Cream of Chicken Soup (and Condensed)
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe – Rich and creamy chicken soup is easy to make from scratch with simple pantry staples. It’s delicious to enjoy on its own by the bowlful, or use as a substitute wherever a recipe calls for condensed soup!
Why We Love Homemade Soup
There’s something so satisfying and nostalgic about creamy chicken soup… Most of us first remember having the condensed version from a can, with little specks of chicken in it. Yet our homemade version of cream of chicken soup is super easy to make from scratch.
It’s hearty and delicious and can be a great soup base for adding to all sorts of wonderful ingredients, along with the chicken, like vegetables, pasta, and rice.
You can also use this recipe as a substitute for condensed cream of chicken soup in a recipe, when you don’t have a can in the pantry. (Just be sure to use the appropriate amount based on the recipe you are working from.)
Ingredients You Need
For the Best Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup Alternative –
- All-purpose flour – use gluten-free, if you like
- Butter – unsalted
- Chicken Base – or chicken bullion (instead of chicken broth)
- Mrs. Dash – or other dried herb blend
- Other spices – garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt
- Milk – whole or 2%
You also need 1 cup of water for the soup base.
For Cream of Chicken Soup, Add –
- Water and Milk
- Cooked chopped chicken
- Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)
How to Make Condensed Soup from Scratch
Set a large sauté pan (or medium soup pot) over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, whisk in the all-purpose flour. Whisk until completely smooth.
Allow the roux to bubble and thicken, stirring and watching the color carefully, about 3-4 minutes. You do not want it to go past a golden color.
Get the Complete (Printable) Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Once the roux is thick and golden. Whisk in the chicken base, Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt. Then whisk in the water and milk. Continue to stir as the creamy chicken soup base thickens into a tight gravy-like consistency. Now you can use it as a condensed soup substitute, or continue on for homemade cream of chicken soup.
How to Make Cream of Chicken Soup
To the starter, add an additional 1 ½ cups of water, 1 cup of milk, and 1 cup of finely chopped cooked chicken.
Simmer until the soup thickens to your desired consistency. If you’d like the soup to be a little thinner, add an additional ¼ – ½ cup of water. Once hot and thick, stir in the parsley and turn off the heat.
Optional Add-Ins
Here we include just cooked chopped chicken in the soup. However, you can add all sorts of other yummy ingredients!
For a heartier dish, you might consider adding pasta, rice, or veggies to the soup. The simple addition of peas, carrots, mushrooms, or other veg can make each bowl eat like a full meal! Here are a few yummy options:
- Long-grain white rice or wild rice
- Orzo
- Small pasta noodles like ditalini, short egg noodles, or macaroni
- Sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, corn kernels, peeled and diced potatoes, or shelled peas
Either cook these extra ingredients ahead of time and stir in with the cooked chicken, or add extra water and cook add-ins in the soup as it simmers down.
How to Use Cream of Chicken Soup
Cream of chicken soup is fantastic to enjoy on its own. The richness, creaminess, meaty chicken, and intense savory flavor make this a super satisfying soup!
Use the condensed version of this homemade soup as a robust chicken gravy or sauce for any sort of chicken dish, or mix it into casseroles as well. Here are a few of our favorite recipes that are made (or can be made) with cream of chicken soup as a substitute for canned condensed soup:
- Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- 7-Ingredient Funeral Potatoes
- Chicken Pot Pie Stuffed Peppers
Again, just be sure to measure the proper amount of condensed soup necessary for the recipe you’re making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use your favorite GF all-purpose flour substitute, and check that your chicken base is gluten-free as well.
Condensed cream of chicken soup will keep well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Keep in mind this is how long it will keep well in total, including after it’s made to use in other dishes.
Yes, you can freeze cream of chicken soup. Let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and storing the freezer for up to 4 months. But note that the texture will possibly change a bit, even when reheated and whisked with an extra splash of milk.
Looking for More Scratch Made Soups? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Crockpot Potato Soup with Chicken
- Lightly Creamy Chicken Barley Soup
- Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup
- Hungarian Mushroom Soup
- Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup with Spinach
Cream of Chicken Soup (and Condensed) Recipe
Ingredients
For Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup Alternative –
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 5 teaspoons chicken base or chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Mrs. DASH or another dehydrated herb blend
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
For Cream of Chicken Soup, Add –
- 1 ½ – 2 cups water
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
For Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup Starter –
- Set a large sauté pan (or medium soup pot) over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, whisk in the all-purpose flour. Whisk until completely smooth.
- Allow the roux to bubble and thicken, stirring and watching the color carefully, about 3-4 minutes. You do not want it to go past a golden color.
- Once the roux is thick and golden. Whisk in the chicken base, Mrs. dash, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt. Then whisk in the water and milk. Continue to stir as the creamy chicken soup base thicken into a tight gravy-like consistency. Now you can use it as a condensed soup substitute, or continue on for homemade cream of chicken soup.
For Cream of Chicken Soup –
- To the starter, add an additional 1 ½ cups of water, 1 cup of milk, and 1 cup of finely chopped cooked chicken.
- Simmer until the soup thickens to your desired consistency. If you'd like the soup to be a little thinner, add an additional ¼ – ½ cup of water.
- Once hot and thick, stir in the parsley and turn off the heat.
wow this is such a kitchen staple! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!