Chinese Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

This is the glossy, comforting chicken and sweetcorn soup you know from the Chinese takeaway, made properly at home. Poached chicken, creamed and whole sweetcorn and a silky egg-drop finish come together in half an hour, seasoned with soy, ginger and a touch of sesame oil.

Every Chinese takeaway has a version of this soup, and it is far easier to make than you would think. The secret is a good stock, a mix of creamed and whole sweetcorn for body and bite, and a slow drizzle of beaten egg that sets into delicate silky ribbons. Fifteen minutes of gentle work and you have a bowl that tastes like the real thing.

Ingredients

• 1 litre chicken stock — fresh or from 2 good stock cubes
• 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs — about 250g; breast also works
• 1 x 340g tin creamed sweetcorn — check Chinese or world-food aisle
• 1 x 198g tin sweetcorn kernels — drained
• 2 tbsp cornflour — mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
• 2 large eggs — beaten
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine — or dry sherry
• 2 tsp fresh root ginger — finely grated
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 0.5 tsp caster sugar
• 2 spring onions — finely sliced, to serve
• 1 pinch white pepper — to taste

Method

1. Pour the stock into a large saucepan, add the whole chicken thighs, grated ginger and Shaoxing wine and bring to a gentle simmer. Poach for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through with no pink in the middle.
2. Lift the chicken out onto a board and let it cool for a minute, then shred it into fine strands using two forks. Set aside.
3. Stir the creamed sweetcorn and drained sweetcorn kernels into the simmering stock, along with the soy sauce, sugar and a pinch of white pepper. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
4. Give the cornflour and water a stir, then pour it into the soup while stirring. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the soup thickens to a silky, lightly glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
5. Return the shredded chicken to the pan and warm through for a minute until piping hot throughout.
6. Take the pan off direct heat so it is barely bubbling. Slowly drizzle in the beaten egg in a thin stream, gently stirring in one direction, so it sets into fine ribbons. Leave for 30 seconds before stirring again.
7. Stir in the sesame oil, then taste and adjust with a little more soy or white pepper. Ladle into bowls and scatter with sliced spring onions to serve.

Serve it with

• Prawn crackers
• Spring rolls
• Steamed jasmine rice
• Crispy seaweed
• A drizzle of chilli oil

Why this works

Combining creamed corn with whole kernels gives the soup both its signature velvety body and pockets of sweet bite, while adding the beaten egg off the boil is what forms delicate ribbons instead of scrambled lumps.

Common swaps

• Use leftover roast or poached chicken and skip the poaching step
• Swap chicken for firm tofu and use vegetable stock for a veggie version
• No Shaoxing wine? Use dry sherry or leave it out
• Creamed corn is key for texture, but you can blitz half a tin of kernels instead

Common mistakes to avoid

• Pouring the egg in while the soup is boiling hard, which scrambles it instead of forming silky ribbons
• Skipping the creamed corn, leaving the soup thin and watery
• Adding all the cornflour slurry at once without stirring, causing lumps
• Over-salting before tasting, as stock and soy are both salty

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool quickly and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The egg ribbons soften on storage but the flavour holds well.

Freezing: Freezes for up to 2 months, though the egg and cornflour texture becomes slightly grainy on thawing. Freeze before adding the egg for the best result.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring often, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Allergen notes: contains Egg, Soya, Sesame, Gluten. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.