Creamy Chicken Soup

Creamy Chicken Soup

Chicken soup recipes in the United States originated from a mixture of European immigrants ranging from Poland and Scotland to Israel.  “The chicken soup with root vegetables (carrot, onion, leeks, celery) that we recognize as the American classic was first a staple across Northern Europe [1].”  Most cultures around the world have some variant of this classic dish as it was commonly the final use of the chicken carcass to salvage the last bits of flavor and nutrition.  Each culture has added their own twist of additional ingredients to bolster its flavor from Germany with potatoes and carrots to Korea with ginseng and rice [3].

Based on this wide range of adaptations to the staple recipe, creating a “Mid-West” version with corn follows in this long tradition.  Blending this with rice boosts the filling quality of this dish with a cultural nod to the local Asian cuisine.  Other customizations to this recipe could include, but are not limited to, shredded cheese and an extra ½ cup of rice to turn this soup into a cheesy casserole.  This increases the servings and could provide a main dish for 3-4 people.  Cooking times may vary based on your kitchen utilities but should be simple enough to prepare in a single saucepan.

Chicken soup has long been credited with having immune boosting benefits for helping with flu and cold recovery [4].  This is in part due to the warmth of the broth, vitamins and minerals from the vegetable, and carbs from the filler such as rice or pasta.  This modification of a historic dish is a fine option for when you are feeling ill or simply needing to warm up during the winter months.

Bowl of Creamy Chicken Soup
Creamy Chicken Soup with Corn

Ingredients

      • ½ Onion (chopped)
      • 1 Clove of Garlic (minced)
      • 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
      • 1 can of diced Chicken
      • ½ cup of uncooked rice
      • 1 can of corn
      • 5 cups of water
      • Butter or cooking oil

Cooking Steps

Saucepan of Creamy Chicken Soup
Single Saucepan Cooking
  1. Sauté the onion and garlic in a saucepan with butter or cooking oil.
  2. Add cans of Cream of Chicken soup, diced Chicken, and corn to the saucepan.
  3. Add 1.5 cups of water
  4. Add ½ cup of uncooked rice
  5. Boil for 20 minutes while covered
    1. Stir occasionally to prevent burning
    2. Cooking time may vary depending on temp

Serves 2 people

 


Most if not all, of the ingredients in this recipe can be found at your local food bank.  Simplicity is key for dorm room cooking, which makes this single saucepan recipe a breeze!  With minimal prep work of dicing an onion and mincing some garlic, any college student can now brag to their friends about this homemade soup they have created and even offer to share a bowl with a friend.  The additional rice provides a low-cost filler while the sautéed onion and garlic provide some flavorful flair to this dish.  Depending on availability and taste preferences, this recipe can easily be modified to use other vegetables or cream base soups for even more versatility.  The 20-minute boil time and simple prep work also keeps this dish under 30 minutes from start to finish for any busy college student.


 References

[1]        J. Moskin, “A Superior Chicken Soup,” nytimes.com, para. 8, Nov. 29, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/dining/chicken-noodle-soup-recipe-video.html. [Accessed Oct. 23, 2024].

 

[2]        “Hühnereintopf mit Lauchgemüse,” lidl-kochen.de, Oct. 13, 2023.  [Online], Available: https://www.lidl-kochen.de/rezeptwelt/huehnereintopf-mit-lauchgemuese-331584. [Accessed Oct. 23, 2024].

 

[3]        Hyosun Ro. “Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup),” KoreanBapsang.com, Oct. 13, 2023.  [Online]. Available: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/samgyetang/ [Accessed Oct. 23, 2024].

 

[4]        S. Allonen, “Just How Healthy is Chicken Noodle Soup,” bidmc.org, Jan 13, 2020. [Online], Available: https://www.bidmc.org/about-bidmc/wellness-insights/winter-wellness/2018/12/just-how-healthy-is-chicken-noodle-soup. [Accessed Oct. 23, 2024].

 

 

This article was written by wynvp09

2 thoughts on “Creamy Chicken Soup”

  1. I feel like creamy chicken soup is underrated. Classic chicken noodle is of course amazing, but sometimes the creamy just sounds better than the brothy. I have never added corn to mine before, though, so this is something I will definitely be trying!

  2. Some times, there is nothing better than a creamy meal to hit the spot. Not only is this creamy, but it has roughly a similar flavor to chicken noodle soup. This is a wonderful dish if you are looking to expand your cooking knowledge or taste palate.

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