Golden Chicken & Corn Soup

Golden Chicken & Corn Soup

Savor this comforting chicken corn soup, enriched with savory broth, sweet creamed corn, and a hint of ginger for a delicious meal.

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Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Soup

Calories: 250

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups (500ml) chicken or vegetable broth/stock
• 1 can (16oz/420g) creamed corn
• 1 tsp soy sauce (all purpose or light)
• 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (OR Mirin or Dry Sherry (can omit))
• 1 tsp ginger (, minced or finely chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (, minced or finely chopped)
• 1 tsp cornflour / cornstarch (, mixed with a splash of cold water)
• 1 egg (, whisked)
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• Salt and white pepper (, to taste)

Method

 

1. Combine broth, creamed corn, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, minced ginger, and garlic in a saucepan over high heat.
2. Stir in the cornflour slurry. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
3. Adjust seasoning with salt. Turn off heat, then slowly whisk in the beaten egg to create delicate ribbons throughout the soup.
4. Stir in the shredded cooked chicken. Season with white pepper to taste.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with sliced scallions if desired.

Notes

– For extra flavor, use homemade chicken stock.
– If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, a dry sherry or even a splash of mirin works well. Omit if necessary.
– Ensure the soup is just off the boil before whisking in the egg for perfect ribbons.

Nutrition information is an estimate, calculated automatically. Values vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes.

The technique that makes it

What makes a truly great chicken corn soup work is achieving a delicate balance of flavors and a pleasing, slightly thickened texture without becoming gloopy. The key technique here is the careful incorporation of the cornflour slurry and the egg. The cornflour, mixed with cold water to form a slurry, acts as a thickening agent. Adding it gradually while the soup is simmering allows you to control the viscosity. Too much at once can result in a paste-like consistency. The cornflour needs to be cooked for at least a minute after adding to remove any raw starch taste and to fully activate its thickening power. The final flourish is the whisked egg, swirled in at the very end. This technique, often called ‘egg flower’ or ‘ribbon’ in Asian cooking, requires the soup to be at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Pouring the egg in a thin stream while stirring the soup gently creates delicate ribbons of cooked egg that add protein and a luxurious mouthfeel. If the soup is boiling too vigorously, the egg will cook into large, unappealing clumps. The low-sodium soy sauce and optional cooking wine (or mirin/sherry) are crucial for building umami and depth, transforming a simple broth into something more complex. Ensure the ginger and garlic are finely minced to release their aromatic oils effectively into the broth.

Troubleshooting

• Problem: Soup is too thin. Fix: Create another small slurry of cornflour and cold water (about 1 tsp cornflour to 1 tbsp water) and whisk it into the simmering soup, a little at a time, until the desired thickness is reached. Cook for another minute to ensure the starch is fully activated.
• Problem: Soup is too thick. Fix: Thin the soup by gradually stirring in more chicken or vegetable broth/stock until it reaches your preferred consistency. Reheat gently if necessary.
• Problem: Egg formed clumps instead of ribbons. Fix: This usually happens if the soup was boiling too rapidly when the egg was added. To fix, you can try to gently break up the clumps with a spoon or ladle. For future attempts, ensure the soup is at a gentle simmer and drizzle the egg in a thin stream while stirring continuously.
• Problem: Bland flavor. Fix: Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more soy sauce for saltiness and umami, a pinch of salt, or a dash of white pepper for a subtle kick. A tiny splash more of cooking wine or mirin can also enhance the overall flavor profile.

Substitutions

• Chicken Broth: Vegetable broth or a good quality bouillon cube dissolved in water can be used for a vegetarian or vegan option (ensure no animal products in other ingredients). The flavor will be less rich but still pleasant.
• Creamed Corn: For a different texture, you can use whole kernel corn (canned or frozen). You may need to slightly increase the cornflour for thickening as it won’t have the inherent starchiness of creamed corn.
• Chinese Cooking Wine/Mirin/Dry Sherry: If you prefer not to use alcohol or cannot find these, you can omit them entirely. A tiny splash of rice vinegar can add a touch of acidity, or a pinch of sugar can add a hint of sweetness to compensate for the flavor complexity lost.
• Fresh Ginger/Garlic: Ground ginger (about 1/4 tsp) and garlic powder (about 1/8 tsp) can be used in a pinch, but fresh ingredients provide a much brighter and more robust flavor. Add them earlier in the cooking process to allow their flavors to meld.

Pro tips

• For extra flavor, use homemade chicken stock.
• If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, a dry sherry or even a splash of mirin works well. Omit if necessary.
• Ensure the soup is just off the boil before whisking in the egg for perfect ribbons.

Enjoy this delightful and warming chicken corn soup any time you need a quick, satisfying meal. Variations are endless!

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