Cream of chicken soup is a pantry staple beloved for its versatility That little can packs a creamy, comforting punch of flavor that can transform everything from weeknight dinners to holiday sides. But you can take canned cream of chicken soup beyond casseroles by incorporating it into sauces, dips, pasta dishes, soups, and more
With just a few extra ingredients, cream of chicken soup becomes so much more than a quick shortcut. Read on to discover 25 delicious ways to use canned cream of chicken soup in recipes.
Use It As A Sauce or Gravy
Cream of chicken soup makes an instant creamy sauce or gravy. Simply thin it with milk, broth, or water. Then use it to top proteins, starches, and vegetables. For example, spoon it over baked chicken, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, pasta, and rice. Kick up the flavor with spices and herbs like black pepper, parsley, thyme, and sage.
Mix It Into Pasta
Transform cream of chicken soup into a luscious pasta sauce. Thin it with liquid, then toss with cooked pasta and shredded chicken or ham. For a creamy tomato sauce, combine soup with canned tomatoes. Sprinkle in Parmesan or cheddar for extra richness.
Make Chicken Enchiladas
For fast chicken enchiladas use cream of chicken soup as the sauce. Roll tortillas around shredded chicken, top with the thinned soup cheese, and desired toppings. Bake until hot and bubbly.
Add It to Chowders and Bisques
Cream soups like corn chowder, crab bisque, or potato soup get extra body and chicken flavor from canned cream of chicken soup For a thinner consistency, reduce other dairy ingredients like heavy cream or milk.
Create Dip
Blend cream of chicken soup with cream cheese or sour cream to instantly make a creamy, protein-packed dip for veggies, crackers, and chips. Keep it simple or spice it up with herbs, spices, bacon, or shredded chicken.
Bake It Into Quiches
For a shortcut quiche, pour thinned cream of chicken soup into a pie crust. Top with sautéed veggies, cheese, cooked chicken, and bacon or ham if desired. Bake until set and golden on top.
Make Chicken & Dumplings
Cream of chicken soup adds comforting flavor and richness to chicken and dumplings. Use it instead of heavy cream or milk to create the stew base. Then top with homemade or canned biscuit dough.
Flavor Stuffing and Dressing
Give stuffing and dressing a boost of chicken flavor with canned soup. Fold it into the mixture along with traditional ingredients like bread cubes, veggies, herbs, broth, eggs, and butter or oil.
Bake It Into Casseroles
Casseroles wouldn’t be the same without cream of chicken soup! It binds ingredients, adds moisture, and infuses comfort food flavor. Popular creamy chicken soup casseroles include King Ranch chicken, green bean casserole, tuna noodle, and broccoli rice.
Make Scalloped Potatoes
For ultra-rich, creamy scalloped potatoes, use cream of chicken soup instead of milk or cream. Pour the soup over sliced potatoes, top with cheese, and bake. Serve this indulgent side dish with holiday meals.
Cook Rice
Here’s a clever tip: Cook rice in diluted cream of chicken soup rather than plain broth or water. The starch from the rice will thicken the soup into a creamy, chicken-flavored rice dish.
Use in Pot Pies
Cream of chicken soup is an easy shortcut for pot pie gravy. Sauté vegetables, then stir in the soup. Fill a pie crust and top with biscuits or puff pastry. Chicken pot pie has never been simpler.
Make Chicken Noodle Soup
Transform basic chicken noodle soup into a creamy, comforting version by stirring in cream of chicken soup at the end. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce heat and add noodles, chicken, and soup.
Bake Meatloaf
Meatloaf stays juicy when made with cream of chicken soup. Just whisk half a can into the ground meat and binder mixture. The soup adds moisture and enhances the chicken or turkey flavor.
Cook grains
Add creaminess to whole grains like rice, barley, farro, and quinoa by cooking them in diluted cream of chicken soup instead of broth or water. The starch from the grains will thicken the soup into a creamy sauce.
Make Chicken & Waffles
Here’s an unexpected way to use cream of chicken soup: Make it into a sauce for chicken and waffles! Thin the soup with milk and spike with maple syrup and hot sauce for a sweet, spicy topping.
Bake empanadas
For a fun twist on cream of chicken soup, fill empanada dough with a mix of shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, salsa, beans, or cheese. Bake until the dough is golden brown for handheld chicken pot pies.
