Our homemade condensed cream of chicken soup recipe replaces a single 10.5 ounce can of soup for your all of your favorite casseroles and soups! Ready in under 10-minutes, this easy substitute for canned condensed chicken soup not only tastes better but you know everything that’s in it too.
Growing up in the Midwest means I’ve had A LOT of casseroles (or hotdish being from Minnesota). Pretty much every classic casserole starts with a can of (fill in the blank) soup. While this pantry staple can be useful, in an effort to eat healthier and reduce the amount of processed food in my family’s diet, perfecting a homemade version was a must!
We originally worked through the testing process on this condensed cream of chicken soup recipe for our tater tot hotdish recipe, but this condensed soup can be used in all kinds of recipes.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute
Quick to make. You can replace that can of soup with a much better tasting version in less than 10-minutes! That’s a big win in my book.
1-to-1 swap. You don’t have to think hard, or only use part of what you make, to replace 1, 10.5 ounce can of Campbell’s cream of chicken soup in your recipe. If your recipe calls for 2 cans, simple double the recipe!
You know what’s in it. Checking the label on the can of what we would normally grab at the store, there are over 20 ingredients! Many of which I’m not sure I want in my family’s diet. Our recipe has 10 ingredients, half of them being spices for flavor. And the other ingredients aren’t anything to worry about. Another win!
Fresh and flavorful. During the testing process, my husband noted multiple times that everything we made with this tasted so much fresher than when we used the canned stuff. And we’ve seasoned our condensed soup recipe well, with spices that don’t overpower, to enhance the flavor of whatever dish you’re using it in too.
Make ahead option. While it only takes 10-minutes to make, you have the option to store this in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months to save time another day.
How to Use Condensed Chicken Soup
This homemade version is meant to replace a standard 10.5 ounce can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup 1-for-1 in any of your favorite casseroles or soups! You could also use this to replace a can of cream of celery, cream of mushroom, or really any can of cream of (insert flavor here) soup if desired too.
We perfected this recipe to upgrade our childhood favorite ground beef tater tot casserole. It also works perfectly to replace the canned soup in our cheesy potatoes casserole (sometimes called funeral potatoes).
Other popular dishes that use cream of chicken soup include: chicken noodle casserole, chicken divan, chicken and rice casserole, poppy seed chicken, chicken enchilada casserole, as well as some pot pies and chicken and dumpling recipes too, just to name a few!
Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup Ingredients
- Salted Butter. Used as the base of our “roux”.
- All-Purpose Flour. Used as a thickener for our condensed soup.
- Chicken Broth AND Chicken Bouillon Paste. The combination of broth and the bouillon paste give our condensed chicken soup the right pop of flavor. The broth adds liquid to our mixture while the Chicken bouillon paste to add more condensed chicken flavor.
- Whole Milk. Adds the creaminess to our soup’s base.
- Seasonings. Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika are used to season our homemade soup to perfection, adding a nice flavor profile to our DIY Campbell’s condensed chicken soup recipe.
Ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
How to Make
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
Slowly add in the flour, whisking continually.
Continue to whisk until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand and crumbly.
Remove from the heat. Slowly add in the chicken broth, whisking continuously.
Continue to whisk, working to smooth out any clumps of flour.
Slowly add in the warm milk, whisking to combine.
Then add in the chicken bouillon.
Then add all of the seasonings.
Whisk to combine. Return the saucepan to the stove and bring to a low boil, while continuing to whisk.
Continue to whisk until the mixture begins to get very thick. Remove from the heat.
For the best texture, pass the condensed soup mixture through a fine mesh strainer. I like to do this by stirring/pressing the soup into the strainer with my whisk.
The condensed soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
Expert Tip for Ultra Creamy and Smooth Condensed Soup
While not required, I highly recommend passing the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to get it super smooth and creamy. This will better match the consistency you’d get with canned soup, and helps remove any lumps from your homemade version.
Storage Information
Once fully cooled, you can store this condensed cream of chicken soup recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Alternatively, you can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months! To do so, ensure the soup is cooled completely, then transfer it to an airtight container (or to one of these cool ‘Souper Cubes’ trays to freeze and then move to a ziptop baggie for longer storage). When ready to use, allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight. Note: the texture may change a bit through the freeze/thaw process, but it will work just fine in your casserole(s).
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ Cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste
- ½ Cup whole milk, warmed (microwave for 30-45 seconds before using)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once melted and bubbling, whisk in the flour, whisking continually, until the consistency is that of wet sand. Remove from the heat.2 Tablespoons salted butter5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly add in the chicken broth, whisking continuously to smooth out any clumps of flour. Stir in the chicken bouillon, warm milk, and seasonings.¾ Cup chicken broth1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste½ Cup whole milk, warmed¼ teaspoon onion powder¼ teaspoon garlic powder⅛ teaspoon salt⅛ teaspoon black pepper⅛ teaspoon paprika
- Return the saucepan to the stove and bring the contents to a low boil. Whisk continuously until it begins to get very thick. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Press the cream of chicken soup through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps and create an ultra smooth texture.
- The homemade condensed soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
Meredith says
so much better than the canned stuff!!