This weekend, as I was making a wonderful chicken pie recipe, I did something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time: I made my own cream of chicken soup. I knew it was a fairly simple thing to do but just had never taken the time to do so, even though I really don’t like using the stuff in a can. Why? Because I can smell the salt, for one thing. Canned condensed soups have more sodium than I prefer to feed my family. This recipe has only a 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt and is made with other simple ingredients you probably have on hand. Also, you can flavor it the way you like, adding herbs and spices to make it your own. So, it’s more healthy and more tasty….you have to love that! Here’s how:
Ingredients
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
Optional: diced cooked chicken, poultry seasoning or sage to taste
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add flour and salt, stirring to combine. Cook until bubbly. Add milk slowly, using wire whisk to stir then add chicken broth the same way. Cook until smooth and thickened. Makes just about the same amount of soup as one 10 oz. can. (Adapted from The Newcomer’s Guide to Cooking in Africa: American Recipes from Scratch)
This was delicious in the chicken pie we had…The casserole was much less salty and lighter feeling than when I’ve made it in the past using canned soup.
Enjoy!
Cannot TELL you how long I’ve looked for a DIY cream of chicken soup. I have a decent cream of mushroom one, but have found this one to be elusive. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
You’re so welcome! I hope you enjoy it!
I tried this one out recently and am wondering if you have had any luck with it in crockpot recipes. I’m worried about curdling.
I’m sorry, but I haven’t tried it that way yet…will post an update when I do though!
you just made my day! i’ve stopped buying campbell’s but need something to replace my cream of chicken/mushroom in some recipes. this looks really easy! thank you! visiting from wfmw.
So glad you stopped by! Hope it helps…
Thank you so much! My husband was recently diagnosed with a corn allergy and we had to cut out ALL commercially canned cream soups and some of my favorite recipes use them! This will definitely help.
You’re so welcome! A member of my family has severe food allergies so I know what an adjustment that can require and am so glad this might help!
So glad I found you on Its a Keeper today. I do not buy the soups, either…and have been attempting my own creamy soups….I see now why I have failed. Have you tried this with freshly ground flour? We grind ours….and bake our own bread for reasons similar to the one you have for your soup. The bread on the market and the flour…are very unhealthy and are causing many of the health problems we have today……I’ll have to try it with my flour…I bet it will be yummy!
Thanks!
I’m definitely going to try this. I’ve been wanting to make my own cream of… soups. Thanks for the recipe. Visiting from It’s a Keeper.
I can’t wait to try this!! I hate using canned anything, but use it becuase I didn’t have a recipe. Thanks for sharing. I found you from it’s a keeper hop.