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This homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute is creamy, flavorful, and SO much better than what you get from a can. Best part is, it only takes 10 minutes to make!
Looking for more from-scratch cooking staples? Try my homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix, Taco Seasoning, Ketchup, or BBQ Sauce!
Why I love this recipe:
- Quick – This cream of chicken soup substitute only takes 10 minutes. That's faster than a trip to the grocery store!
- Healthy – You know exactly what ingredients are added, including fresh pantry ingredients, nothing artificial, and it's definitely lower in sodium than the canned version.
- Delicious – The taste of this homemade cream of chicken soup is outstanding! It's creamy, full of flavor, and will make any meal that calls for canned cream of chicken soup, taste way better.
Ingredients Needed:
- Milk
- Cornstarch
- Butter
- Chicken Bouillon Paste or Cube
- Seasonings
How to make Cream of Chicken Soup:
Combine Ingredients: In a small saucepan whisk together milk and cornstarch. Add butter, bouillon, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and parsley.
Boil: Bring to a gently boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, simmer for 30 more seconds to thicken.
Use this cream of chicken recipe in any recipe to replace one 10.75 oz can of cream of chicken soup. For other flavors, look at the recipe variations below.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: This is a great recipe to make ahead for quick dinner prep. Make the recipe as directed, and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
To Freeze: The texture may change a little bit through the freezing/thawing process. Store in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw completely in the fridge before using in a recipe.
Recipe Variations:
- Cream of Mushroom: Stir in one (4 oz) can of mushroom pieces to the finished recipe. Use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken, if desired.
- Cream of Celery: Stir in ½ cup sautéed, chopped celery to the finished recipe. Use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken, if desired.
- Cream of Broccoli: Stir in ½ cup of finely diced steamed broccoli. Use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken, if desired.
- Add Chicken: Stir in chopped cooked chicken at the end, if desired.
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free butter, and your favorite plant based milk. The flavor will be a little different depending on what milk you use.
Use Cream of Chicken Substitute In:
- Easy Beef Stroganoff
- Funeral Potatoes
- Easy Instant Pot Stroganoff
- Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Beef Noodle Soup
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Loaded Chicken Enchiladas
Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk, , cold
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste, , or one cube
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Instructions
- In a small saucepan whisk together milk and cornstarch. Add butter, bouillon, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and parsley.
- Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, simmer for 30 more seconds to thicken.
- Use in recipes to replace one (10.75 oz) can of cream of (anything) soup.
Notes
- Cream of Mushroom: Stir in one (4 oz) can of mushroom pieces to the finished recipe. Use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken, if desired.
- Cream of Celery: Stir in ½ cup sautéed, chopped celery to the finished recipe. Use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken, if desired.
- Cream of Broccoli: Stir in ½ cup of finely diced steamed broccoli. Use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken, if desired.
- Add Chicken: Stir in chopped cooked chicken at the end, if desired.
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free butter, and your favorite plant based milk. The flavor will be a little different depending on what milk you use.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe March 2015. Updated September 2022.
My husband is dairy free. I made this soup with coconut milk. Then, I didn’t have any bouillon cubes or paste so I used 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! It came out beautifully! I’m so happy to have a dairy free cream of any kind of soup now. 🙂
I followed your recommendation and I agree WOW!!! Delicious!
Wow! Made this for use in two baked Mexican dishes to serve to a friend who cannot have wheat products. Used 1 chicken and 1/2 beef bouillon cube,left out salt, used fresh parsley minced, chopped mushrooms- small can made 4 recipes. Unbelievably delicious! Will make instead of purchased, and share this recipe with her and others. Thanks so much for an easy, delicious, natural alternative.
Thanks so much for your nice comment! I agree, it is much better than the purchased kind 🙂
I love this recipe! It tastes great and is so easy to make, plus it uses ingredients I have on hand.
Is the bullion in the recipe the liquid type or powdered?
You could use 1 tsp powder or one cube.
LOVE this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
My son is allergic to chicken, so can’t use chicken bullion. He’s allergic to all meats. Can I omit the bullion cube? I want to make his favorite potato soup.
Hi Mary, you can omit the bullion, the flavor will just be more bland. I would taste it and use a little extra of the other seasonings at least, to make up for it! Good luck!
Mary,
I know this is WAY late in a reply, but they do make vegetable based bullion now so that might be worth a shot for a little extra concentrated flavor!
My daughter also has food allergies and has become vegan. The rest of the family is vegetarian although I was raised a meat eater. My daughter and I love Not-Chik’n Cubes brand distributed by Edward & Sons (edwardsandsons.com). It is a product of Switzerland. They are gluten free and vegan. I live in Ohio and buy it at the local grocery store. They remind me of the chicken noodle soup I grew up with. We enjoy it plain as a bouillon in a mug or any recipe calling for chicken broth or flavor. Can’t wait to try this soup recipe. It will also be great for my other daughter too that is allergic to soy anything which is in so many things including many canned soups.
Hi! So when I made mine, I didn’t have a bullion cube, so i used beef base and it was great! But what I also have Vegetable base! I’m sure it would give you the flavor you want!
I made this two nights ago. My daughter has Celiac and I can’t use canned cream of… This was amazing! Could have eaten it by itself!
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m so happy it worked for you and your daughter 🙂
Do you think this would freeze well if made in batches?
Hi Jenn, Yes I think you could definitely freeze it!
I make and freeze this soup – it is so convienient and tastes so much better than anything out of a can every could. Plus I know exactly what is in it … no mysterious ingredients!
Do you put your soup in a ziploc and freeze it? Or in a mason jar?
Hi Bea, I’ve done both ways–with this recipe I prefer a freezer ziploc bag.
Do you think this would work with, say, cashew milk, vegan butter, and vegetable bouillon to make it vegan?
Hi Mandy, I’ve never tried any of those ingredients, so I can’t say for sure, but it’s definitely worth a shot!
Yes. I use homemade veggie stock not chicken Boullion. No salt issue. Store bought boullion is salted. If u want salty try miso soup mix.
If you need it to be lactose free, Lactaid milk works great in this, and adds no other taste.
What a fabulous idea! I always have these ingredients on hand. Thank you for the tips and tricks to make a from scratch cream soup base. 😀
We live in “the woods” and can not run to town for a can of soup! This will be invaluable to me!!
Im so glad! Let me know how you like it!
I made this and I’m very sorry to say that it turned out way over salty.
I did exactly according to your recipe and it still turned out way salty. My chicken casserole got ruined because of it.
Next time I would only add a pinch of salt or no salt,
because chicken bullion already has salt in it
I don’t use any kind of bouillon because of the salt content, but I hear tell there are some lo salt & no salt bouillon options out there.