Better Than the Can Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
Once you make this homemade cream of chicken soup, you’ll wonder why you ever bought the canned stuff. It’s quick, creamy, made with simple pantry ingredients, and comes together in about 10 minutes. Whether you’re cooking from scratch more often or just need a last-minute soup base, this is a must-have recipe to keep in your back pocket.
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
This is my go-to base for cozy casseroles, creamy chicken recipes, or even soups like my chicken noodle casserole, creamy chicken and rice skillet, or dump-and-go crockpot meals. It adds the perfect touch of richness and flavor, and you can easily adjust it based on your preferences or what you’re making.
Plus, there are no weird ingredients or preservatives—just real food you can feel good about feeding your family. And the best part? You probably already have everything you need in your kitchen right now.
What You Will Love About This Recipe
Quick and easy – Ready in 10 minutes, no special equipment needed.
Made with pantry staples – Butter, flour, milk, and broth. That’s it!
Versatile – Use it in casseroles, soups, or as a sauce base.
No mystery ingredients – Just clean, real food you recognize.
Way better than canned – Fresher flavor and easy to customize.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until lightly golden.
Slowly whisk in the milk (or milk and broth combo), stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened to a soup-like consistency.
Tips & Tricks
- Use a whisk – This keeps the mixture smooth and helps avoid lumps.
- Control the thickness – Want it thicker? Simmer it a bit longer. Too thick? Add a splash more broth or milk.
- Make it in bulk – Double or triple the recipe and freeze portions in a muffin tin for easy use later.
- Swap the seasonings – Add herbs like thyme or a dash of poultry seasoning if you want extra flavor for specific dishes.
- Use unsalted broth – So you can control the salt level better, especially if your recipe already includes salty ingredients.
FAQs
Homemade Cream Of Chicken Soup
This homemade cream of chicken substitute is a quick and simple replacement for canned soup, made with butter, flour, milk, chicken broth, and seasonings. It adds a rich, creamy texture to casseroles, soups, and slow cooker meals.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until lightly golden.
Slowly whisk in the milk (or milk and broth combo), stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened to a soup-like consistency.
Notes
Yield: About 1 cup (equivalent to one can of condensed soup)
I’m Melissa, the imaginative force behind Sparkles to Sprinkles, where creativity comes to life, and sprinkles of joy are scattered generously. Melissa is a proud Jersey girl who found love with a New York boy. As a mom to four wonderful boys and a few fur babies, her journey into the world of blogging began after making the life-changing decision to stay home and raise her children. Previously a dedicated workaholic, Melissa’s blog became her creative outlet and passion project. Inspired by her mother-in-law, a masterful cook renowned for her delicious home-cooked meals and legendary holiday feasts (think mouthwatering sausage stuffing), Melissa honed her culinary skills through a combination of family recipes and countless cooking classes. She often attended these classes with her son Michael, who shared her enthusiasm for cooking from a young age. Melissa’s love for learning extends beyond familiar cuisines, as she enjoys exploring international recipes in hands-on cooking classes. Her blog features a diverse array of recipes, showcasing her expertise with various kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot, air fryer, Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex Plus, and more. Join Melissa on her culinary adventures as she shares tried-and-true family favorites alongside exciting new discoveries!
Melissa Do you have a master recipe ( like all the dry ingred) for more cream soups? I have seen them but never saved.
Then each type, add the ‘wet’. like butter milk, ( and specific ingredient..like mushroom or celery or onions or cheeses or potato , etc to make what flavor needed. A big container with the base, to scoop out to a pan add the wet and what flavor you need.
I love to make from scratch as i know what is in it. Making your Cream of ckn today..with homemade ckn broth i freeze in ice cube trays..Will add some dry Ckn broth powder for addtional flavor.
thanks so much.
Hi Leslie, I do not have one yet. But you definitely gave me a great idea of a future post. I love the idea of having a group of cream soup recipes. It is on my list of things to do. 🙂
you are welcome. The ckn soup was great. Now with my homemade condensed ckn broth and added a tsp of ckn bouillon to it, was just right. thinking of Cream of tomato. potato, mushroom, celery, veggies, shrimp etc… cheese.
let me know if you do this, gusmort@reagan.com in case i miss your post. Thanks much.
Leslie