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Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

Elowen

Elowen

July 25, 2026

This chicken and sweet corn soup combines tender shredded chicken, sweet corn and soft egg ribbons in a lightly thickened broth flavoured with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil.

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Bowl of chicken and sweet corn soup with egg ribbons, shredded chicken, sweet corn kernels, and chopped green onions on top.

How the Broth Gets Body Without Cream

  • Chicken stock, ginger and garlic create a light savoury base without making the soup heavy.
  • Sweetcorn adds natural sweetness and texture, while shredded chicken makes the soup substantial enough for a full bowl.
  • A small cornflour slurry thickens the broth just enough to give it a silky consistency rather than turning it into a thick sauce.
  • Beaten egg is added at the end in a thin stream, creating soft ribbons throughout the hot broth without needing dairy or cream.

What Builds the Savoury-Sweet Broth

Chicken stock forms the base, ginger and garlic add freshness, and sweetcorn brings the gentle sweetness that defines the soup. Cornflour gives the broth a light silky texture, while beaten egg creates the ribbons added at the end.

  • Litres chicken stock – Forms the liquid base of the soup; good-quality chicken stock gives the best flavour.

  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Poached gently in the broth and shredded, or replace with ready-cooked roast chicken to save time.

  • Neutral oil (vegetable or rapeseed oil) – Used to sweat the ginger and garlic gently without adding a heavy flavour.

  • Fresh ginger, minced – Adds warmth and freshness to the broth and complements the sweetness of the corn.

  • Garlic cloves, minced – Provides savoury depth; cook gently until fragrant and do not allow it to brown.

  • Approx 250g sweetcorn kernels – Adds sweetness and texture. Fresh, frozen or tinned sweet corn all work well.

  • Creamed corn – Adds natural body, sweetness and a velvety texture to the broth without dairy.

  • Cornflour mixed with 60ml cold water – Thickens the soup into a light, silky broth. Always stir the slurry again right before adding.

  • Large eggs – Beaten and drizzled slowly into the simmering soup to create soft, delicate egg ribbons.

  • Light soy sauce – Provides gentle savoury seasoning and umami without overpowering the delicate broth.

  • Sesame oil – Adds a nutty aroma and is best stirred in near the end.

  • Salt and white pepper – White pepper provides gentle warmth while keeping the pale golden broth clear.

  • Spring onions, sliced – Scattered over the soup before serving for freshness, colour and mild crunch.

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How to Make Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

Step 1: Sauté Ginger & Garlic

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring continuously, for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown, as burnt garlic turns bitter.

Step 2: Poach & Shred Chicken

Add the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken breasts and simmer for 15–18 minutes until fully cooked. If checking with a food thermometer, the thickest part should reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds. Remove the chicken, allow it to cool enough to handle, then shred with two forks and set aside.

Step 3: Add Sweetcorn & Creamed Corn

Add the sweetcorn kernels and creamed corn to the broth. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer for 3–4 minutes, allowing the corn to heat through.

Step 4: Thicken with Cornflour Slurry

Stir the cornflour slurry again, then pour it gradually into the soup while stirring constantly. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until the broth lightly coats the back of a spoon.

Step 5: Return Chicken & Create Egg Ribbons

Return the shredded chicken to the pan. With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs in a thin stream while stirring gently in one direction to create soft egg ribbons.

Step 6: Season & Serve

Stir in the light soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper as needed. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with sliced spring onion to serve.

Pour the Egg Slowly for Fine Ribbons

The egg goes in only after the broth has been thickened and returned to a gentle simmer. Beat it well first, then pour it into the soup in a thin, steady stream while stirring slowly rather than whisking vigorously. This lets the egg set into soft strands instead of breaking into tiny scrambled pieces. Once the ribbons have formed, avoid prolonged boiling; the soup only needs enough heat to finish cooking the egg and bring everything back to serving temperature.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours. Eat refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours or freeze them. Reheat only once over gentle heat, stirring regularly, and make sure the soup is steaming hot throughout without boiling vigorously. Note that egg ribbons can soften or become slightly rubbery after freezing; for the best texture when batch-cooking, freeze the soup without the egg (for up to 2 months) and drizzle fresh egg ribbons into the soup when reheating.

Ways to Adjust the Soup

For extra vegetables, add small amounts of quick-cooking ingredients such as peas or finely sliced mushrooms without changing the basic broth. A little chilli can be added if you want more heat, while extra ginger gives a sharper, fresher flavour. If you already have cooked shredded chicken, add it later in the method so it only needs enough time to heat through. For a slightly fuller texture, keep some of the sweetcorn whole while blending or crushing a small portion into the broth.

Finish the Bowl Just Before Serving

Ladle the soup into warm bowls and finish with sliced spring onion for freshness. Add only a small drizzle of sesame oil if using, as its flavour can easily dominate the lighter chicken and sweetcorn broth. Serve the soup hot while the egg ribbons are still soft and the sweetcorn retains some texture.

Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

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By Elowen Vance•Medium

This chicken and sweet corn soup combines tender shredded chicken, sweet corn and soft egg ribbons in a lightly thickened broth flavoured with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Yield / Servings
4 Servings

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Ladle
  • Fine mesh strainer (if using fresh corn)
  • Whisk
  • Small bowl for cornstarch slurry

Ingredients

Adjust yield quantities or check items off as you prep.

Scale:

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring continuously, for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  2. Add the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken breasts and simmer for 15–18 minutes until fully cooked (75°C for 30 seconds). Remove, shred with two forks, and set aside.
  3. Add the sweetcorn kernels and creamed corn to the broth. Return to a gentle simmer for 3–4 minutes.
  4. Stir the cornflour slurry again, then pour it gradually into the soup while stirring. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until the broth lightly coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Return the shredded chicken to the pan. Drizzle the beaten eggs slowly into the gently simmering soup while stirring in one direction to form egg ribbons.
  6. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with spring onion.

Nutrition Information

Per ServingServing: ~1.5 cups
Calories
260kcal
Total Fat
7g
Protein
22g
Carbohydrates
28g
Dietary Fiber2g
Total Sugars8g
Sodium780mg
Calcium40mg
Iron2mg

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Ready-cooked roast chicken is a useful shortcut. Add the shredded cooked chicken when the recipe would normally return the poached chicken to the soup, and heat it thoroughly before serving.
The egg was probably added too quickly or the soup was stirred too vigorously. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, drizzle the beaten egg in slowly and stir gently in one direction.
For a thicker soup, mix a little additional cornflour with cold water and add it gradually until the desired consistency is reached. For a thinner soup, add a little extra stock.

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Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup