A thick, warm soup on the table in 15 minutes! This Chinese Corn Soup, also known as Egg Drop Soup, will blow your mind. It tastes just like what you get at Chinese restaurants, is so fast to make and you don’t even need to chop a single thing. The wonders of a can of creamed corn. Watch the cooking video and see!
Sometimes, I get the very best recipes from the most unexpected sources. Like from a sassy lady in Tennessee USA, the wonderful Dorothy, all the way over on the other side of the world who I met through my blog and has provided me with some incredible recipes that readers can’t get enough of. Like her epic Easiest Ever MOIST Apple Cake and her 5 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (my friends go nuts over these – excuse the pun).
We – well, she 🙂 – are working on an epic Thanksgiving menu that I’m so looking forward to sharing here on RecipeTin Eats!
As for this Chinese Corn soup? Well, it came from a friend of mine who has never been a fan of cooking. Loves the eating part, not so much a fan of the cooking part. 🙂
I find it oddly amusing that the soup I make most frequently came from my friend who cooks the least. But it is befitting, I guess, because this Chinese Corn Soup is definitely the fastest soup I know how to make – hence why she knew it and hence why I make it so often!
I always have little bags of shredded cooked chicken in the freezer so I almost always throw that in, which is why I am sharing this Chinese Corn Soup with chicken in it it.
And actually, I usually go one step further than that and throw in some vegetables soo. I especially like adding leafy Chinese greens, like bok choy and Chinese broccoli, or even normal broccoli or broccolini. It fills it out and makes this a complete meal.
But for the sake of providing the true base recipe, I’ve kept this straight forward, with just chicken. But in reality, I’d have bits of carrot, chopped zucchini or other bits and bobs I find in my fridge!
If you watch the cooking video below the recipe, you will see how I make this without using a chopping board at all. Because sometimes – more often that you probably expect – it is just all too hard to even chop up greens.
I actually posted this recipe way back in June 2014, over 2 years ago when I just started this blog when it was pretty much just my mother reading it!! Patience has never been my greatest virtue, and I shared some of my very best recipes way back then.
2 1/2 years on, my photography and video skills have somewhat improved so I really wanted to reshare this. It was sad, thinking about this sitting in my archives with such terrible photos, with no one making it because it is SO good. So so good.
There are a handful of recipes in this big wide world that are so ridiculously simple and effortless to make, yet taste so good. It is my mission to find and share all of them with you.
This one ticks all the boxes. It truly tastes so incredible – read the feedback from people who have tried it already! – Nagi x
PS Very authentic sight here – me coddling a bowl of soup with my nail-polish-free Baby Hands in my daggy grey jumper. This is how this soup happens in my home.
- 2 cups (500ml) chicken or vegetable broth/stock
- 1 can (16oz/420g) creamed corn
- 1 tsp soy sauce (all purpose or light)
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (can omit)
- 1 tsp ginger , minced or finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove , minced or finely chopped
- 1 tsp cornflour / cornstarch , mixed with a splash of cold water
- 1 egg , whisked
- 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
- Salt and white pepper , to taste
- 3 tbsp sliced scallions / shallots (optional)
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Place broth, creamed corn, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, ginger, garlic and cornflour / water mixture in a saucepan over high heat.
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Bring to boil, then turn down the heat to medium and stir occasionally. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
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Adjust seasoning with salt, turn off heat, and slowly whisk in the egg so it cooks in "ribbons" throughout the soup. This also thickens the soup.
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Add the chicken, season with white pepper, and serve, garnished with scallions.
1. A reader mentioned that she usually finishes it off with a drizzle of sesame oil which I sometimes do too! Sesame oil goes fabulously with this 🙂
2. The soup freezes great, but it is best to leave out the cornstarch slurry and add that in when reheating. 🙂 This is because things thickened with cornstarch tend to be a bit watery once frozen (fridge is ok, no effect). Not massively watery, because the corn and egg are thickeners too, but it isn't quite as thick. Or if you are freezing leftovers, just add a little bit more cornstarch when reheating, if you want to thicken it slightly.
3. Chinese Corn Soup nutrition per serving.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Chinese Corn Soup cooking video – so you can truly see how easy this is to make, without using a knife!
LIFE OF DOZER
The way this dog carries on, one would think he is a poor tortured soul. Never mind that he gets to the beach almost every day (see end of video for evidence!), daily bone and is smothered with unconditional love. Humph.
Hi Nagi.
My daughter’s have requested chicken and sweet corn soup for dinner. I made it for them and the recipe was from SFI using a sauce kept in the fridge. It also had two tins of creamed corn. My copy of SFI is in storage – long story. Are you able to post the original recipe, as this is not it and my girls will notice the difference ? Many thanks Jenny
PS thank you for all your tasty recipes. I have made heaps of them. Some are on regular repeat. ” is this a Nagi recipe?” Is said regularly around our dinner table !
Aww, I feel so flattered to hear that!! I do have the recipe somewhere but not on me right now, it’s archived back at home. If I forget to send it to you, can you message me again to remind me? 🙂 On here is best, it’s where I am most diligent answering reader messages! N xx
I always make this for my parents when it’s cold outside! We absolutely love it!
