Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
Today, we’re sharing a wholesome, nourishing Homemade Cream of Chicken soup that is decadent and delicious on it’s own, or a perfect (healthy) substitution for canned cream of chicken soup in a variety of your favorite recipes.
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe
I am the first to assert that there is nothing wrong with the occasional canned soup.
Canned soup is convenient and can be delicious. I stock my daughter’s locker with a few cans of soup every school year in case she is feeling extra hungry and needs something quick to prepare to tide her over.
However, I do find that many canned soups make up for their lack of flavor by adding in a ton of sodium. So, especially when I’m looking at making a casserole, creamy skillet recipe or crockpot dish that calls for a canned soup as an ingredient, I like using a homemade version so that I can reduce the sodium (and other possibly unsavoury ingredients) and amp up the flavor.
(Just like with my other pantry staples, it’s not just about avoiding unnecessary ingredients, it’s about making flavorful alternatives that are often much more affordable than their canned or boxed alternatives.)
Today’s homemade cream of chicken soup recipe is thick, rich, creamy, silky, flavorful and wonderfully hearty. It has an amazing depth of flavor that no canned version can come close to and only takes 20-25 minutes to prepare.
I know it might seem more time-consuming that it’s worth to just swap out a homemade version for canned, but what I like about this recipe is not only that it’s more flavorful and healthy than using canned cream of chicken soup, it also makes enough to use in one recipe and enjoy as a soup. So you can enjoy a full meal out of it while also having enough leftover to incorporate into a recipe that calls for a can of soup.
For example, I use this homemade cream of mushroom soup for our Healthy Broccoli Chicken casserole.
If you’re just making it as a substitute for canned cream of chicken soup, you can leave out the chicken and just use the chicken broth. But, if using in a recipe that calls for cooked chicken, using the chicken to make the soup helps knock out a couple additional steps in the subsequent recipe.
When using this homemade cream of chicken soup recipe, keep in mind that the prepared homemade soup is equivalent to unprepared canned cream of chicken soup. So, if you want it to be the same consistency as prepared canned cream of chicken soup, you will need to whisk in 1 cup of water or chicken broth.
Cream of Chicken Variations:
- swap out poultry seasoning for your preferred seasoning to complement the recipe you’re planning on using it in
- if serving as a straight-up soup, add additional vegetables when adding in the chicken broth and milk
- for gluten-free or dairy-free versions, check out my substitutions below
- for a cream of celery soup, leave out the chicken and swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. When you’re sautéing the onion, add 2 finely diced stalks of celery
- for a cream of broccoli soup, leave out the chicken and swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. When you’re sautéing the onion, add 1 cup of finely diced broccoli
How many cans of soup does this recipe equal? Without the chicken, this recipe is about the equivalent of 3 cans of prepared cream of chicken soup. If enjoying with the chicken (which increases the volume of the soup), it is closer to 5 cans of soup.
How to store cream of chicken soup: My homemade cream of chicken soup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
Can this cream of chicken soup be canned? According to the Pennsylvania State University’s College of Agricultural Science’s website, “flour… [b]utter, milk, cream, cheese and other dairy products… should never be home canned.” So, I personally don’t have any recommendations for canning our cream of chicken soup recipe.
Can this cream of chicken soup be frozen? If you’d like to freeze this soup, cool it completely and then store in ziptop freezer bags or your favorite freezer containers for up to 3 months. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.) Thaw completely before using.
How to make cream of chicken soup gluten-free? To make this homemade cream of chicken soup recipe gluten-free, swap out the all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free flour. (I test these recipes using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour.)
How to make cream of chicken soup dairy-free? To make this homemade cream of chicken soup recipe dairy-free, use unflavoured non-dairy milk (I prefer oat or cashew milk for this recipe) to substitute the whole milk called for in the recipe.
Recipes Using Cream of Chicken Soup:
- Healthy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole
- Muffin Pan Chicken Pot Pies
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
- Crack Chicken Tater Tot Casserole from Bake Me Some Sugar
- Chicken Divan from Kylee Cooks
- Creamy Chicken and Pesto from Love Bakes Good Cakes
Ingredients for Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
- Olive Oil
- Onion, diced
- Garlic Cloves, sliced
- Chicken, cut into 1” cubes
- All-Purpose Flour
- Poultry Seasoning, or more to taste <– grab our recipe for homemade poultry seasoning
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Chicken Broth
- Milk
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: omit the chicken (and the steps included to cook it) if just planning to use this recipe as a canned cream of chicken soup substitution.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Stockpot or Dutch Oven <– highly recommended for even cooking and seamlessly transferring this recipe from the stove to the oven
- Wooden spoon or spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
How to Make Cream of Chicken Soup
Place the oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sliced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the cubed chicken.
Cook until the chicken is at least 125F (it will continue cooking further in the soup and casserole), stirring occasionally.
Add the flour and poultry seasoning to the chicken and stir to coat.
Add the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth and milk and bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
Reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pin this Easy Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup as a quick pantry staple your whole family will love:
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Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion, diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken, cut into 1” cubes
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning, or more to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Milk
Instructions
- Place the oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sliced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the cubed chicken.
- Cook until the chicken is at least 125F (it will continue cooking further in the soup and casserole), stirring occasionally.
- Add the flour and poultry seasoning to the chicken and stir to coat.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth and milk and bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 128Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 394mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 9g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope you love using this homemade cream of chicken soup recipe as an easy swap in your favorite recipes.
For more homemade pantry staples, check out our full pantry staples recipe collection here:
For more scrumptious soups, check out our full soup recipe collection here:
