Chinese Style Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

This Chinese Style Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup is a comforting classic. It’s perfect for a quick and satisfying meal, especially on cold days when you crave something warm and nourishing. It combines tender cooked chicken, creamed corn and Chinese aromatics, swimming in a silky, umami-packed broth. It’s so incredibly easy to make and comes together in less than 20 minutes, making it perfect dish for a quick lunch or cosy dinner starter.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Key Ingredients
• Inspired by the Chinese Classic
• Why You Need Cream-Style Corn, Specifically
• What’s Shaoxing Wine?
• Spring Onions: An Essential Aromatic
• The Role of Eggs in Chinese Soups
• Tips for the Perfect Soup
• Where to Shop
• Soup Season Inspiration

Introduction

There are few things quite as comforting as a hot bowl of soup on a cold day. Growing up, this Chinese Style Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup was one of my favourite dishes. We ordered it every time we went to our favourite Chinese restaurant, followed by prawn dumplings and crispy duck. I didn’t know then just how easy and quick it is to make at home, coming together in less than 20 minutes. Let’s start with the ingredients.

Key Ingredients

• Creamed-Style Corn: Provides a sweet, creamy base for the soup.
• Spring Onions: Adds a fresh, slightly sharp flavour, with white parts used in cooking and green parts for garnish.
• Garlic: Infuses the soup with a deep aromatic flavour.
• Fresh Ginger Root: Adds a warm, spicy kick and depth to the soup.
• Shaoxing Wine: A Chinese cooking wine that adds a rich, complex flavour.
• Light Soy Sauce: Provides a salty, umami flavour.
• Toasted Sesame Oil: Adds a nutty, aromatic finish to the soup.
• Corn Flour (Cornstarch): Helps thicken the soup to the perfect consistency.
• Chicken Stock: Forms the savoury base of the soup.
• Cooked Chicken: Adds protein and a hearty texture.
• Eggs: Whisked in to create delicate threads that thicken the soup.

Inspired by the Chinese Classic

Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup is a beloved dish in Chinese cuisine, often enjoyed as a starter or a light meal. This soup is a staple in many Chinese households and is also popular in Chinese restaurants around the world. It embodies the essence of Chinese comfort food, combining simple ingredients with robust flavours to create a dish that is both nourishing and delicious. The combination of sweetcorn and chicken is a classic pairing that highlights the balance of sweet and savoury flavours that Chinese cuisine is known for. This dish also has a nostalgic element for many, evoking memories of family gatherings and comforting meals at home.

Why You Need Cream-Style Corn, Specifically

When making Chinese Style Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup, using cream-style corn is absolutely essential to get that classic texture and flavour. But what exactly is cream-style corn, and why can’t you just swap it out for regular tinned sweetcorn?

Cream-style corn isn’t just whole corn kernels in a can. It’s a special preparation where the corn is partially pureed with its natural juices, creating a thick, slightly sweet mixture. This is crucial for this soup recipe because it does more than just add corn flavour—it helps to thicken the broth and give it a thick, velvety consistency. If you were to use regular tinned sweetcorn instead, you’d end up with a much thinner soup where the corn just floats around without contributing much to the body of the dish. It would also lack flavour, as pureeing corn extracts more flavour.

So, while it might be tempting to use whatever you have on hand, in this case, cream-style corn is a must. It’s the secret to getting the soup just right—creamy, slightly thick, and packed with flavour. Without it, you’d lose a lot of what makes this dish so special.

What’s Shaoxing Wine?

Shaoxing wine, a traditional Chinese cooking wine, is an essential ingredient in many Chinese dishes. Made from fermented rice, it has a rich, slightly sweet flavour that enhances the taste of savoury dishes. Shaoxing wine is often compared to dry sherry or mirin in terms of its use in cooking. It adds depth and complexity to the soup, elevating the overall flavour profile. If you can’t find Shaoxing wine, dry sherry can be used as a substitute, though the unique flavour of Shaoxing wine is hard to replicate exactly. Its subtle sweetness and complexity make it a versatile ingredient that enriches marinades, stir-fries, and sauces, making it a staple in Chinese culinary traditions.

Spring Onions: An Essential Aromatic

Spring onions, also known as scallions, play a crucial role in this soup. The white parts are cooked with the garlic and ginger to form a flavourful base, while the green parts are added at the end for a fresh, vibrant finish. Spring onions have a mild, slightly sweet flavour that complements the other ingredients without overpowering them. They also add a pleasant crunch and a burst of colour, enhancing both the taste and appearance of the soup.

The Role of Eggs in Chinese Soups

Eggs are a common ingredient in Chinese soups, where they are often whisked in to create delicate threads. This technique not only adds a beautiful visual element to the soup but also helps to thicken it. The eggs cook instantly when added to the hot broth, forming silky strands that add a luxurious texture.

Tips for the Perfect Soup

• Use Good-Quality Chicken Stock: The base of any great soup is its stock. Opt for a high-quality chicken stock, whether it’s homemade or store-bought. A rich, flavourful stock will enhance the overall taste of your soup.
• Properly Prepare Your Ingredients: Finely chopping the garlic and ginger ensures that their flavours are evenly distributed throughout the soup. Similarly, slicing the spring onions and shredding the chicken into bite-sized pieces will make for a better texture and consistency.
• Control the Heat: Bringing the soup to a boil initially helps to combine all the flavours, but reducing the heat to medium ensures that the ingredients cook gently without becoming overdone. This is especially important for the chicken, which can become tough if boiled too hard.
• Don’t Rush the Egg Addition: When adding the beaten eggs, make sure the soup is off the heat. Slowly pour the eggs into the hot soup while stirring gently to create fine threads. This technique will give your soup a beautiful texture and help thicken it slightly.
• Adjust Seasoning to Taste: Taste the soup before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add a bit more soy sauce for saltiness, or a splash of sesame oil for a richer flavour.
• Garnish Just Before Serving: Add the green parts of the spring onions and any additional garnishes you might enjoy, like a drizzle of chilli oil, just before serving.

Where to Shop

Most ingredients for this soup can be found at your local grocery store. For Shaoxing wine, check the international aisle or visit an Asian market. If you have difficulty finding any of the ingredients locally, many online retailers offer a wide selection of Asian groceries.

Soup Season Inspiration

There are few things quite a s comforting as a hot bowl of soup on a cold night. If you’re looking for more cosy soup recipes, why not try one of these?

• Spiced Lentil Soup: This thick, creamy plant-based soup is delicious, high in protein and packed with flavour. It’s inspired by the Lebanese classic, shorbet adas.
• Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup: A delicious, warming soup made with sweet cherry tomatoes and red pointed peppers. It’s delicious, healthy and incredibly easy to make – simply roast the vegetables and blend it all together.
• Turmeric Coconut Squash Soup: This autumnal soup is the perfect soup to make on a chilli day. Turmeric and coconut are a match made in heaven and they complement the butternut squash so beautifully.
• French Onion Soup: French onion soup is a classic for a reason. It’s delicious, rich and so comforting – literally a hug in a bowl. The ingredient list isn’t long but quality is important: using high-quality beef stock makes all the difference.
• Curried Leek and Potato Soup: This delicious, plant-based soup is creamy, hearty and full of flavour, with just a hint of heat. It’s spiced with cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and other warming spices and uses both regular and sweet potatoes.

In conclusion, this Chinese-Style Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup is a quick, comforting dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Its simple preparation and delicious flavours make it a go-to recipe for cold days or whenever you need a little comfort in a bowl. Enjoy!