This amazing easy chicken corn soup recipe could change your life.
Okay, maybe that’s a slight overstatement. But busy schedules and balancing work with home life often leave parents searching for the perfect meal solution - a dish that is not only filling and nutritious, but also quick and easy to prepare. So having this recipe in your back pocket when time is tight can turn an otherwise hectic evening into a relaxed family dinner.
This soup recreates a classic staple of North American Chinese restaurants. It’s easy to make, takes comparatively little time to cook, and its flavor is instantly recognizable, one that will please the pickiest of eaters.
There's more to this than just its simplicity. It is also open to alterations to match various taste profiles - a characteristic that I'm sure everyone appreciates when it comes to home cooking! So, buckle up and get ready to explore this delicious journey with me. Or, jump directly to the recipe, but then you'll miss the following tips:
Our chief ingredient here is, of course, chicken. Aim to have good quality, lean chicken for the best results - boneless, skinless chicken breast works well. You can start with frozen chicken breasts if you want, but my preference is to use fresh ones, and to slice them very thinly, almost to the point of mincing. Texture is very important with this soup, and the smaller your chicken pieces, the faster they cook, leaving them no time to dry out and get tough.
The corn adds a sweet crunch and also gives the soup a vibrant color, making it such a family favorite. But more than this, it releases starch into the broth, lending it a smooth, silky texture that only enhances the flavor. I’ve seen recipes call for cans of creamed corn, but I’ve always found this to be too creamy. I prefer using frozen sweet corn, which I thaw in the microwave and then smash or chop to my desired consistency. Better flavor, better texture, and no cans. That’s a triple win!
If it’s in season, you can definitely use fresh corn as well.
Yolk, or no Yolk? Personally, I always include the yolk. It adds flavor, color, and texture, so why not? Plus, it’s easier. No separating whites from yolks and trying to figure out how to use them later--or worse, throwing them out. I just take one or two eggs (depending on the size), add a dash of water and salt, then beat them with a small fork. So simple.
As always, how you prepare your broth is a personal choice. My preference is to use 1 quart boxed chicken broth. It’s simple, tasty, healthy, and pre-measured. But you can use powders, cubes, or even homemade chicken broth if you make it. What matters is that it’s tasty.
The classic recipe calls for very little in the way of veggies. A bit of carrot and garlic at the beginning, and scallions for a garnish, and perhaps a bit of grated ginger for that Asian flavor profile. But there’s nothing wrong with adding some diced onion or any other vegetable you happen to like. The one warning, if you can call it that, is that you should dice your vegetables small. That way they can cook quickly, just like the chicken. The extra time spent chopping will be paid back with interest in cooking time.
It’s not strictly necessary, but a little thickener will actually improve the taste of your soup. Thickened broth sticks to the tongue a little longer, helping the flavors linger. A slurry made of cornstarch and cold water is all you need to make a big impact.
The first step in making this fabulous dish is to saute the vegetables (except the scallions) in oil and a bit of salt. Once the veggies are softened, add the corn, chicken, and broth and bring everything to a gentle boil. Simmer until the chicken is cooked, which can range from about 15 to 30 minutes depending on how small the pieces are.
To thicken the soup, a cornstarch slurry works best. Add your cornstarch in cold water and mix until smooth. Drizzle it a bit at a time into the soup until you get the consistency you want. Remember that this is not a cream soup - you are only looking for a silky texture, not gloopy (I'm pretty sure that’s a bona fide technical cooking term), so err on the side of adding too little. You can always add more later, but it’s impossible to take out.
Once you’ve thickened your soup it’s time to add the egg. Beat two eggs with a pinch of salt until thoroughly mixed. Stir your soup until it’s slowly spinning in the pot, then drizzle your eggs a bit at a time.
That’s it. Your chicken soup with corn is complete, except for the garnish. This is where your scallions get added, along with a drizzle of sesame oil if you like it - another Asian flavor for the mix. And if you don’t like scallions, cilantro is another nice option, or parsley if you prefer it.
When I first tried this recipe, I was amazed by the results and you will be too! Rich, nourishing, and bursting with flavors, this easy chicken corn soup recipe is bound to become a new family favorite.
The beauty of this recipe is how simple it is to make and how easy it is to adapt. You can add noodles or rice to make it heartier, or throw in some more veggies for extra nutrients.
If you're in a time pinch, you can prepare the chicken in advance. Boiled and shredded chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to a few days, or in the freezer for a couple of months. This pre-preparation can cut down your cooking time significantly.
Another time-saving tip is using canned corn, although I would avoid the creamed variety. While fresh corn gives the best texture and flavor, canned or frozen corn can be a great time-saver without significant impact on the outcome.
For those who like a little heat in their dishes, adding some chili flakes or hot sauce can elevate the flavor. Add these to the vegetables in your first step, as it will help diffuse the heat throughout the entire soup rather than just getting bits of heat here and there.
This easy soup recipe is like a blank canvas – you can play with the flavors to suit your palate.
Another wonderful thing about this recipe is its economical aspect. It’s a delightful way to transform a few simple, budget-friendly ingredients into a filling meal that the entire family will love.
This soup, with its balanced flavors and nourishing ingredients, can not only be served as a comforting dinner option but it’s also great for light lunches. While you can certainly prep some of the ingredients ahead of time, this soup is best served immediately, as the eggs can get rubbery if the soup is left on the heat for too long. For the same reason, it does not respond well to freezing or even simply reheating it the next day. So save this recipe for when the family is ready to all sit down at the same time.
So there you have it, my friends - a simple, delicious, and nourishing easy chicken corn soup recipe, ready in no time!
One part wholesome, one part delicious, and a hundred parts comforting, this chicken soup with corn is what I like to call a trifecta of goodness.
In all its simplicity and versatility, this soup bears testimony to the fact that amazing flavors need not be complex or time-consuming. Remember, it's simple to make, easy to adapt, and guaranteed to yield great results - so why not give it a try today?
Q: Can I freeze this easy chicken corn soup recipe?
A: Because eggs get rubbery very quickly, freezing is not recommended.
Q: How long will this easy chicken corn soup recipe keep in the fridge?
A: As with most cooked foods, you can keep the leftovers from this soup in the fridge for about three days from a food safety perspective. However, the eggs could get rubbery when you reheat the soup. If you can heat it quickly in the microwave, then the texture should be okay, but reheating on the stove will probably lead to poor results. For that reason, I tend only to make the amount that I intend to serve for that meal.