Get my Cookbooks! Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe
This homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe is an easy substitute for condensed soup and adds comforting home cooked flavor to your favorite casseroles and soups. It’s also freezer-friendly and easy to make!
Be sure to try my homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup next!
Cream of Chicken Soup
I literally stood in my kitchen with an open can of condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, and a pot of this homemade version, and took a spoon to each one to perform a very serious taste-test to compare the two.
All of a sudden, I was hyper-aware as to how processed it tasted from a can compared to the soothing and comforting homemade version.
Since this recipe is freezer-friendly and can be easily stored in can-sized portions, I think we should all try to take our cooking to the next level by making our favorite casseroles and soups with this Cream of Chicken Soup recipe whenever we “can”. 😂
(That was terrible, and I’m sorry.)
How to Make it
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it fully melt and begin to foam. This allows the water in the butter to cook off which will create a smoother consistency.
Gradually sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 3-5 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste. It will become the consistency of wet sand.
Remove from heat. Add 1/3 of the chicken broth, whisk well. Whisk in 1/3 more, until combined. Finally, whisk in the rest. Temper the milk by microwaving it for 45 seconds, slowly add it to the saucepan and whisk to combine.
Add the seasonings. Add to medium-high heat to thicken it back up.
Whisk continuously as it increases in temperature and reaches near-boiling point. It will become very thick. Remove from heat immediately once it’s thickened. It will thicken even more as it sits.
PRO TIP: Run the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to make it super smooth, just like a can of condensed soup.
This strainer is also a perfect tool for making homemade chicken stock, or to run oil through if you want to reuse it after making a batch of fried chicken or french fries. It’s a great investment in the kitchen.
Using as a Substitute for Condensed Soup
- This recipe serves as a direct substitute for canned Cream of Chicken soup.
- 1 batch= two (10.5 oz.) cans of soup, each can is about 1 + 1/4 cups.
- I recommend storing these in freezable soup containers.
Using as a Base for Homemade Soup
My Homemade Chicken Stew recipe is a perfect way to put this recipe to use, as it uses a can of Cream of Chicken Soup as a base. It’s also Stove Top, Crock Pot, and Instant Pot friendly. (Check out the reviews, it’s one of the most popular recipes on the blog!)
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 4 months.
Recipes That Use Cream of Chicken Soup
See my complete collection here.
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- Chicken Divan
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- Chicken Tetrazzini
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- Creamy Chicken Stew
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- Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing
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- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
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- Chicken Noodle Casserole
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube, or 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon. (Optional- see notes.)
- 1 cup milk, preferably whole but any kind works
- 1/3 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/3 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Note: It’s important to whisk continuously throughout this process to ensure the smoothest possible consistency.
- Temper the milk by microwaving it for 45 seconds. This prevents curdling but also prevents lumps from forming when it’s added. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it fully melt and wait until it starts to foam, about 3 minutes.
- Gradually add the flour, whisk continuously for 3-5 minutes, until it’s the consistency of wet sand. Remove from heat.
- Add 1/3 of the chicken broth and whisk well. Add 1/3 more, whisk well.
- Add the remaining chicken broth, chicken bouillon, warm milk, and seasonings, whisk continuously.
- Return to heat and bring to a near boil. Continue to whisk until it begins to get very thick. Immediately remove from heat.
- Soup will continue to thicken upon standing.
- If possible, run the mixture through a fine mesh strainer for a super-smooth consistency.
- Use as a direct substitute for condensed cream of chicken soup, this recipe makes enough for two (10.5 oz.) cans.
Notes
Reducing Sodium: You can use unsalted butter and reduced sodium chicken broth and bouillon to lower the salt content. You can also refrain from adding salt as a seasoning.
Storage:
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 4 months. Mixture may separate slightly once reheated but whisking will correct that.
- I recommend storing these in freezable soup containers.
- This soup cannot be canned as it contains dairy.
Be sure to try my homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup next!
Are the nutritional values for the whole two cans, or per serving?
Hi Shareen! They’re per can (or per serving).
Could this be made dairy free with lactaid and a butter substitute?
Hi Denise! I had one dairy-free reader state the following: “I used vegan butter and oat milk. No one knew the difference!”
I found your recipe because I didn’t not want to go to the store for 1 can of cream of chicken soup and I’ll never go back!! This is delicious and I’ll use in all my winter casserole recipes. I didn’t have bouillon and am kind of glad- didn’t miss it or need it. The only thing I would suggest is adding a big sprinkle of dried ground mustard. My great grandma taught me to add it to all my sauces to deepen the savory flavor. Thank you!!
Hi Robin! I am sooo glad that your store run days (for canned soup!) are over!!! Your grandmother sounds like an excellent cook, I add ground mustard to just about everything now- and it makes a great addition here as well! Thank you so much for the review! 🙂 -Stephanie
Can this be canned?
Hi Jody! I don’t believe that this one is a good candidate for canning due to the dairy.
Amazing. I made it for chicken and biscuits. Flavor is spot on. Added celery, carrot, and shredded chicken for biscuits.
AWESOME! I am so thrilled to hear that Terri, I love how you transformed it into a delicious meal, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it!! 🙂 -Stephanie
Oh My God!!!! Talk about tasty! I just made homemade cream of chicken soup bc of you!! And it came out magnificent. Thank you for this recipe. This will be my go to whenever I need cream of chicken for any meal I’m preparing. Chef’s kiss!!
I am sooo happy to hear that you loved it Jazzmyn!! I appreciate your review, so much, thank you!! -Stephanie 🙂
Has anyone made this Gluten Free ?
Hi Sharon! Readers have successfully made this with gluten-free flour. It won’t maintain it’s thickness as well with cornstarch. Here’s one tip from a reader about making a roux with gluten-free flour: “Add the butter and flour together – the flour won’t blend well if it’s added to a hot liquid like regular flour. Make sure to keep whisking until it’s starting to thicken and smooth.”
Great recipe, thank you!
Thanks Ashley!!! I’m so happy you liked it!❤️
Hi! I have a couple of recipes that I want to try from a Campbell’s booklet that uses cream of celery, cream of tomato, and cream of cheddar cheese. How do you suggest I make these?
Thank you, can’t wait to experiment and use your cream soup recipes
Hi Naty! I only have this cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup recipe. ❤️
No problem, thank you for your reply!