What Is Cream of chicken soup and How Can I Use It?
If cream of chicken soup has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 234 recipes to try it in.
Key Points
- Condensed canned soup used as an instant seasoned roux, not eaten as soup.
- The classic casserole binder; melts into fillings and becomes a creamy gravy.
- Warm it gently with a splash of liquid; the flour-thick paste scorches on dry heat.
- High in sodium, so taste the finished dish before adding any more salt.
- A ten-minute homemade roux of butter, flour, broth, and milk replaces one can.
What is cream of chicken soup?
Cream of chicken soup is the condensed canned soup that has anchored American casseroles for generations. It is a thick, pale, savory paste of chicken stock and fat thickened with flour, scarcely pourable straight from the can.
It is rarely eaten as soup. Cooks reach for it as an instant sauce: a ready-made roux already seasoned with chicken flavor and salt, with a hint of celery and onion. Stir it into a dish and it thickens and binds without any extra work.
That role as a shortcut binder is the whole point of keeping a can in the pantry.
[Hearty condensed cream of chicken soup][img1-big]
How to Use It
Condensed means concentrated. The can is built to have liquid added, usually a canful of milk or broth, but in casseroles you often skip the dilution and let the soup melt into whatever moisture the dish already has.
Its classic job is gluing a casserole together. It holds the filling in Doritos Chicken Casserole and Enchilada Pie, and it becomes the creamy gravy under One Pan Chicken & Noodles. It also makes a fast pot-pie filling, as in Chicken Pot Pie # 2.
A common mistake is scorching. The flour-thick soup catches and burns on a hot dry pan, so warm it over gentle heat with a splash of liquid, stirring, rather than blasting it.
Flavor and Pairings
The soup brings salt, fat, and savory chicken umami all in one spoonful, which is why it makes bland casseroles taste rich. That same saltiness is the thing to watch.
Because a single can carries a lot of sodium, hold back on extra salt until you have tasted the finished dish. Pair it with chicken, rice, pasta, broccoli, potatoes, and mild cheeses, where its mellow background flavor lifts them without competing.
Substitutes
You can make a fresh version in about ten minutes, and many cooks prefer it.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter, whisk in 3 tablespoons flour, and cook the paste a minute. Slowly add 1 cup chicken broth and ½ cup milk and simmer until thick, then season it with salt and pepper and a pinch of poultry seasoning.
To swap brands, cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup works one for one in most casseroles, changing the background flavor but not the texture. Plain white sauce seasoned with bouillon covers it too. For a dairy-free version, use a thick roux made with broth and unsweetened plant milk.
Buying and Storing
Standard cans run about 10.5 ounces (roughly 298 grams), the size most casserole recipes assume when they call for "one can." Lower-sodium and "healthy request" versions exist if salt is a concern. Reject any can that is bulging or rusted, or that leaks.
Unopened cans keep in the pantry for a year or more, well past the printed best-by date in most cases. Once opened, move any leftover into a sealed container and refrigerate for three to four days; do not store it in the open can.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup (251g)Quick facts
Where to find cream of chicken soup: Cream of chicken soup is usually found in the soups section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Soup, cream of chicken is a member of the Soups, Sauces, and Gravies US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 汤，奶油鸡
- British (UK) term
- Soup, cream of chicken
- en français
- crème de la soupe au poulet
- en español
- crema de sopa de pollo
How much does cream of chicken soup weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 251 grams |
| 1 can (10.75 oz) | 305 grams |
Related
Soups, Sauces, and Gravies
Recipes using cream of chicken soup
There are 234 recipes that contain this ingredient.
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Cracker Barrel's Hashbrown Casserole with Corn Flakes
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Large, gooey and cheesy pot of chicken, rice and broccoli. Classic American comfort food that my family loves.
Mom's Hash Brown Potato Casserole
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8 Can Taco Soup
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Chicken Mac Casserole
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Creamy Curry Chicken Casserole
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Chicken Broccoli Casserole
A simple and delicious chicken casserole that doesn't take a lot to make or enjoy!
Mix & Match Casserole
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Chicken Ole
Slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole layered with flour tortillas, creamy soup sauce, green chili salsa, sour cream, and melted cheddar. Feeds a crowd of 12.
DIY Chicken Broccoli Pockets
DIY chicken broccoli pockets stuff warm pita with a creamy filling of cooked chicken, broccoli, and shredded carrot in a lemony cream-of-chicken sauce. A fast, 25-minute lunch or weeknight dinner.
