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a spoonful of corn chicken soup
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4.86 from 7 votes

Chinese Chicken Corn Soup

You'll love this easy and delicious Chinese chicken corn soup. It's silky and hearty, loaded with tender chicken and sweet corn. Ready in just 25 minutes and make-ahead friendly.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 147kcal
Author: Tania

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 large chicken breast, split into two cutlets
  • 4.5 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweet corn cream-style
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese shaoxing cooking wine optional
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 5 tablespoons water at room temp, to make the cornstarch slurry
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil or to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • White pepper powder or ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a 4 or 5 quart pot, bring 4.5 cups of chicken broth to a simmer. Add the chicken cutlets and poach, over very gentle low heat, for about 10 to 12 minutes (lid covered) until cooked through and tender. Remove the chicken and transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly. Dice into small pieces.
  • If needed, skim off the foam from the broth. Sometimes poaching chicken does this.
  • Turn the heat up to medium and bring the broth to a simmer. Add the sweet corn cream style and stir to combine. If using, also add in the shaoxing cooking wine.
  • In a small bowl, make the cornstarch slurry by diluting the cornstarch with about 5 tablespoons of room temperature water. Note: Don’t mix hot liquids with cornstarch, otherwise it will clump up.
  • Gradually, stir in the cornstarch slurry into the soup and bring it back to a simmer for just 1 minute. The soup will thicken as it heats up. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
  • Slowly stir in the beaten eggs, stirring to form ribbons. Return the diced chicken into the pot for another 1 minute or so.
  • Finish the soup with a little bit of sesame oil (½ to 1 teaspoon is enough, sesame oil is strong), as well as a dash of pepper. If desired, garnish with sliced scallions. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

  • Can I use whole corn kernels? Yes, but blend it slightly with some broth to make it into a creamier consistency.
  • Make ahead: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat over the stovetop, adding an extra splash of broth as needed.
  • Freezing: I would not recommend freezing this soup.
 
Substitutions and variations:
  • Chicken breast: Chicken thighs. Can also use ground chicken - pre-cook it separately in a pot or saucepan.
  • Shaoxing cooking wine: Dry sherry is a good substitute, but you can also omit.
 
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1080mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg