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This homemade cream of chicken soup replaces canned condensed soup in your favorite casserole recipes. It’s easy to make and so much more delicious!
I admit I nearly never buy canned soups, preferring to make my own, from creamy tomato soup to Instant Pot vegetable soup. Of course, that means when I want to make a classic Midwest casserole, I’d be out of luckโif it weren’t for this homemade cream of chicken soup recipe!
This recipe truly is easy and takes just minutes to prepare. You might already have everything you need on hand, so you are just a few steps away from a much more delicious version of condensed soup.
I consider this an essential recipe to add to your Thanksgiving prep, especially if you’ve got green bean casserole in your menu plan. It makes about the equivalent of two cans, so you can use half of it today, and freeze the rest for next time.
Make this easy substitute for condensed soup and be ready for casserole season!
Ingredients for cream of chicken soup
Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.
You’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Chicken stock
- Whole milk
- Better Than Bouillon, chicken flavor
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Poultry seasoning
- Salt and pepper
You might be wondering why this calls for Better Than Bouillon when it already has chicken stock. Because we’re making the equivalent of a condensed soup, we want to make sure there’s lots of chicken flavor that won’t be diluted when used in a recipe.ย
If you don’t have Better Than Bouillon, swap in 2 bouillon cubes instead. You could also skip this addition if you are using a very flavorful, thick homemade chicken stock or chicken broth.
Poultry seasoning usually consists of dried sage, rosemary, thyme, and other herbs. You can make your own poultry seasoning or buy it at the store.
How to make this recipe
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour to incorporated it fully into the butter. We’re making a roux here, so keep whisking until it is golden in color and takes on a nutty aroma. This will take anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes.
Continue whisking while you pour in the chicken stock, then the milk, Better Than Bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is almost boiling, about 5 minutes. It should be thick at this point. Remove from the heat. It will also thicken more as it cools.
Portion into containers and let cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator or freezing.
Storage tips
I recommend using a measuring cup to portion this condensed soup into the amounts you’ll need for a recipe, or into smaller increments like in an ice cube tray.
Standard ice cube trays have a capacity of 1 ounce per cube. You can freeze the soup cubes, then pop them out and put into freezer bags.
You can also use Souper Cubes, which are incredibly handy and store better than ice cube trays. They come in various sizes depending on what you need.
If you are storing in the refrigerator, you can use any airtight container.
This homemade version can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for about 3 months for best quality. Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator.
Uses for cream of chicken soup
You can use this soup in any recipe that calls for canned cream of chicken!
You’ll end up with about 23 ounces total, just slightly more than the equivalent of two 10.5-ounce cans. You can measure out 10.5 ounces and discard the extra, or just use a bit more in your recipe!
Try it with classic casseroles like chicken spaghetti casserole or flavorful Ohio shredded chicken sandwiches.
This homemade cream of chicken soup might just be your new favorite staple!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below!
It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.
Cream of Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon, or 2 bouillon cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium-low heat, then whisk in the flour. Continue whisking until the roux has a nutty fragrance, 2-5 minutes.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, then whisk in the milk, Better Than Bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 3/4 cup whole milk, 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and whisk constantly until the liquid is almost boiling, 5-6 minutes. Once thick, remove from the heat (it will continue to thicken slightly as it cools).
- Portion into containers and let cool. Refrigerate for up to one week or store in freezable soup containers such as SouperCubes.
Notes
- Makes approximately 23 ounces.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, Iโm here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen.ย Read moreโฆ
