Chinese Chicken Corn Soup is a nostalgic childhood favorite for me. I first wrote about it a year and a half ago (see short write up and not-so-good picture here) and it’s that time of year, when I need comfort again. Cold weather hits me like a ton of bricks. No…more like sharp dagger-shaped icicles stabbing me. I’m not usually such a drama queen but rain and cold temperatures are the things I’m just a big baby about. Every winter, I swear I’m going to move to a warmer climate, but 29 years of winter and I’m still here. Seriously, this Chicken Corn Soup is one of the things that saves me from collapsing into seasonal depression. It’s the fastest 10 minutes of barely doing anything, a little stirring, and you get a pot of Chicken Corn Soup. (This recipe makes enough for 6 people but I’ve eaten it all in one sitting before.)
Aside from complaining, I did want to elaborate on the recipe a bit. If you have home-made chicken broth or stock, it will make this soup even better, but most of us don’t just have a pot of chicken soup brewing. I used Pacific Organic Free Range Chicken Broth but you can use any kind you like. The cornstarch is used to thicken the soup and you can use as much or as little you want, depending on how thick you like it. (Lon likes none. I like it thick.) Lastly, you may notice that I used white pepper. Chinese cooking uses white pepper more often than black pepper, and I notice most in soups for some reason. If you don’t have white pepper, you can use any pepper you have. It will still be savory with touches of sweetness, and warm you at your core.
Chinese Chicken Corn Soup
~about 6 cups
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14 to 15oz) can cream style corn
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 to 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions –
1. Bring chicken broth and cream style corn to a boil in a 3 to 4 quart pot. Lower to a gentle simmer and stir while you pour in egg a little bit at a time. When all the egg is in, continue at a gentle simmer for a few minutes.
2. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with equal amount of water until dissolved. (This is called a slurry.) Stir the soup as you pour the slurry in a steady stream. Continue to stir and simmer for a few minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. (Taste it first because you may not need salt if the chicken broth you used already has enough salt.)
3. Serve immediately or cool and store in the fridge. You can reheat in the microwave or bring to a boil on the stove top.
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My husband would adore this. It looks great!
Yum! Thanks….love egg drop soup and did not realize it was so simple (at least it appears to be so)…..
I love this soup–Thanks for the recipe.
Spodeworld, it really is that simple. =) enjoy!
Asianmommy, I imagine all Asians have nostalgic memories of this soup. Glad to share in it!
chicken soup is really a very delicious recipe.Along with its taste it also maintains a proper amount of nutrients in our body..
“This recipe makes enough for 6 people but I’ve eaten it all in one sitting before.”
atta girl. that’s what i like to hear.
this is so simple and whaddya know–i have all six rare and hard-to-find ingredients for it. perfect for this dismal day.
Coool recipe. btw, I made some soup with barley today. Man, that is an underrated ingredient. Barley rocks!
chickens, must be why I crave chicken soup whenever I’m not feeling super.
Grace, it’s definitely a pantry soup/convenience soup, but it’s so good.
Bill, I love barley. Is it underrated? I thought barley was pretty popular. There’s a Chinese dessert congee with barley that I LOVE. Gotta ask mom how she makes it.
Hahaha! I just thought it was my mom who made this. Didn’t know it was an Asian thing!!
Is the chicken broth necessary? I never make it with the chicken broth. I usually just mix the cream corn with water and add seasoning after the mixture boiled. Egg mixture comes last to thicken the soup
Great, love this soup with homemade chicken broth and probably can’t go without ground white pepper.
JSB, I’ve thought that before too about a different soup. It’s so funny.
Emi, necessary is up to the user. If you feel like it’s fine without the chicken broth, then it is. I personally like the chicken broth flavor. It’s soothing and feels home-style to me.
TasteHongKong, I associate white pepper with Cantonese sops the most. I have memories of always putting white pepper and vinegar in my soup at the Cantonese restaurants. I wonder if that was just my family or a common thing. Do you do that?
sweet corn soup is a very popular soup in Chinese restaurants in india. Great to see the recipe. Coincidentally Kainaz wanted something light last night and we ordered a crab sweet corn soup for her. I saw your piece later in the night.
Is the preference for white pepper because of its taste or because it doesn’t have a colour of its own?
Kalyan, I think the reason to use white pepper varies per person and culture. I was told in culinary school to use it for white sauces so you don’t have black flecks, but I personally think there is a taste difference so for me, a Chinese soup wouldn’t taste authentic without white pepper, but I don’t think most would care.
I grew up on Pennsylvania Dutch chicken corn soup, and this is just another take on it. Hey, I like your blog. Glad we met.
Angela, thank pretty funny. You wouldn’t think that the Chinese and the Pennsylvania Dutch have anything in common. Like your blog too!
we actually put black pepper to my mom’s chicken stew recipe at home. Gives a bit of colour and zing
Yummy, a childhood favorite that I enjoy today as much as I did when I was a kid.
Mmm! Will try this, with a sprinkling of green onions on top!
Thank you. My Parents use to give me this soup when I was feeling sick it always made me feel better. I have been trying to find the right recipe for a long time since my parents are gone. This is great. Thank you.
Hi, I love your photos! Would I be able to ask you a big favour? I’m making a cookbook for my sister-in-law and someone submitted a chicken and corn soup recipe with no photo so I’ve been scouring the web for one … would it be possible for me to use yours? It’s a square book book so I’m not sure whether the bowls one or the closeup of the spoon would be best once cropped. I’m more than happy to acknowledge you as photographer in the book! Please let me know!
This was delicious and tasted exactly as I’ve had at my favorite Chinese restaurant. It was perfect with the cold weather outside. For a heartier version, I added meat. Turkey, because it was the day after Thanksgiving!
Young Mrs., I’m so glad you love this soup as much as I do and what a great way to use up some turkey left-overs!
can i use frozen corn instead of cream style?
Sarah, it’s worth a try but your soup will not be as thick.
looks yummy, thanks for the sharing