Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

It feels like canned condensed cream of chicken soup has been around forever. As a child, I enjoyed eating the soup on its own, and as an adult, I discovered its versatility in numerous delicious recipes.

I might sound repetitive, but with rising costs and the extensive processing of our foods, I've decided to make many items at home myself. Cream of Chicken soup is one such example.

Ingredients:

1 cup of water

2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder

1/2 cup whole milk (or heavy cream for richer flavor)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon celery salt (or 1/8 teaspoon celery seed + 1/8 teaspoon salt)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 cup cooked chicken, very finely chopped or shredded

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the flour, chicken bouillon powder, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the milk.

Whisk in the flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Cook for 5-7 minutes until it thickens to a condensed soup consistency (similar to the canned version).

If adding chicken, stir in the finely chopped or shredded cooked chicken and heat through for 1-2 minutes.

Taste and add salt if needed. The soup should be thick and slightly salty, as it’s meant to be diluted when used in recipes or as a soup.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.