Crockpot Chicken Tortillas
Crockpot chicken tortilla casserole layers shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, green chili salsa, tortillas, and cheese. Hands-off slow cooker enchilada-style dinner.
Favourite Mexican Chicken & Noodles Casserole
Favourite Mexican Chicken And Noodles Casserole recipe
Saucy Meatballs
Saucy meatballs simmered in a creamy cream-of-chicken and sour cream sauce with a whisper of nutmeg. Retro stovetop comfort food ready over noodles or rice.
Lemony Chicken Crepes
Lemony chicken crepes filled with seared chicken in a cream of chicken and yogurt sauce, topped with a lemon-mushroom sauce and baked until bubbly. A tangy, creamy main dish.
Fowl Affair
Chicken and rice casserole baked with four cans of cream soup for a creamy, hands-off one-pan dinner. Just layer, cover, and bake for three hours with almost no prep.
Creamy Chicken Bake
Chicken breasts layered with Swiss cheese, smothered in cream of chicken soup, and topped with buttery herb stuffing crumbs. Five ingredients, 10 minutes prep, pure comfort.
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pockets
A creamy make-ahead filling for chicken broccoli pockets, loaded with cooked chicken, broccoli, mozzarella, and cream of chicken soup. Portion and freeze it now, then stuff into dough and bake hot, golden hand pies.
Favourite Cheddary Chicken Potpie
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Bob's Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Layered chicken enchilada casserole stacks torn corn tortillas with cream of chicken soup, green chiles, evaporated milk, and shredded Swiss cheese. Pantry-friendly weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.
Jean Hardin's Potatoes
Jean Hardin's potatoes are the classic funeral potatoes casserole: hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and onion, topped with buttered corn flake crumbs. Pure Midwest potluck comfort.
Clinton Hot Chicken Salad
Hot chicken salad casserole with rice, cream of chicken soup, hard-boiled eggs, and a crunchy cornflake and buttered almond topping. A retro Southern classic.
Fettuccine with Chicken-Pepper Sauce
Fettuccine with chicken and peppers in a creamy basil-cheddar sauce over spinach pasta. Stir-fried broccoli and bell peppers keep it colorful and light.
Boneless Chicken with Piminto's
Boneless chicken in a creamy cheese-mustard sauce made with cream of chicken soup, served over rice with broccoli and chopped pimentos. A quick weeknight dinner.
Hashbrown Sidedish
Hashbrown casserole with frozen hash browns, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and cream of chicken soup topped with buttery corn flake crumbs. A classic potluck side dish baked for an hour.
Crispy Chicken Casserole
Crispy chicken casserole with cream of chicken soup, mayo, hard-boiled eggs, walnuts, and a crushed potato chip topping. Retro comfort food at its finest.
Chicken on Biscuits(Mom's)
Creamy chicken on biscuits made with cream of chicken soup, sauteed celery, green pepper, and pimento. A quick comfort food dinner using leftover cooked chicken.
Hot Chicken Salad with Rice
Hot chicken salad casserole with rice, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and buttery cornflake-almond topping. Creamy, crunchy, and loaded with rosemary for elevated comfort food.
Chicken 'N Hash Brown Bake
Chicken and hash brown bake layered with mushrooms, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and topped with sliced almonds. Comfort-food casserole that turns leftover roast chicken into Sunday dinner.
Sour Cream Potatoes
Sour cream potato casserole with frozen hash browns, cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, and a crunchy buttered cornflake topping. The classic funeral potatoes everyone fights over.
Easy Yummy Cheese Soup
Easy 5-ingredient cheese soup made with canned cream of chicken, cream of celery, sharp cheddar cheese spread, and chicken broth. Stovetop in under 30 minutes, no roux needed.
Sensational Beef Stroganoff
Quick beef stroganoff with thin-sliced round steak, cream of chicken soup, paprika, and light sour cream. A 30-minute weeknight dinner served over hot egg noodles.
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A rich, no-fuss cheese soup stirred together from cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, sharp cheddar cheese spread, mayo, and butter. Silky, warm, and ready in under an hour.
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A cozy one-pot casserole with pork, beef, sharp cheddar, and egg noodles smothered in creamy mushroom and chicken soup. Midwestern comfort food that feeds 6.
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All 234 cream of chicken soup recipes
More cream of chicken soup recipes
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