This Indo-Chinese style chicken sweet corn soup takes less than 10 minutes to make, with all the flavours of your favourite takeout restaurant. Sweet corn with savoury soy make for a light, but delicious soup. While this soup is considered an appetizer at most Indo-Chinese restaurants, don't be surprised if you have the whole pot to yourself, as a main!
Indian-Chinese food is in a league of its own. Otherwise known as Hakka cuisine, the flavours of Indo-Chinese cooking are distinct. They are generally a lot spicier than traditional Chinese cooking. With rich, thick gravies, the food is lick your plate good. For reference, chilli paneer and szechuan sauce are both popular dishes!
Growing up in an Indian household, Hakka chinese food was our idea of Chinese takeout night. One thing that I always made sure was in the order was sweet corn soup. It wasn't until recently that I realized how easy it is to recreate this iconic soup at home.
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Ingredients
- Creamed corn: You will need plain, canned creamed corn for this recipe.
- Chicken broth: I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe, as the salt and soy sauce will add the salty flavour.
- Chicken breast [not pictured]: Chicken breast cooks up the best in the broth, and quickly.
- Corn starch slurry: Corn starch slurry consists of equal parts cold water and corn starch. This will thicken up the soup.
- Large egg
- Soy sauce: You can use regular or dark soy. You may also use reduced sodium if you prefer.
- Ginger powder: Ginger powder adds the background flavour of ginger without having large pieces of it in the soup.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Instructions
START WITH...
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Thinly slice the chicken - Cut the chicken breast into thin, small slices so that it cooks quickly in the broth.
In a small bowl, crack and whisk an egg. Set aside.
In another small bowl, mix together the corn starch and water to make the slurry.
Add the canned creamed corn to a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the chicken broth, chicken breast, ginger, salt and soy sauce and let it come to a simmer.
Once the corn mixture is simmering, add the corn starch slurry while stirring constantly, to ensure there are no clumps of corn starch.
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the whisked egg to the soup while stirring in circles. This will give you the long ribbons of egg in the soup.
Expert Tip
Do not add the egg if the soup is simmering or boiling. It will cause the egg to curdle and will not give you the silky texture you're looking for.
Substitutions
- Chicken broth: Use vegetable broth instead, or water mixed with chicken bouillon concentrate.
- Ground ginger: You can use fresh minced ginger, but I recommend using less than a teaspoon.
- Soy sauce: You can use coconut aminos, or tamari instead.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Leave out the chicken, and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
Equipment
This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.
- Sauce pan
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
Storage
You can store this sweet corn soup in the fridge for 3 days, in an airtight container.
Reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
The chicken will be firm and opaque once it is fully cooked.
It is safe to boil the chicken in the soup. It will fully cook in the broth, and the soup base will also boil, ensuring it is safe to eat.
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Indo-Chinese Chicken Sweet Corn Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8.5 oz Creamed corn
- 1 cup Chicken broth - low sodium
- ½ teaspoon Ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Soy sauce
- 1 Large egg
- 1 tablespoon Corn starch
- 1 tablespoon Cold water
- 4 oz Chicken breast - thinly sliced, bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- Whisk the egg: In a small bowl, crack and whisk an egg. Set aside.1 Large egg
- Make the slurry: In another small bowl, mix together the corn starch and water to make the slurry.1 tablespoon Corn starch, 1 tablespoon Cold water
- Make the soup: Add the canned creamed corn to a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the chicken broth, chicken breast, ginger, salt and soy sauce and let it come to a simmer.8.5 oz Creamed corn, 1 cup Chicken broth, ½ teaspoon Ginger powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Soy sauce, 4 oz Chicken breast
- Thicken: Once the corn mixture is simmering, add the corn starch slurry while stirring constantly, to ensure there are no clumps of corn starch.
- Finish the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Add the whisked egg to the soup while stirring in circles. This will give you the long ribbons of egg in the soup.
✱Recipe Notes
- Do not add the egg if the soup is simmering or boiling. It will cause the egg to curdle and will not give you the silky texture you're looking for.
Gurman says
This soup was just like my fav restaurant near home. So good!!