Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

A Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup is completely and utterly incomparable to the canned stuff. It’s silky and thick, with the subtle fragrance of thyme, and it tastes real. Simple to make, this one is sure to become a favourite you’ll make over and over again!

Growing up, I was “deprived” of canned soup and in fact any forms of pre-prepared foods. And such is the case when you’re a kid that you always want what you can’t have. I got sent to school with bento boxes and eyed off my friends’ vegemite sandwiches with jealousy. I looked forward to sleepovers, not only because of the excitement of staying at a friends’ place, but because I got to try food that my mother would never make.

Such as – soup from a can. I can’t believe how much I used to love that stuff!

I also can’t believe that I used to be embarrassed being sent to school with bento boxes. Nowadays, a bento box is a once a year treat that I eagerly look forward to!

I don’t know at what point in my life I grew out of canned soup. Probably sometime during uni after I moved out of home and started learning how to cook. And nowadays, every time I make Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup, I shake my head, wondering how on earth I used to think canned soup was so delish.

This soup is SO GOOD. If you like canned cream of chicken soup or those instant cup-a-soup packets, you are going to LOVE this!

This recipe is an updated version of a recipe I posted way back when I started RecipeTin Eats. The previous recipe was written starting with a homemade condensed cream of chicken soup – thick and gloopy like Campbell’s soup in a can.

I went through a phase when I made homemade condensed soup which I would then keep for a few days then later use to make a soup or casserole. However, I found that I haven’t made condensed soup in years, mainly because it can only be kept for a few days so it kind of defeats the purpose of that recipe. But in case you want it, I’ve kept it – click here to get it.

This is what it looks like. I told you – gloopy!!

I use this recipe as a base for making more fully loaded soups, filled out with noodles or rice, and more veggies. But for this one, I wanted to share the “classic” version, like what you get out of the can. So it’s light on the veggies and chicken – but what you do see is the real deal, nice and fresh!

I really think you’ll love this. The subtle fragrance from the thyme is really lovely, I think that’s what seals the deal for me. 🙂

Enjoy! – Nagi xx

4.97 from 26 votes

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Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

Prep

10 mins

Cook

10 mins

Total

20 mins

 

A homemade version of Cream of Chicken Soup, light years away from the canned stuff! This version is light on the veggies and chicken to make it like what you get in cans, but feel free to load it up with more. Consider adding noodles or rice too! Recipe VIDEO below.

Servings: 4

Calories: 395 kcal

Author: Nagi

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50 g / 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup / 75 g flour
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• ½ small brown onion , finely chopped
• 1 small carrot , diced
• 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper , finely chopped
• 1 small celery stick , diced
• 2 cups / 500 ml chicken stock / broth , preferably low sodium
• 3 cups / 750 ml milk , any fat %
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp EACH garlic powder , onion powder, dried thyme, black pepper (“Spices”)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup cooked chicken , diced or shredded
• Croutons:
• 2 slices white bread , cut into cubes
• Olive oil spray
• Salt

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until partly translucent but not browned.

2. Add carrots, celery and capsicum, cook for 1 minute to soften.

3. Add butter and melt. Then add flour and mix until incorporated, and stir constantly for 1 minute.
4. Add broth, mix until flour is incorporated, then add milk. Mix to combine, then add salt, Spices, chicken and peas.
5. Bring to simmer, mixing occasionally to stop bottom of sticking. As it heats, it will thicken – about 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t let it bubble.
6. Once thickened to your taste, adjust salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve garnished with croutons and fresh thyme if desired.
7. Croutons: Spray croutons generously with oil, sprinkle with salt, then bake for 5 minutes at 180C/350F or until golden and crunchy.

Notes

1. This recipe was originally published in August 2014 and has been updated. The original recipe was written starting with a homemade condensed cream of chicken soup (that gloopy stuff that comes in cans), but because that only keeps for a few days, I haven't made it in years because it kind of defeats the purpose of having it on hand.

I don't make casseroles or pasta bakes using condensed soup so I don't use it for that purpose either. So I removed that recipe and instead recreated this cream of chicken soup recipe to be made from scratch. However, in case you want the Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup recipe, click here to get the recipe.

2. This is terrific filled out with noodles / rice (pre cooked then added into the soup) and more veggies. 

3. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings excluding croutons. Each serving is about 1 3/4 cups. 

 WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe video! (Not my hands, I was just the “director”, videographer, editor, gofer, lighting person, stylist, script writer, recipe maker. 😉 The hands will be back on Friday for a weekend treat I’m super excited about! )

PS Also, I forgot celery when filming. Oops.

LIFE OF DOZER

Dozer wants highlights too!

(Either that, or he’s crawling over me in a mad panic trying to escape 😈)

PS Yes, I live in a very dog friendly neighbourhood!

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