Learn how to make cream of chicken soup that is rich, creamy, and full of real ingredients you recognize. It starts with a simple white sauce, made with butter, flour, homemade chicken bone broth, and milk, then gently seasoned for that classic comfort food flavor.
The result is a thick, condensed-style soup that works perfectly in casseroles, pot pies, gravies, and slow cooker meals. And the best part? No mystery ingredients. No labels you need a translator for. Just wholesome, from-scratch goodness that fits beautifully into a real family kitchen.
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Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
- ✅ Ready In: 25 minutes
- ✅ Yield: About 4 pints of condensed soup
- ✅ Calories: Approximately 180 per serving (varies by ingredients)
- ✅ Tools: Large pot, whisk, measuring cups, pint jars
- ✅ Freezer Friendly: No, for long-term storage, make this dry soup mix recipe.
- ✅ Why You'll Love It: Real ingredients, quick to make, endlessly adaptable
- ✅ Tip: Avoid store-bought bouillon, and make this chicken bouillon recipe for 100% from-scratch cooking.
What Makes This Recipe Unique?
Once you learn how to make cream of chicken soup from scratch, it becomes second nature. And that confidence in your kitchen? That is worth everything.
- Simple - Made with pantry staples you likely already have.
- No Questionable Ingredients - Say goodbye to those red and white cans with harmful ingredients you can’t pronounce and the consistency of glue.
- Budget-Friendly - Make a superior condensed soup at a fraction of the cost!
- Customizable - Includes recipe substitutions and variations to use in a variety of recipes, such as the base for an easy soup, a sauce for homemade egg noodles, or to add richness to an easy chicken casserole.
⭐ Featured Reader Review
@saritaz2180 says, “The other day I noticed my cans of cream soup had GMOs, and I hated how much money I was going to have to spend for organic. This is way better! Thank you so much for sharing this.”
Key Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, check out the recipe card below.
- Butter - We love using this homemade butter recipe when we have it.
- Chicken Broth - Using homemade chicken bone broth is recommended for this recipe. If you don’t want to heat up your kitchen, try this Instant Pot bone broth recipe!
- Whole Milk - Whole milk provides the best flavor and consistency, but you can use 2% (or less) if preferred.
- Seasonings - A variety of seasonings work well with cream of chicken soup. My family’s favorite is using celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Ingredient Substitutions and Recipe Variations
One of the things I love about learning how to make cream of chicken soup from scratch is that you are not stuck if you are missing something. Here are simple swaps:
- Butter - Use ghee, lard, tallow, or coconut oil.
- Flour - Substitute tapioca starch, cornstarch, or arrowroot powder. Just skip the roux and whisk the cornstarch with cold broth or milk to create a smooth slurry, then stir it into the hot butter and broth mixture until thickened. Be sure to simmer gently and avoid boiling hard, since cornstarch thickens quickly and can thin back out if overcooked.
- Chicken Broth - Beef broth or vegetable stock both work beautifully.
- Whole Milk - Use half and half, heavy cream, or even a milk alternative.
- Cream of Anything - You can also adapt this exact recipe for cream of mushroom, celery, or onion soup. Simply sauté the vegetables first, then stir them into the finished white sauce.
How to Make Cream of Chicken Soup
Step 1: In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and whisk continuously to create a smooth roux. Let the roux cook for about 2-3 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. If you are substituting cornstarch, melt the butter, then whisk it into the chicken broth before proceeding to step 2.
Step 2: Gradually pour in the chicken broth while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Add the chicken bouillon cubes (if using) and continue whisking until they dissolve into the mixture. Slowly pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly. Continue to whisk until the mixture is well combined and starts to thicken.
Step 3: Stir in the celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a condensed consistency.
Step 4: Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasonings according to your preference. Add more salt, pepper, or other seasonings if needed.
Recipe Tips
- Keep whisking when adding liquid to prevent lumps.
- Let the roux cook fully so your soup does not taste floury.
- If the soup thickens too much, add a splash of broth or milk.
- If it is too thin, simmer a little longer.
Serving Suggestions
Now that you know how to make cream of chicken soup, here are some delicious ways to use it:
- Stir into casseroles
- Use in creamy chicken pot pie
- Add to soups and stews for richness
- Make gravy for whole wheat biscuits
- Use as a slow cooker base
Storage Instructions
Allow the cream of chicken soup to cool slightly, then transfer it to clean, airtight pint-sized jars or containers.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Because this recipe contains milk and butter, it is not ideal for freezing, as the dairy can separate and create a grainy texture once thawed. For the best quality and flavor, make only what you will use within a few days.
When ready to use, gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently to bring it back to a smooth, creamy consistency before adding it to your recipe.
FAQs
To make your own cream of chicken soup, simply melt butter, whisk in flour to form a roux, slowly add broth and milk while stirring, then simmer with simple seasonings until thick and creamy, it really is that doable.
Homemade cream of chicken soup is made with butter, flour, chicken broth, milk, and simple seasonings like salt, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt.
A quick substitute is a homemade white sauce made with butter, flour, broth, and milk, seasoned well and thickened to a condensed consistency.
Yes, you can use gravy instead of cream of chicken soup in many casseroles, just know it may be a bit thinner and slightly less creamy, but it will still bring that comforting flavor to the dish.
Did you use this tutorial to learn how to make cream of chicken soup? If so, please leave a star ⭐ rating and your comments in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!
How to Make Cream of Chicken Soup
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Measuring Utensils
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter or lard
- ½ cup all-purpose flour or ¼ cup cornstarch (see notes below)
- 4 cups chicken broth or beef or vegetable
- 2 whole chicken bouillon cubes optional
- 2 cups whole milk or milk alternative
- 1 teaspoon celery salt optional
- 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper adjust to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and whisk continuously to create a smooth roux. Let the roux cook for about 2-3 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Add the chicken bouillon cubes (if using) and continue whisking until they dissolve into the mixture.
- Slowly pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly. Continue to whisk until the mixture is well combined and starts to thicken.
- Stir in the celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a condensed consistency.
- Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasonings according to your preference. Add more salt, pepper, or other seasonings if needed.
- Allow the condensed cream of chicken soup to cool slightly before transferring it to pint-sized jars. Seal the jars tightly and store them in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze them for longer storage.
Notes
- Keep whisking when adding liquid to prevent lumps.
- Let the roux cook fully so your soup does not taste floury.
- If the soup thickens too much, add a splash of broth or milk.
- If it is too thin, simmer a little longer.
- You can also adapt this exact recipe for cream of mushroom, celery, or onion soup. Simply sauté the vegetables first, then stir them into the finished white sauce.
- If using cornstarch, skip the roux and whisk it into cold broth or milk to create a smooth slurry, then stir it into the hot butter and broth mixture until thickened. Be sure to simmer gently and avoid boiling hard, since cornstarch thickens quickly and can thin back out if overcooked.
- You can also adapt this exact recipe for cream of mushroom, celery, or onion soup. Simply sauté the vegetables first, then stir them into the finished white sauce.
- Stir into casseroles
- Use in creamy chicken pot pie
- Add to soups and stews for richness
- Make gravy for whole wheat biscuits
- Use as a slow cooker base
