As the chill of winter settles in, there’s nothing quite like a comforting bowl of soup to warm your body and soothe your soul. While classic chicken soup is undeniably delicious, why not take it up a notch with the exquisite flavours of Chinese chicken & corn soup?
This winter warmer is a delightful twist on the traditional chicken soup, offering a tantalizing combination of tender chicken, sweet corn and warming spices with the addition of egg and rice for added flavour and texture. Its part soup, part congee I suppose and you are going to love it!
Why this recipe is amazing
- Comforting and Nourishing: As a winter warmer, this soup provides comfort and nourishment, making it an ideal choice for cold days or when you’re feeling under the weather.
- Easy to Prepare: The recipe is straightforward and can be easily thrown together with ingredients in your fridge, freezer and pantry. It’s a great way to use leftover rice and vegetables.
- Versatile and Adaptable: You can tailor the soup by adding extra vegetables, adjusting the spiciness, or even making it vegetarian or vegan. The possibilities for customization are endless.
- Unforgettable Flavour: Tantalizes your taste buds with its unique blend of ingredients, creating an amazing flavour profile that will leave you craving more.
- Anti-inflammatory & Immune-boosting properties: Our grandmas have long been boasting the benefits of garlic and ginger when you feel poorly. This is chicken soup for the soul and immune system.
What ingredients are needed
- Chicken breast: Chicken breast is lean and tender, providing a good source of protein. It adds flavour and texture to the soup, making it more satisfying and nutritious.
- Corn: Sweet corn adds a natural sweetness and vibrant colour to the soup. It brings a pleasant crunch and a burst of freshness to each spoonful. Easily substitute for frozen or canned corn too!
- Egg: Adding beaten eggs to the soup creates delicate ribbons or strands of cooked egg throughout the broth. The eggs add texture, visual appeal, and subtle richness to the soup. They also contribute to the overall heartiness of the dish. Easily omit egg if preferred.
- Rice: The addition of cooked rice helps to make the soup more substantial and satisfying. It adds a comforting and filling element to the soup, making it a complete and balanced meal on its own. Easily omit if preferred.
- Garlic: Garlic is known for its aromatic and savoury qualities. It enhances the overall flavour profile of the soup and provides potential health benefits, including immune-boosting and antiviral properties.
- Ginger: Ginger adds a distinct zing and warmth to the soup. It contributes a subtle spiciness and soothing effect, helping to alleviate cold and flu symptoms such as sore throat and congestion.
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce is a staple condiment in Chinese cuisine. It adds a savoury umami flavour to the soup, enhancing the overall taste. It also provides a touch of saltiness to balance the sweetness of the corn. Use Tamari as a substitute to make it Gluten free.
- Sesame oil: Sesame oil adds a rich nutty flavour and aroma to the soup. It is commonly used in Chinese cooking and complements the other ingredients, lending a depth of flavour.
- Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing): Shaoxing wine is a traditional Chinese rice wine that imparts a distinct flavour to the soup. It enhances the overall taste and adds complexity to the dish.
Setting you up for success – Tips & Tricks
- Make the soup more substantial: add additional vegetables such as sliced mushrooms, snow peas or diced carrots along with the corn kernels.
- Make it Gluten-free: Use Tamari instead of regular soy sauce to make it Gluten free.
- Always be tasting: Adjust the seasoning according to your taste preferences. You can add more soy sauce for a saltier flavour or increase the amount of black pepper for a spicier kick.
- For a thicker soup consistency: mix a small amount of cornstarch with water to create a slurry and stir it into the soup during the simmering process. This will help thicken the soup slightly.
- For a quicker version: use pre-cooked or leftover chicken instead of cooking the chicken breast from scratch. Shred the cooked chicken and add it to the soup during the final stages of cooking.
- Increase the flavour: To extract maximum flavour from the ginger, grate it using a microplane or fine grater. Use a mincer to crush the garlic. This will release the juices and infuse the soup with more aromatic essence.
