The Cozy Cookbook is here! 
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!
Made this and it’s so much better than the canned stuff and super easy to do. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will be using it tonight in a chicken pot pie cobbler recipe
I can’t wait for you to try it in the cobbler Ginger! I agree, you can’t beat homemade soups. It makes such a difference. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💕
Am looking for a recipe for cream of chicken soup to use as a soup. Your recipe is for condensed soup. I want to serve as a soup, adding chicken, how much water or milk do I used to dilute for my purpose?
Hi Faith, you’d want to add just as much milk as you have “condensed” soup. About a 1:1 ratio, or until your desired consistency is obtained.
This recipe is amazing. I tried another recipe, but I definitely give this one 5 Stars. It makes just the right amount, The flavor and texture are amazing. I love the idea of putting it through a strainer. I make Chicken Enchiladas, and I often make them for a friend who is Gluten intolerant and guess what? This recipe works just as well with Gluten Free flour as it does with regular flour. Thank you to the Cozy Cook.
Thanks so much for the great comments Nova! I’m so glad this worked for a gluten intolerant friend. Thanks again!💕
Can Coconut flour be substituted for the regular flour?
Hi Kathy, I haven’t tested it to be sure.
The taste on this is so much better than canned! I am using it for creamy chicken and rice soup! So glad I stumbled on to your site. I will be using it often!
I’m so happy you’re here Holly, thanks so much for your support!💖
Great, simple recipe. Made it for homemade chicken and dumplings in the crockpot. Realized I didn’t have cream of chicken soup once I decided to make it and was not going back out. Will let you know how it turns out when it it is done. The “soup” tastes fantastic, so I’m pretty sure, it will be good. Of course, I didn’t follow your recipe 100 percent, but it’s close. Had to put my own signature on it.
I can’t wait for you to try the chicken and dumplings, it’s one of my favorites! Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup makes such a difference in flavor, can’t beat homemade! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review Joe!❤️
This was so easy and worked so well in my turkey tetrazzini recipe that I am never going back to the processed version again. Thank you for an amazing alternative!
You’re very welcome Liz! Homemade soups have made such a difference in my recipes, I highly recommend them. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖
Made this today and it’s amazing and so easy! Delicious- I will never go back to canned!
I am so happy to hear that Ina!! Wahooo!! 🙂
I made this when I recently picked up strep from my kiddos and we were all sick together. None of us could swallow anything without gagging on the pain. This felt to pleasant on everyones throats and had a nice soft taste to it. Id recommend it to anyone with a hurt throat or kiddos with a sore throat. ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Alana! I am so happy that you were able to find something to relieve your soar throats, thank you for taking the time to recommend it to others who may be dealing with the same thing! I hope you all feel better soon! -Stephanie
I cannot find containers as described & your link doesn’t work, are they actually 1 1/2 cup size co trainers? Thank you, really want to make this, love all your recipes!
Hi Anna! I am so sorry for the delay on this. These storage containers are a great size, they leave a little extra room for expansion once frozen. They’re 16 oz. I have them, they’re great!
The link in the recipe above worked for me, but the one in Stephanie’s reply did not. Here is the Amazon link – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N14UBI. Hopefully this one will work for you.
Thank you Janice! I corrected the link in my original reply, thanks again!