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May 21, 2022

Chicken and Corn Soup

This chicken and corn soup is easy to prepare and takes less than 30 minutes to make, start to finish. 

Chicken and Corn Soup in bowls.


This chicken and corn soup is a delicious combination of Asian and American ingredients. It can be found on the menus of Chinese restaurants and is thickened by an unexpected ingredient, canned cream corn. 

Chinese corn soup is also a variation of egg drop soup with long thin strands of egg swirled throughout the creamy broth, adding to the richness of the soup. 

To prevent the egg from becoming scrambled eggs in the soup, you slowly pour it into the soup with one hand while stirring the soup with a long spoon or chopstick in one direction to create a whirlpool. Once you have swirled in the egg, you should see a tangle of tiny threads in the soup. 

Chicken and Corn Soup in a pan.

  


This chicken and corn soup may have roots in Hong Kong and Taiwan, possibly in the 1950s or 1960s, because American products, including canned creamed corn, had become available there, and were actually considered exotic delicacies. The name of the soup in Mandarin is ji rong yu mi tang. 

Chinese versions of this soup use very little chicken and the chicken itself is finely minced, almost like ground chicken. For this version, I used a little more chicken, and cut it into 1/2 inch bite-sized pieces. 

Chicken and Corn Soup in a bowl.


How to make this chicken and corn soup:

First, briefly marinate the chicken in a little soy sauce and cornstarch. At the same time, whisk the egg, adding a pinch of salt, until it is completely yellow and blended. Set it aside for adding to the soup at the end. 

After that, bring chicken broth to a simmer, along with some soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a cornstarch slurry. Add the creamed corn and the chicken and cook for about five minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. 

Season to taste with salt and white pepper and add a dash of sesame oil. 

Finally, off heat, slowly stir in the egg while swirling the soup with your other hand. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with scallions or chives. 

Chicken and Corn Soup in bowls.



Chinese chicken and corn soup recipe variations:

You can substitute leftover cooked shredded chicken, such as rotisserie chicken, instead of the marinated chicken. Just cook long enough to warm it through. 

You can also skip the egg if you prefer, although mastering the egg drop "flower" in the soup is a lot of fun. 

While not traditional, you can use other vegetables that you might have hanging out in your fridge. You could also add fresh, frozen, or canned corn kernels for more sweet corn flavor. 

To add a smoky flavor to the soup, add a couple of tablespoons of finely chopped smoked ham. 

For a more luxurious version, you can substitute some lump crab meat or lobster for the chicken. 

Chicken and Corn Soup in bowls.


This chicken and corn soup is also tasty reheated the next day or two. 

More Chinese-style soups:

Lobster Wonton and Corn Chowder

Hot and Sour Soup with Pork

Chicken Dumpling Soup


More Soups with Corn:

Corn and Roasted Sweet Red Pepper Soup

Fresh Corn Soup with Seared Scallops

Sausage, Bell Pepper, and Corn Soup


Welcome to Soup Saturday! We meet monthly to share soup recipes with a theme. This month's theme is corn. Check out everyone's soup with corn recipes:


Chicken and Corn Soup in a bowl.



Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup

Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup
Yield: 4 servings
Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min
This chicken and corn soup is easy to prepare and takes less than 30 minutes to make, start to finish.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, divided
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
  • 1 egg
  • Salt to taste (it depends on the amount of salt in the broth/stock)
  • 4 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 14- to 15-ounce can of creamed corn
  • white pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons finely sliced scallions or chives

Instructions

  1. in a medium bowl, toss the chicken in a tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of cornstarch.
  2. Whisk the egg, along with a pinch of salt, until the egg is completely yellow and blended. Set it aside for adding to the soup at the end.
  3. In a 4 quart sauce pan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer, along with a teaspoon of soy sauce, the ginger, and garlic. Stir the remaining corn starch with a tablespoon of water together in a small bowl and add it to the broth. Add the can of creamed corn and the chicken and simmer for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through.
  4. Season to taste with salt and white pepper and stir in the sesame oil.
  5. Finally, off heat, slowly drizzle in the egg while stirring the soup in one circular direction with a long handled spoon or chop stick. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with scallions or chives.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

265.54

Fat (grams)

7.7

Sat. Fat (grams)

1.89

Carbs (grams)

29.67

Fiber (grams)

1.54

Net carbs

28.15

Sugar (grams)

7.27

Protein (grams)

20.92

Sodium (milligrams)

1585.91

Cholesterol (grams)

101.99
corn, chicken
Soup
Chinese
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Would you like to comment?

  1. I have never heard of this version of egg drop soup. I'm anxious to try it. Thanks Karen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is most comforting soup recipe , I need to give this chicken and corn soup a try, never thought chicken and corn together.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would finish that bowl and want more of this soup Karen.. looks yum!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The flavor profile sounds yum! Love the delicious pictures too!

    ReplyDelete

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