – 1 cup 4% cottage cheese instead of the optional sour cream. This will make the soup creamier. You may add in place of the shredded cheese or in addition to the cheese. If using cottage cheese, we highly recommend you: 1) liquify/smooth entirely in blender or with immersion blender before adding, and 2) turn off the heat and let the soup cool slightly before adding so it does not curdle and/or lose its silky texture. See chart below for nutritional info.
Add a can of your favorite bean such as black, white/cannellini, lentil, chickpea, navy, etc.
Add additional chicken, you can certainly double the recipe’s called for amount and add 16-20 oz.
Swap standard broth for bone broth.

* Add additional broth or water, if necessary, to thin to desired consistency.

Nutrient	Per 1 Cup Full-Fat 4% Cottage Cheese
Protein	~23 – 25 g
Calories	~220 – 240 kcal
Total Fat	~9 – 10 g
Sodium	~820 – 850 mg

Nutritious Options/Swaps

As mentioned above, add cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt)
Skip the cheese and top with sliced avocado.
Instead of sour cream use plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
Add 1 diced bell pepper and ½ cup diced onions with soup mix.
Toss in whatever vegetables you have in the fridge and simmer with soup mix.

Starting with Raw Chicken

Our recommendations:

1. Sear Option: In 3 or 4-quart pot, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken to cutting board to cool. Begin recipe as stated, bring broth to a boil then reduce heat and add soup mix and salsa verde or enchilada sauce. While that returns to a simmer for a few minutes, dice or shred the cooled chicken and add to pot. Return to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese per recipe.
2. Poach Option: Bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in soup mix, salsa verde or enchilada sauce, and add raw chicken. Return to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes (add 5 minutes for XL chicken breasts). Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool. Cover pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Shred or dice chicken, add back to pot, and simmer covered for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese per recipe.
3. Simmer Option: Begin recipe as normal and when you return soup to a simmer in step #3, start cubing your raw chicken. Add the chicken to pot for the last 15-20 minutes of your covered simmer. Remove from heat and add cheese per recipe.

Recipe Variations

Looking to switch things up? A few simple tweaks can make this recipe your own.

Mexican Turkey Chili:
Substitute 1 lb ground turkey for the chicken. Sauté the turkey, stir in the soup mix, and add 3–4 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add 10–16 oz salsa verde or tomato salsa. Return to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Beefy Enchilada Twist:
Swap in 1 lb lean ground beef instead of chicken for a richer, heartier chili-style version.

Pulled Pork Variation:
Use plain pulled pork instead of chicken for a smoky, slow-cooked flavor profile.

Fish/Seafood Option:
Replace chicken with 10-16 oz. cod, shrimp, or mahi-mahi. Add in the final ~ 5 minutes of cooking time.

Shredded Chicken Method:
Shred the chicken instead of chopping so it absorbs more of the broth and seasoning.

Crunchy Topping Idea:
Sprinkle crumbled tortilla chips over each bowl for extra crunch and texture.

Inspired by our customers. Thanks to Barbara B., Patty O., Jessica T., and Elise E. for sharing their ideas.
Have a favorite twist of your own? Send us an email or leave a review on the product page.

Dietary Adaptations

Vegan/Vegetarian

You Will Also Need

4 cups vegetable broth (32 oz.)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
Salsa verde or green chile enchilada sauce (1-2 cups)
(choose mild, medium or hot!)
1 cup non-dairy shredded Monterey jack/cheddar cheese
(optional: 1 diced bell pepper and ½ diced onion)
(optional: squeeze of lime)

Here's What You Do

In a 3 to 4-quart pot, bring broth to a boil.
Reduce heat and add stir in soup mix, salsa verde or enchilada sauce, and sweet potato (and optional bell pepper and onion).
Return to a simmer, cover and cook for 35 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add shredded cheese, stir until melted, and serve with a lime wedge garnish.

Gluten Free

This soup is naturally gluten free when prepared as directed. No special substitutions are needed.

Dairy Free

Replace cheese and optional sour cream with a dairy free option.

Cooking Methods

Slow Cooker

We do not recommend using a slow cooker due to the short cooking time on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker

We do not recommend using a pressure cooker due to the short cooking time on the stovetop.