Chinese Chicken Corn Soup
(better than takeout)
This Chinese chicken corn soup recipe is the kind of thing you make on a cold evening and end up eating two bowls of. Thick, warming, and ready in under an hour. The blended corn gives it that creamy texture without any cream, and the egg whites drizzled in at the end create those silky ribbons you get at a good Chinese restaurant.
Chinese chicken corn soup — creamy, thick, silky egg ribbons, no cream needed
What Makes This Chinese Chicken Corn Soup Recipe Work
Most versions of this Chinese chicken corn soup use one tin of corn and call it done. This recipe uses two tins with a key difference: one goes in whole for texture, and the other gets blended into a thick corn puree that becomes the base of the soup. That combination gives you body and creaminess without any thickener other than the corn itself and a small cornflour slurry at the end.
The egg white technique is also worth paying attention to. You need the soup at a rolling boil and you need to drizzle the whites in slowly while stirring constantly. Do it right and you get those beautiful silky threads. Rush it and you get scrambled egg chunks.
How to Make Chinese Chicken Corn Soup, Step by Step
- In a large pot, heat a little oil and fry the chicken strips over medium heat until cooked through. You are not looking for colour here — just cooked through so they stay tender.
- Remove the chicken and set aside. In the same pot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and fry gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pot and add one full can of corn. Stir together.
- Take the second can of corn and blend it with a hand blender until smooth. Add this corn puree to the pot.
- Pour in the chicken stock, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring everything to a boil.
- Once the Chinese chicken corn soup is at a rolling boil, reduce to a steady simmer.
- Slowly drizzle the egg whites into the pot in a thin stream while stirring constantly in one direction. The whites will cook instantly into silky ribbons as they hit the hot soup.
- Mix the cornflour with a cup of warm water until fully dissolved, then pour into the soup while stirring.
- Add the green onions and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for another couple of minutes until the Chinese chicken corn soup reaches your preferred thickness, then serve hot.
- 🍗 Chicken cut: Thin strips cook quickly and stay tender in this Chinese chicken corn soup. Avoid cubes — they take longer and can go dry before the soup is done.
- 🌽 Two-corn method: Do not skip blending one of the cans. It is what gives this soup its signature creamy texture without any dairy.
- 🥚 Egg white temperature: Room temperature egg whites drizzle more evenly than cold ones straight from the fridge. Take them out 10 minutes before you need them.
- 🍲 Better the next day: Like most soups, this Chinese chicken corn soup tastes even better reheated once the flavours have had time to develop. Make a big batch.
- 🧂 Seasoning last: Taste before adding salt. The chicken stock and soy sauce both bring a lot of sodium already, so you may need less than you expect.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chinese Chicken Corn Soup
Drop a comment below and let me know how this Chinese chicken corn soup turned out. If you tried the vegetarian version with tofu, I would love to hear how that went. If you're into Asian soups, the udon noodle chicken soup is another bowl worth making. Tag your photos and show off that bowl.