Easy, healthy and brimming with flavour, you can't beat a bowl of Chinese Chicken and Sweetcorn soup. Enjoy tender shredded chicken, and sweet corn kernels, surrounded by egg ribbons in a warming umami broth with just 20 minutes of cooking and prep time.
For more tasty and nutritious chicken soup recipes try my Easy Spicy Chicken Miso Ramen, Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup and Easy Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
✅ 5 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- Warming, comforting and delicious
- Ready in 20 minutes
- Nutritious
- Uses simple everyday ingredients
- Puts leftover chicken to a good use
🛒 What is Chinese chicken and sweetcorn soup made of?
This soup requires a few simple core ingredients including chicken, corn, egg and stock.
Which type of chicken should I use?
Any cooked chicken will work well including, breast, thighs or leftover rotisserie chicken.
If you don't have leftover cooked chicken to hand you can quickly cook up some thighs or breast or buy rotisserie chicken from your local store.
Corn
You can use tinned, frozen or fresh corn. If you're using frozen corn there's no need to defrost it first, just make sure you simmer it in the soup for a few minutes until hot.
Stock
You can use fresh chicken stock or powdered stock/cubes.
If you have an instant pot you can make a batch of fresh homemade stock with this easy recipe.
You can also switch the chicken stock for vegetable stock if you prefer.
Seasoning
White pepper, garlic powder and sesame oil are added to give the soup a tasty umami flavour. You can use black pepper or a clove of fresh garlic instead.
I find adding a little chicken stock powder deepens the flavour when I make the soup with fresh homemade stock. However, it may not be needed if you use a generous amount of powdered stock. Taste first to see.
🧑🍳 Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup in 4 easy steps
1. Eggs and slurry
Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat and set aside. Then mix the cornflour and water to make the slurry.
2. Stock
Add the chicken stock and whites of the spring onions/scallions to a saucepan and bring to boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and stir in the slurry and chicken stock powder, sesame oil, garlic powder, salt and white pepper.
3. Eggs
Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, gently whisking as you go so small egg ribbons are formed.
4. Corn & Chicken
Add the corn and chicken and simmer for a few minutes until warmed through. Serve immediately topped with the green parts of the spring onion/scallions.
👍 Top tips
- Taste the stock before seasoning - adding extra stock powder deepens the tasty savoury flavour, however, if you have made stock using a strong stock power this may not be necessary. I advise tasting first.
- Add eggs before chicken and corn - to let them form tasty little egg ribbons without being obstructed by the chicken and corn.
- Simmer the chicken and corn in the soup until warm - if you are using frozen corn this might take a little longer.
🙋 FAQs
Chicken, egg and corn, the three main ingredients in chicken and sweetcorn soup are rich in protein, vitamins C, D, B and antioxidants making it one of the healthier choices on the Chinese menu.
Because chicken and sweetcorn soup is rich in protein and fibrous corn it is low in fat and will keep you full for longer making it a good choice for weight loss.
Beaten egg is often poured into chicken and corn soup at the end of the cooking process and gently stirred to form egg ribbons. This adds additional flavour and texture making the soup thicker, creamier and richer in flavour.
Although chicken and sweetcorn soup is commonly found on Chinese restaurant and takeaway menus it originated in the US where it was invented by Chinese immigrants who opened up small restaurants. Corn was plentiful and inexpensive so they used it to make a tasty soup with Asian and Western flavours.
Serving suggestions
Chicken and sweetcorn soup is satisfying, nutritious and easily considered a light meal in its own right. It goes well with a side of prawn crackers or bread and can also be served as a starter.
Variations
Ingredients:
- Fresh herbs - top the cooked soup with chives, coriander/cilantro or parsley.
- Creamed corn soup - add a little cream or coconut milk
- Pork - pork is commonly used in Cantonese carrot and sweetcorn soup, commonly referred to as 'ABC soup' because the broth contains vitamins A, B and C.
- Seafood - swap the chicken for shrimp or crab. This is a common variation in New Orleans where Cajun seasoning is added to the broth.
- Noodles - add egg or vermicelli noodles for a hearty noodle soup
Cooking method:
- Slow cooker - using a slow cooker will deepen the flavour of the soup and cook raw chicken until soft and tender. This recipe has not been tested in a slow cooker so I would recommend you try a specific slow cooker recipe like this one.
- Instant pot - get tasty soup with tender chicken in just 30 minutes. This recipe will show you how.
📦 Storage
How long can you keep chicken and sweetcorn soup in the fridge?
Chicken and corn soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. First leave it to cool completely then cover or place it into an airtight container and refrigerate. Then reheat thoroughly on the stove or in the microwave.
Can you freeze it?
The cooked soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely then pour it into airtight containers and freeze. Defrost the soup in the fridge then reheat thoroughly on the stove or in the microwave.
😋 Check out my other easy chicken and corn soup recipes
If you enjoyed this chicken and sweetcorn soup you should try my other soup recipes including my Mexican style corn soup, easy chicken ramen, spicy chicken noodle soup and creamy chicken tortellini soup. They are all warming, easy to put together and packed with flavour.
Did you try this recipe? It would be really great if you could leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️. I would love to receive your feedback and know that other readers find it helpful too.
Don't forget to tag #knifeandsoulrecipes on Instagram or @knifeandsoul on Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Chinese Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 litre (4.25 cups) chicken stock (Note 1)
- 2 spring onions/scallions thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
- 3 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tsp chicken stock powder equivalent to one stock cube - (Note 2)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 300 grams (2 cups) cooked shredded chicken (Note 3)
- 300 grams (2 cups) corn (Note 4)
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a jug or bowl, beat until smooth and set aside.
- Make the slurry by mixing the cornflour/cornstarch with the water in a cup or small bowl.
- Place a pan on a medium to high heat, add the chicken stock and white parts of the spring onions/scallions and bring to boil.
- Reduce the heat of the pan to medium once the stock starts to boil and stir in the cornflour/cornstarch slurry.
- Stir in the chicken stock powder, sesame oil, garlic powder, salt and white pepper.
- Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, stirring continuously as you go to form small egg ribbons.
- Add the cooked chicken and corn and increase the heat of the pan to bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- Serve immediately, topped with the green parts of the spring onions/scallions
Notes
- Chicken stock: You can use fresh chicken stock or powdered stock/cubes. You can also use vegetable stock if you prefer.
- Extra chicken stock powder: Adding extra stock powder deepens the tasty savoury flavour. However, if you have made stock using a generous amount of stock power this may not be necessary. I advise tasting first.
- Chicken: if you do not have leftover cooked chicken, you can use store-bought
rotisserie chicken or cook up some chicken from scratch. Simply poach or bake
chicken legs or fry and gently boil breast or thighs. - Corn: You can use tinned, frozen or fresh corn. If you're using frozen corn there's no need to defrost it first, just make sure you simmer it in the soup for a few minutes until hot.
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