Substitution for Condensed Cream Of Chicken Soup

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

So many ole time recipes called for cans of condensed
Cream of Chicken soup,
and I have searched high and low for something closer to
a homemade-non-canned version, a substitution if you will,
I found this a whiles back ...

1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth/homemade chicken stock better yet
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder

Mix the cornstarch into the chicken broth/stock; then add the dry milk powder, mix until smooth.

 

[Andy M.]

That stuff in the red and white can was a substitute for cream. Hence the name.

I suppose you could thicken concentrated chicken broth with cream and cook it down to reduce it further. I usually just look for another recipe.

 

[GotGarlic]

Cream of chicken soup is not just thickened chicken stock. It includes some seasonings as well. This is a pretty good substitute: http://pinchofyum.com/homemade-cream-of-chicken-soup

Since it's available in salt-free, fat-free versions, I just buy the cans because they're a convenient shortcut. I don't feel like I have to make everything from scratch.

 

[Dawgluver]

Ya know, I grew up with Campbell's cream of something soups, and have never had an issue with them. I particularily like to doctor up their cream of mushroom with real mushrooms and some port or sherry. I get the low sodium as well.

Andy's and GG's ideas sound good, as does yours, K-Girl.

 

[jennyema]

Why not just use a veloute?

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Well, ya know, I've always got these three ingredients in my larder (chicken broth/stock in the deep freeze from poaching parts, corn starch in the pantry and an opened envelope of non-fat dried milk for my bread recipes), but never canned soup for some reason, soooooooo ... just call me frugal I suppose.
:shrug:

 

[dcSaute]

if you have flour and butter, you've got roux.

roux can be thinned with anything aqueous - milk, "stock"/"broth" of any kind.

a few seasonings and one could be hard pressed to distinguish between canned "cream of xxx" and a thinned out roux / aka white sauce.

superior fakes to cream of chicken are easy; cream of broccoli/mushroom/celery are less easy - simply because "celery stock" for example, is one of those DYI things. mushroom is (in my kitchen) quite doable as I stock dried mushrooms. boiled up, steeped, bingo - instant mushroom stock.

 

[GotGarlic]

Well, ya know, I've always got these three ingredients in my larder (chicken broth/stock in the deep freeze from poaching parts, corn starch in the pantry and an opened envelope of non-fat dried milk for my bread recipes), but never canned soup for some reason, soooooooo ... just call me frugal I suppose.
:shrug:

We all make choices about how to spend our time and money. Some of us are more constrained. I have several chronic illnesses that cause pain and fatigue so I don't always have enough spoons to make one more component of dinner.


For those not familiar: http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/

 

[rodentraiser]

I used this once and I really like it:

http://www.centercutcook.com/cream-soup-substitute/

 

[Andy M.]

I used this once and I really like it:

http://www.centercutcook.com/cream-soup-substitute/

That's basically a velouté.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Y'know ...
The main reason why I shared this fake-out condensed soup is,
I have been perusing Pinerest and I saw a recipe from my childhood,
Sausage and Rice Casserole, oh baby! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
A found a new casserole also that I'd love to try,
Tater Tot Casserole...
many of these simple-oldie-but-goodies-from-the-past-when-our-family's- didn't-have-much-days,
called for a can of condensed of of some sort.
Don't get me wrong, that's a well ingrained item at my Mom's house,
but I figure,
y'know,
I've got all of these ingredients in my pantry to make a fake-canned-soup,
why not.
(and DH will not touch any sort of creamed soup, so I don't keep any canned cream of x soup in the house ... "it's too creamy, ewwww, I don't like that .... how can you eat that, YUK!" ... please insert whiny 10 year old brat little boy voice here for effect )

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

So many ole time recipes called for cans of condensed
Cream of Chicken soup,
and I have searched high and low for something closer to
a homemade-non-canned version, a substitution if you will,
I found this a whiles back ...

1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth/homemade chicken stock better yet
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder

Mix the cornstarch into the chicken broth/stock; then add the dry milk powder, mix until smooth.

I should have titled this thread,
"A great sub for a recipe calling for Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup"
Mods: is there a way that I can do that?

 

[GotGarlic]

You can ask the mods to do that. I don't see a problem with the title as it is, though. Making it longer will mean part of the title won't show up on certain devices.

 

[Cheryl J]

I don't see any reason to change the title either, kgirl. Since there was no question mark after your thread title, it was obviously something you found and wanted to share as opposed to something you were looking for.

I too grew up with cream of whatever soups in casseroles and have nothing against them, but it's good to see other alternatives. Every now and then I want the good ol' comfort food casseroles I grew up with. I always have a couple of canned "cream of...." soups in the pantry for a quick 'just in case'. Thanks for sharing!

 

[di reston]

IMHO I never use canned soup in place of a sauce. A white wine and cream reduction sauce is much better:

Finely chopped onion, very little, about 1 eighth of the total volume of the sauce.
Butter to sweat the onion in
salt and pepper
dry white good quality wine - about 1/2 of the amount of fresh cream you're going to add
a pinch of mixed herbs, or a bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, bay leaf (even better)
Twice the amount of cream than the amount of wine you used.

Melt the butter, add the onion, then the herbs, and stir until the flavours are infused.
Add the white wine
Add the stock
Bring it all to the boil and reduce a little
Add the cream and reduce until you get a fairly thick sauce
Strain and use as required

Takes minutes

di reston

Enough is never as good as a feast Oscar Wilde

Peeple of ze wurl, relax Tom Robbins

 

[GotGarlic]

That's not really a substitute for what we're talking about, Di, but thanks.

 

[Addie]

I think I will look for that can of Campbell's "Cream of Whatever" soup. I am sure it must be an amazing soup.

My apologies folks. I just couldn't resist.

 

[rodentraiser]

That's basically a velouté.

Is that good? Bad? I've never heard of a veloute. Where else would I use it?

 

[Andy M.]

It's one of the 5 classic mother sauces of French cooking. It's made with a roux base and stock. Butter and flour in equal amounts by weight cooked together to make a blonde roux then whisk in a white stock, either chicken or fish. You could use it as a sauce over chicken, fish, veggies, etc.

 

[rodentraiser]

Thank you! So now I know 2 out of 5. LOL

Well, whatever it was, it worked fine and that was a good thing because I'm not crazy about canned cream of chicken. The cream of potato I don't mind, but this wasn't a dish I wanted to use potato in.