FANTASTIC to hear Shell!! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi
It’s cold in Melbourne today so I’m going to make this for dinner tonight!
How would you recommend cooking the chicken before I shred it so it doesn’t go dry and chewy?
Also wanted to say that I LOVE your site – I’m on here most days finding yummy things for dinner 🙂 (currently eating your left over Mongolian beef for lunch)
May also get a little too excited to see new pictures of Dozer every week 😛
Just discovered your website. Made the soup and now can’t wait to try others. Sick with a cold so warm soup is perfect. Thank you.
LOVE hearing that Jill!!! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
This recipe is amazing!! I made it about a week ago and loved it so much I’m making it again (doubling it) tonight! I highly recommend adding the sesame oil at the end as suggested by the notes section! The sesame oil should definitely be part of the ingredients list. So easy to make and extremely delicious!! Thank you for sharing.
That’s so great to hear Marta! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Saw this recipe and had to try it. Soooooo glad I did. Made it with leftover rotisserie chicken and wife loved it. Will be making again soon and with other veggies this time. Thank you for a great recipe
Soo delicious. I like chinese chicken corn soup. A very good recipe I really like this food. How to make it was relatively easy.
That’s great to hear Robert, thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
Yup, its’ official. You’re a genius. This tastes amazing!! Just made it since the hubs has a cold, and I wanted to give him soup. I just added another half teaspoon of cornstarch since I knew he’d like it thicker, but oh goodness!
He hasn’t tried it yet, but I’m going to give this to him with crusty bread, and I know he’ll fall in love. Thank you! =)
Aww you flatter me! So glad you like it Saleha! N xx
This was absolutely DEEEEELISH then i added some of my trini hot sauce! Divine for a fall day here in Canada. Thanks for this recipe
It’s so great to hear you enjoyed this Sabina! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂 N x
This is my new go to site for recipes, this was the first time I made chicken and sweet corn soup. I can never bring myself to order it at a restaraunt again!! I added a lot more spring onion, and I didn’t have cooking wine. It was so delicious, thank you for sharing so many amazing dishes. Even my partner, who is not the biggest soup fan said he would order soup more if it tasted like that, success!
Thank you for the review Jennifer, it’s so terrific to hear you enjoyed this! N xx
BEST chicken sweet corn soup ever! And so quick & simple to make. Made this today as we have all been nursing a cold and it is exactly what we needed. So much flavour and feels so nourishing! I added broccoli at the start (for more veggies) and sesame oil to finish and it’s so tasty! Thank you for the recipe!! It’s definitely a keeper!
Pleased to hear you enjoyed it Lydia, thanks for letting me know! N xx
I made this for dinner tonight and Oh Boy!!!!…Yumm- Oh with a capital YUM!!! I can predict it will appear regularly at my table – quick and easy but so much flavour. love your blog Nagi – ThankYou for posting !!
I’m so pleased to hear that Kate! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
One of our favorite soups when dining out. Thank you for this great recipe.
You’re most welcome Jaci!
Hello Nagi, I made this soup last night as well as some pot sticker dumplings, I was inspired by Chinese week on ‘The Chefs Line’ (SBS) have you been watching it?
My partner gave me his usual response when I asked him how the soup was, “good”. I have learnt now to ask him to rate things out of 10 so I know if a recipe is a keeper or not, he gave your soup a 9 – so will be making it regularly in the coming months.
I love the flavour of this soup, especially the warmth from the ginger. I was worried a whole can of creamed corn would make it too sweet, but it didn’t. It is also healthy which is a big plus for us. Thanks for another great recipe. Heidi
YES I’ve been watching it!!! So glad you both enjoyed this Heidi!
Hi, I tried this yesterday and i finally found the corn soup i was looking for! this is a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing. excited to try out your pork chop too!
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it Sabine! Thank you very much for your message – N xx
I needed a gluten free, dairy free soup for the inlaws and this came up beautifully. I just subbed Tamari for the soy sauce and this did indeed taste exactly as in Chinese restaurants! I doubled the recipe so I could get four meals out of it, and cheated and used a bought chicken to speed things up. It didn’t need any extra salt for our tastes and the recipients loved it. Your blog has been a lifesaver this weekend Nagi!
You made THIS TOO!!!!!
Yes – all in one day! It certainly wasn’t planned, but my mother in law was unexpectedly in and then out of hospital so needed meals. And what I love so much about your blog is that I don’t need to worry if the recipes will work or be up to scratch as far as flavour goes – I KNOW they will be bang on! And I was very grateful to have your recipes as a resource this weekend Nagi – thank you!
I’m sorry to hear that Beck, I hope she is ok. ❤️
Hi Nagi, will this recipe still turn out okay if I used canned kernel corns instead of creamed corn? It’s all I have in my pantry right now.
Hi Janis! Sorry to say creamed corn is quite key, it’s part of the broth 🙂
This was so good….of course I would find this recipe during spring time In Tampa….aka..HOT…..but I didn’t care, it sounded so good, I was stumped on what to make for dinner and I just happened to have some leftover chicken and the other ingredients in my pantry…how lucky am I! Anyways, 6 year old approved so I’m a happy camper
Hot ALREADY over there????