Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

Faster than ordering from your favourite Chinese takeaway, this comforting and delicious chicken and sweetcorn soup (also known as egg drop soup) can be on your table in less than 15 minutes. Simple and affordable, you can now enjoy this easy soup at home, any time! Perfect as a complete meal, or as part of a homemade Asian style banquet.

A classic winter warmer, this Chinese chicken and sweetcorn soup makes the perfect quick and easy family midweek meal! Made with a can of creamed corn, leftover chicken and broth that is seasoned with ginger and sesame oil, this soup is comforting, flavourful and absolutely delicious.

Did anyone else grow up eating chicken and sweetcorn soup at Chinese restaurants?

I have the fondest memories of eating out at our local Chinese restaurant with my grandparents as a kid. And the restaurant is still there today, still owned and operated by the same people! It is still a special place for me to go with my nan; and now I take my kids along too.

Chicken and corn soup was my favourite thing to order from the menu, along with spring rolls and chicken with cashews. And now, when we have “fakeaway” nights at home, it’s something I love to make for my family to enjoy too! This soup is perfect for a cheap midweek meal, as it contains inexpensive, tasty ingredients that the whole family will love.

If you’re craving a comforting and delicious soup this winter, grab a pot (or your pressure cooker!) and make a quick batch of this chicken and sweetcorn soup recipe. It tastes just like what you find in Chinese restaurants and will become your new go-to soup recipe!

How to make chicken and sweetcorn soup from scratch

For the fastest and easiest Chinese chicken and corn soup recipe, I use a bag of pre-cooked chicken from my freezer, or a half rotisserie chicken, shredded. It is the easiest and most convenient way to make this recipe and chicken and corn soup with rotisserie chicken is super flavourful and tender!

If you don’t have that option, cook two chicken breasts separately and then shred them with a fork before adding them to the soup, or add the raw chicken to the soup to cook in the broth.

This chicken and sweetcorn soup recipe can be made on either stove top or pressure cooker;

For the stovetop;

1. Stir together all of the base soup ingredients; the chicken stock, creamed corn, frozen corn, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing (Chinese wine) and sesame oil.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes, until the corn is cooked.
3. Mix the cornflour (cornstarch) with a little water and stir it through the soup.
4. Add the shredded chicken and spring onions and continue to simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Egg drop! Using a spoon, slowly stir the soup in circles and slowly drizzle the egg whites into the soup. The eggs will cook as soon as they hit the hot soup and start to make streaky white ribbons.
6. Season with salt and a little white pepper and serve with extra shredded spring onions.

If you are adding raw chicken to the soup, add pieces of chicken breast or thigh into the stock and simmer until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the soup and shred them with a fork, then add it back into the soup.

For the pressure cooker (or Instant Pot);

1. Add the chicken stock, creamed corn, frozen corn, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing (Chinese wine) and sesame oil into the bowl of your pressure cooker. Cover with the lid and select the ‘soup’ setting, or ‘manual’ for 8 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to build pressure and seal before it starts cooking. This may take 15 minutes.
2. Once cooked, carefully release the pressure valve and remove the lid. Mix the cornflour (cornstarch) with a little water and stir it through the soup.
3. Egg drop! Using a spoon, slowly stir the soup in circles and slowly drizzle the egg whites into the soup. The eggs will cook as soon as they hit the hot soup and start to make streaky white ribbons.
4. Add the shredded chicken and spring onions and stir through the hot soup.
5. Season with salt and a little white pepper and serve with extra shredded spring onions.

If you are adding raw chicken to the soup, add pieces of chicken breast or thigh into the pressure cooker bowl to cook with the other soup ingredients. Once the soup has finished, remove the chicken from the soup and shred, then add it back into the soup.