- Drizzle the egg gently: When adding the beaten eggs to the soup, drizzle them slowly in a steady stream while stirring the soup gently with a fork or chopsticks. This will create delicate ribbons of cooked egg throughout the soup.
- Garnish, Garnish, Garnish: Finish fresh coriander/cilantro just before serving to add a burst of freshness and vibrant colour.
- Adjust the level of spiciness: add Szechuan chilli oil according to your preference. Start with a small amount and gradually increase if desired. Completely omit it if it ain’t your jam, that’s totally ok!
Frequently Asked Questions
When I made this dish on our live cooking show, some community members asked:
Yes, you can substitute chicken breast with other types of chicken meat such as chicken thigh or even use diced pork if you prefer. Adjust the cooking time accordingly to ensure the meat is cooked through.
Yes, you can use frozen corn kernels if fresh corn is unavailable. While fresh gives a better flavour, you can substitute easily. Simply thaw the frozen corn before adding it to the soup.
Certainly! You can omit the chicken and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock powder. Replace the chicken with tofu cubes or add more vegetables like mushrooms or sliced carrots for added texture and flavour.
Yes, it can be frozen and eaten later. Let the soup cool down completely, transfer it to airtight containers, and freeze. Thaw and reheat gently on the stovetop when ready to serve. Note that the texture of the corn and rice might slightly change upon freezing and reheating.
Of course! The spiciness of the soup can be adjusted according to personal preference. If you prefer a milder soup, reduce the amount of Szechuan chilli oil or omit it entirely. If you prefer more heat, you can increase the amount of chilli oil or add additional chilli flakes.
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Chinese Chicken & Corn Soup
Equipment
- large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 chicken breast finely diced
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 corn ears kernels removed
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 stalks spring onion/scallion finely sliced
- 1½-2 tsp chicken stock powder
- 3½-4 cups water
- 2-3 tbsp soy sauce use tamari to make GF.
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tbsp shaoxing Chinese cooking wine
- ½ cup cooked rice
- 2 eggs whisked
To serve
- coriander/cilantro
- spring onion/scallion
- Szechuan chilli oil to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the diced chicken breast to the pot and sprinkle with black pepper. Cook until the chicken is lightly browned and cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced spring onion to the pot. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the corn kernels to the pot and stir them in with the other ingredients. Sauté for a minute until the corn becomes vibrant yellow.
- Pour in the water before stirring in the chicken stock powder, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
- Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the soup while stirring gently. The eggs will cook and create ribbons in the soup.
- Add the cooked rice to the soup and stir gently to incorporate it.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more soy sauce or pepper according to your preference.
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Drizzle Szechuan chili oil over the soup according to your desired level of spiciness and garnish with spring onion/scallion and coriander/cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make the soup more substantial, you can add additional vegetables such as sliced mushrooms or diced carrots along with the corn kernels.
- Adjust the seasoning according to your taste preferences. You can add more chicken stock powder or soy sauce for a saltier flavour or increase the amount of chilli for a spicier kick.
- If you prefer a thicker soup consistency, you can mix a small amount of cornflour/starch (1/2-1 tsp) with water to create a slurry and stir it into the soup during the simmering process. This will help thicken the soup slightly.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Former operating room Nurse and self-taught home cook + IT Engineer passionate about Approachable, No-Nonsense recipes to help you level up in the kitchen. We create simplified dishes for busy people with easy-to-find ingredients!
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Soup has always been one of my comfort foods, and this one has just shot to the top of my list. Super simple to put together, and the flavor profile is both light and complex. While I can see how it would be great on a cold winter’s night I’m currently enjoying it as lunch outside on my back porch on a hot summer day. I opted to add the rice in-bowl rather than the overall pot, both to control the amount and so I can freeze the rest to enjoy on a day down the road where I need a physical and mental pick-me-up.