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 recipe is sure to become a favourite you’ll make over and over again!
Cream of Chicken Soup recipe
Growing up, I was “deprived” of canned soup. 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’ peanut butter 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. It’s all the rage nowadays!)
At some point, I grew up, learned how to cook, found and made a homemade cream of chicken recipe.
And today, I shake my head, wondering how on earth I used to think canned soup was so delish.
Homemade cream of chicken 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 cream of chicken soup recipe is very straight forward. Thick, creamy, and it tastes real. The canned stuff is no comparison!
Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
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 the recipe for the homemade Cream of Chicken Soup!
This is what it looks like. I told you – gloopy!!
With just 395 calories for a meal size bowl, this cream of chicken soup recipe is healthier than most creamy soups because it’s made without cream. It’s far healthier than canned – lower in sodium, preservative free and other artificial additives.
And you can tell the difference with just one spoonful. It tastes so much better than canned, it’s almost a joke!
I know I’ve included croutons here, but nobody would ever say no to a side of crusty bread for dunking! Here are some of my favourites.
Soup Dunkers
I use this cream of chicken soup recipe as a base for making more fully loaded soups, filled out with noodles or rice, and more veggies. Such as this Cream of Vegetable Soup with Noodles.
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
Cream of Chicken Soup recipe
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.
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Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe
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
- 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.
- Add carrots, celery and capsicum, cook for 1 minute to soften.
- Add butter and melt. Then add flour and mix until incorporated, and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Add broth, mix until flour is incorporated, then add milk. Mix to combine, then add salt, Spices, chicken and peas.
- 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.
- Once thickened to your taste, adjust salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve garnished with croutons and fresh thyme if desired.
- Croutons: Spray croutons generously with oil, sprinkle with salt, then bake for 5 minutes at 180C/350F or until golden and crunchy.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
And more creamy cream-less soups
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Thanks 🙏🏿 for your amazing talent. Everything I have made is a winner 🏆
I love you, Nagi 😍😍. Made this for my son and it was so tasty!!! I add corn and mini sausages. Much love from Jakarta ❤❤❤
Yummo. Used frozen peas corn and capsicum as I didn’t have any capsicum. Definitely a keeper.
This soup is amazing.. Easy to make and absolutely delicious. Thank you.
Did this with almond milk! Not dairy free though as we did butter and then some haha. Curious what dairy free people have used. Doubled some quantities but kept the milk to 3 cups as that’s all I had. Yummy! This was my first chicken soup made creamy and not just brothy. Loved it! Oh and I browned some chicken first and then added it in with the last veggies to make it all from scratch. Yum! Thanks for such helpful recipes!
I’ve never eaten the canned version, but this was yummy! I made a double batch with extra chicken and veges, for a rainy Saturday dinner, and hot lunches during the week.
Absolutely amazing recipe. Just had this soup for dinner. Kids loved it.
Wanted some chicken soup for my son while he had covid. This was ideal! And even though he said he didn’t feel like eating he ate it all and wanted more. So thumbs up for a covid crunching chicken soup
I hope it made him feel better Joan! N x
Can you make this dairy free? Cashew milk possibly?
Try it yourself and let us know how it tastes!
Hi Nagi,
I made this soup tonight and it was a hit! I love that it is super easy and fast to make. Thank you so much for a delicious recipe.
Nagi, I have made nearly all of your soup recipes, and this is my favorite so far! I added noodles since my kids like them, but I think it would be just as good without them. Thanks for all of your delicious recipes!
Just what I needed…a rotisserie chicken leftovers and voila. Boiled the carcass and bones, cooled and cleaned, saved the broth. Hubby hates green pecans, added frozen corn, pinch of sage and thyme, used carnation milk, best soup I’ve made in a long time. Will make turkey and rice after Boxing Day.
^ green peas
Use your recipes almost daily. Love your site. I have slightly altered this to cook the chicken in the broth. I use Maryland’s, brown them up. Add the onions and veggies, butter and flour and broth. Simmer and cook the chicken in the broth. Then add milk once the chicken is cooked and thicken it up
Excellent comfort soup, velvety and satisfying.
Added some sweet paprika for color and depth.
Will definitely make again.
Hi Nagi, Truely believe you have the best receipes and useful tips on the net. This one if another winner which makes me look like a kitchen wiz! 🙂
Wahoo! That’s awesome Chris! N x
Hi! I really loved this recipe and I only made one adjustment. I used 250ml of heavy cream and 500ml of milk. But it was absolutely delicious!!!
Absolutely delicious. Added frozen peas & corn and omitted the celery. Added two cooked chicken breast. Cut everything to bite size pieces for my 2 year old. Was perfect on a cold winters night!
Would gluten free flour work to thicken the soup Nagi?
Hi Pauline – Yes, I’d recommend cornstarch! – Nxx
This recipe is so good! I added some pre cooked long grain white rice at the end, and a can of creamed corn, to fill the kids up. It’s a big hit in a picky household.
This is a very good soup, in an effort to keep the potassium low I used 500 ml of rice milk and 250ml of full fat milk instead of just milk. I also added a half teaspoon of curry powder which apart from giving a little more spice also added to the colour, I omitted the croutons but added wide noodles. Excellent