Flavour variations

• Add extra veggies! If you are feeling a little under the weather and want to add even more nutrients to this comforting soup, feel free to add your favourite veggies! I usually add some grated carrot and chopped spinach for my kids. Or you can try shredded cabbage, Chinese broccoli, zucchini or a mix of shredded greens.
• For a vegetarian option, skip the chicken and try adding vegetable stock and extra veggies instead.

More quick and easy “takeaway” at home recipes;

• Easy homemade fried rice
• Char siu pork spring rolls
• Chicken with cashews
• Prawn gyoza recipe

Or try these other delicious and easy “takeout” meals that you can make at home.

More homemade soup recipes you will love;

• Roast pumpkin soup
• Pork ramen noodle soup
• Mexican chicken and vegetable soup

Thanks for reading! If you try this easy chicken and sweetcorn soup recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to leave a comment or rating below, or send me a message. For more food inspiration, tips and to share your own recipes and creations, head over to my Facebook Recipe Group. 

Chinese Style Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

Faster than ordering from your favourite Chinese takeaway, this comforting and delicious chicken and sweetcorn soup (also known as egg drop soup) can be on your table in less than 15 minutes. Simple and affordable, you can now enjoy this easy soup at home, any time! Perfect as a complete meal, or as part of a homemade Asian style banquet.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: chicken and corn soup, Chicken and sweetcorn soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 283kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 can creamed corn 400 grams
• 1 1/3 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 tsp ginger fresh, finely grated, or ground ginger
• 2-3 tbs light soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine, or substitute for mirin
• 2 chicken breasts pre-cooked and shredded. Or 1/2 rotisserie/bbq chicken, shredded. Alternatively, cook 2 chopped chicken breasts in the broth (instructions below)
• 2 tsp cornflour cornstarch
• 3 egg whites lightly beaten
• 3 spring onions chopped
• salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

Stove top instructions

• In a large pot, stir the chicken stock, creamed corn, frozen corn kernels together with the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and shaoxing.
• Bring the soup to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the corn is cooked (around 2-3 minutes).
• Mix the cornflour with 1/4 cup of water and stir it through the soup.
• Add the cooked, shredded chicken** and most of the spring onions (reserve some for garnishing).
• Using a spoon, slowly stir the soup and drizzle in the egg whites in a steady stream. The eggs will cook as they hit the hot soup and create white ribbons.
• Season with salt and a little white pepper and serve hot with extra shredded spring onions.
• **If using raw chicken, add chopped pieces of the chicken into the soup at the beginning and simmer until cooked through. Carefully remove the chicken pieces and shred them before returning them to the soup.

Pressure cooker instructions

• Add the chicken stock, creamed corn, frozen corn kernels together with the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and shaoxing to the bowl of your pressure cooker.
• Cover the pressure cooker with the lid and select either the 'soup' setting if your cooker has it, or 'manual' for 8 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to build pressure and seal before it starts cooking. This may take 15 minutes.
• Once cooked, carefully release the pressure valve and remove the lid. Mix the cornflour (cornstarch) with a little water and stir it through the soup.
• Using a spoon, slowly stir the soup in circles and slowly drizzle the egg whites into the soup. The eggs will cook as soon as they hit the hot soup and start to make streaky white ribbons.
• Add the shredded chicken** and most of the spring onions (reserve some for the garnish) and stir through the hot soup.
• Season with salt and a little white pepper and serve hot with extra shredded spring onions.
• ** If you are adding raw chicken to the soup, add pieces of chicken breast or thigh into the pressure cooker bowl to cook with the other soup ingredients. Once the soup has finished, remove the chicken from the soup and shred, then add it back into the soup.

Notes

I use pre-cooked, shredded chicken from the freezer when I make this soup at home. For fast and easy soup, this option, or half a cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken are the best options. If using raw chicken, simply chop into pieces and add them to the soup to cook through. Carefully remove the chicken, shred and return it to the soup.

 

This soup will keep in the fridge for 3 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply freeze in single serves and re-heat in the microwave or in a large pot on the stove. 

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Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 742mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg

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