Stuff vegetables
Fill hollowed out vegetables like bell peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini with a creamy filling of cream of chicken soup, shredded chicken, cheese, rice, or quinoa. Bake until the vegetables are tender.
Make chicken salad
Boost the flavor of chicken salad with a bit of cream of chicken soup. Use it along with mayo or Greek yogurt to bind shredded chicken, celery, onion, grapes, and nuts or seeds. Spoon onto bread, lettuce, or crackers.
Top baked potatoes
Load up baked potatoes with an easy chicken topping. Thin cream of chicken soup with milk and mix with shredded chicken, bacon, cheese, and veggies. For twice-baked potatoes, add the filling to hollowed-out skins.
Cook chicken breasts
Poach chicken breasts in diluted cream of chicken soup for extra flavor and moisture. Cook over low heat until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Shred and use in casseroles, pasta, soup, salads, and sandwiches.
Make turkey meatballs
Turkey meatballs stay tender when mixed with cream of chicken soup. Combine the soup with ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, and spices. Then roll into balls and bake until cooked through.
Bake chicken wings
Make crispy baked chicken wings with a sticky, finger-licking sauce. Toss the wings in diluted cream of chicken soup mixed with your favorite wing sauce. Bake until caramelized and browned.
So grab a can of cream of chicken soup next time you shop. With a little creativity, this humble pantry staple can seriously upgrade your everyday meals and sides!
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Light & Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Lightened up, yet still creamy and so satisfying
- Can be made on the stove or in a slow cooker
- 1-pot meal
- Using a cooked rotisserie chicken saves time
- So much more delicious than store-bought soup
- Make ahead of time and freeze
- Good way to use up leftover chicken
- Flavorful spices, herbs, and vegetables
- A reader-favorite from my list of 30 delicious fall dinner recipes
- Ultimate winter comfort food!
Best Ingredients to Use:
You need 1 big pot and a few staple ingredients. This is a forgiving recipe, so let’s review what can change if needed.
- Butter: Just a Tablespoon, to soften the vegetables.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, and celery form the mirepoix flavor base for this soup.
- Herbs/Flavors: Use a blend of garlic, dried or fresh thyme and oregano, fresh ground pepper, and salt. Feel free to use other herbs you enjoy instead, if desired.
- Flour or Cornstarch: Flour (or cornstarch) thickens the liquid, taking this soup from brothy to creamy. See recipe Note for that substitution.
- Chicken Broth: Or stock.
- Potato: 1 medium potato is the first magical ingredient in this recipe, because it cooks down and makes the soup SO creamy, hearty, and satisfying.
- Chicken: This recipe saves time because you can use pre-cooked chicken. You could also use leftover cooked turkey, like we do in this turkey pot pie! I usually pick up a small rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, shred it, and add it right into the soup. (I do the same for this BBQ chicken pizza—so easy!) Or you can boil/poach chicken breasts or roast them with a little garlic and thyme, let cool slightly (or refrigerate for a day or two), then shred or chop. If you have leftover chicken, you can also use it in recipes like my chicken quinoa salad or peanut chicken zucchini noodles.
- Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half. If you want to make regular (non-creamy) chicken noodle soup, replace the milk with more chicken broth.
- Noodles: I prefer wide egg noodles in chicken soup, but you can use any type of dry pasta you like, or go noodle-less.
If you can find wide egg noodles, go ahead and use those in today’s soup. If you don’t have egg noodles, any dry pasta you like would work. Keep the noodles small enough to fit on a spoon, so break any large dry pasta before using if needed. A few readers have even used tortellini instead!
EASIEST Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
FAQ
How to improve canned cream of chicken soup?
Add sautéed aromatics like onion or garlic
My favorite way to upgrade canned soup is to add sautéed onion and garlic. Whether alone or together, they add a rich, potent flavor and an enticing aroma that won’t be overlooked. One of the best things about this upgrade is that it works on almost any type of canned soup.
What can I add to canned chicken soup to make it better?
More Ways to Add Flavor Add more flavor to your chicken soup by adding dried parsley, onion powder, or garlic powder. I recommend adding 1⁄2 to 1 full teaspoon. Another great way to add more flavor is to add a splash of vinegar (any kind) or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
What to add to chicken soup to make it tastier?
Add peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, poultry seasoning, basil, and parsley.Dec 11, 2023
What spices to add to cream of chicken soup?
Pour in the rest of the broth and 1/2 cup of milk, and whisk in the salt, black pepper, parsley, lemon pepper seasoning, allspice, and paprika. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.