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Whether you are searching for a substitute for cream of chicken soup because you think the cans are kind of gross, or you want a cream of chicken substitute because you forgot to snag a can at the store, this recipe is exactly what you need! It’s easy and nearly as fast as cracking open a can of glop.
Alright, I admit it. I sometimes make casseroles or other dishes using that weird, gloppy cream of whatever soup from a can. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s cheap.
For the most part, though, I try to make my own cream soups for use in those recipes. Not only is this healthier than the salty canned goo, it’s also super (souper!) simple.
If you’re trying to make your dinner healthier, you’ll love this cream of chicken soup substitute!
Not to mention, sometimes I just don’t have cream of anything in my pantry and I’m too lazy to get to the store. I pretty much always have the ingredients to make this on hand. Although, I will admit, there have been times when I didn’t have chicken stock and (I can’t believe I’m admitting this) I just used salty water. It’s true. I substituted salty water for chicken broth. Don’t kick me out of the food bloggers’ club, okay?
Check out this Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole using this cream of chicken soup substitute and you can put it to the test yourself.
This substitute for cream of chicken soup recipe is equal to one can of soup.
Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. When melted, whisk in the flour and continue whisking until smooth and bubbly.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly, until the soup thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Carla Skidmore says
Your recipes are usually easy to change so that they are gluten-free. My husband was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance ten years ago, when hybrid wheat was developed in order allow farmers to have a wheat crop that would withstand any weather, too much rain, or not enough rain.
Would it be too much to ask for you to check out some Gluten-Free sites and include some Gluten Free recipes? There are those who are lactose intolerant, too, and those diets have to be very difficult to manage as whey, a milk product, is in so very many items in the grocery stores.
Your recipes are great but they do leave out those people with food allergies.
Thank you for your consideration,
Carla
Karly says
Hi Carla!
I don’t have a lot of experience with special diets so I leave that to the experts. There are loads of sites out there that cater to gluten free, so you might have better luck there. 🙂
Ashley says
Carla,
I as well have celiac disease and I love these recipes but I modify them all myself using gluten free ingredients in place of whatever the ingredient is that isn’t gluten free.
I will go through the recipe and I will figure it out and modify it so it is all gluten free! I just recently made the Raspberry Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake and the slow cooker chicken garlic and gravy using all gluten free ingredients and it was yummy!
You can use her recipes, it will just take a little research on your end to make it all gluten free.
Try using Bob’s Red Mill Arrowroot Starch/Flour. If something calls for cream of chicken soup, make this cream of chicken recipe for it and use it, Ian’s Planko gluten bread crumbs, they make a gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos in place of that, I use Kerrygold butter… I hope this helps your husband and maybe some other gluten free people as well!
Rebecca Siharath says
Hey, I needed 4 cans of cream of chicken soup for a recipe. So I used this recipe and multiplied the ingredients by 4. It turned out really thick. When I added this to my recipe, it tasted like flour. I think this is a great substitute for COC soup, but use caution when multiplying the recipe. I’m not a cook at all, so it was probably my stupidity that messed the recipe up! But just thought I’d share anyway! Thank you for creating this recipe! It works nicely if you need COC soup and don’t have any!
Beth Barber-Hansen says
I have found out by doing exactly what you did on other recipes that you can’t always double, quadruple, (or what ever measurement you might need) each ingredient. You have to adjust the flavorings and liquids and balance them to the thickening agent. Make sense? Always best to hold back on the thickening agent, and add slowly. Some recipes I actually make 2 batches of, if I want to quadruple a recipe! The taste is just better and you have more control over the flavoring.
Stacey says
I was thinking about using the pearled cauliflower to make the rice. I use it for fried rice. Alot healthier and really good.
Marilyn says
I love this recipe. .was wondering how to make cream of mushroom???
Karly says
I would just add in some chopped up mushrooms, either freshly cooked or from a jar. 🙂
Scarlet says
I love this recipe! Last night I thought about making a cream of broccoli soup using your recipe as a base. I…am not a cook. Can you provide a recommendation for infusing fresh broccoli essence into the base? Thanks for the site!
Karly says
Oh gosh, I’ve never tried this or had canned cream of broccoli before. Would it be weird to steam broccoli til very soft in a stove top steamer and then use the liquid (you know how it always gets a little green?) instead of the chicken broth? And mash up some of the broccoli to toss in the soup. I’m not sure if the steaming water actually tastes like broccoli or not – I’ve always tossed it, but it always looks green so maybe?? Haha.
Scarlet says
That actually sounds like a great idea, Karly! I have heard of using the broccoli water in pasta/broccoli dishes. Gonna give it a go, thank you.
Jooles says
I make cream of broccoli soup using chicken stock. Boil broccoli until soft then I bamix and outback on heat and whilst on the boil dissolve cornflour in a little cold water and add to boiling pot. This will thicken the liquid. I add cream or milk to serve
Kim says
I make a dairy free cream of broccoli where I cook the broccoli with the other ingredients and put them into the blender. I keep out some of the florets to spread across the soup. That might work for you in this case, too.
Mary says
The taste of ” cream of anything” has changed.. Thank you posting this great alternative.. !
Anna Banana says
I’ve been making my own cream of whatever “soup” for a long time and will never buy a can of soup again. If you do, please check the label carefully. I recently read a Campbell’s soup label and discovered, to my horror, that they are made with genetically modified (GMO) ingredients! Even the tomato soup! I’m eating clean, fresh and healthy and my ailments are disappearing. If something is to be genetically modified, it should be me because I’ve always wanted to be tall and thin!
Jody Yuzik says
You saved my day. Will never buy canned again. So easy.
Karly says
It really is simple! 🙂
Debbie says
Awesome. I am trying to get away from canned stuff. I make my own chicken broth.
Susan says
Thank you so much. Seems The Hubs accidentally opened the only can of cream of chicken I had and forgot to mention it – until I tore the pantry apart for the third time looking for it. You saved dinner. And given how easy and cheap it was to make I’ll probably never buy another can again.
Karly says
Glad this saved the day! 🙂
Jennifer says
I was so excited to find this recipe. I didn’t realize it was so easy to make. One of my kids is lactose intolerant so I am never able to make a quick casserole with cream of anything. I could so easily make this with his lactose free milk and make casseroles again!
Karly says
Yay! Glad you found this helpful!
Sharon says
Okay, you admitted it. So what is the salt to water ratio for the salt water – I do not want to use chicken broth.
Karly says
Haha! I would just add a teaspoon of salt to the water. You just want to give it a little flavor.
Rhonda says
This was easy and its really good not salty at all l will be making this again thank you for the recipe.
Karly says
Thanks, Rhonda!
Shanon White says
What size can of soup is this equivalent to? how many ounces or cups?
Karly says
It’s equivalent to one 11-ish ounce can of soup.
Shanon White says
Thank you so much! Used the recipe yesterday for a casserole – it worked beautifully!
Brenda says
So I wanted to make Chicken and Dumplings for my mom on Mother’s Day. However I was out of cream of chicken soup and I turned to the internet to help. I choose this recipe because it was simple and there was no need to shop for anything else.
My mom loved the Chicken and Dumplings! She told me she preferred tonight’s soup because it reminded her of her grandmother’s. This is very high praise because that branch of the family can COOK!
So thank you for sharing. It was a big hit and Ill use it often.
Karly says
I’m so glad to hear this worked out for you! 🙂
Kate says
This is a fantastic fix/idea. My slow-cooker-obsessed self thanks you deeply. 🙂