Looking for Chicken & Corn in Your Egg Drop?
Everyone loves classic takeout-style egg drop soup, but this particular version is a bit less well-known. While it might be available at some Chinese restaurants, it certainly isn’t as ubiquitous as the standard trio of favorites: wonton, hot and sour, and egg drop soup. That said, this soup is a Cantonese favorite, especially among Hong Kong-ers. It’s no wonder, as it’s a really souped up (pun intended) version of our beloved egg drop soup. The added protein boost from chopped chicken and a touch of sweetness with the addition of corn makes it all the more satisfying, and more of a meal in and of itself.
A Truly EASY soup to make
Luckily, if you’re craving chicken corn soup, it’s easy to make. Thousands of folks are regularly enjoying our Egg Drop Soup, and this recipe isn’t really much harder. There are really just two extra steps:
The chicken is cut small and velveted with water, cornstarch, and oyster sauce. It cooks directly in the soup. Leaving the chicken slightly frozen will allow you to dice it small! Some of the corn is minced to help release its sweetness into the soup, and we also add whole corn kernels for a satisfying bite.
From start to finish, this recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make. Not bad for a pot of soup that could’ve been bubbling on the stove all day.
Choosing Corn
Which variety of corn you use for this special egg drop soup is a personal preference and depends on what you can find at your local market. Sweet young corn is my preference, but the season always seems to be early and short. Hence, we usually use regular yellow corn, which is less sweet but has the body and depth of flavor for making a really tasty soup. Fresh corn is still readily available during the fall season, and if not, frozen corn is a convenient and always-available alternative. You can also use canned corn, though we find frozen corn to be our preferred second choice if fresh corn isn’t available.
Chicken Corn Soup Recipe Instructions
Marinate the chicken with 1 tablespoon of water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon oyster sauce. Mix until the liquid is absorbed into the chicken. Set aside. Finely mince ½ cup of the corn kernels and set aside. Add the chicken stock, minced and whole corn kernels, and turmeric powder to a pot, and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Next, add the sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Turn up the heat slightly. Add the chicken to the soup. Use a spoon or ladle to break up any clumps of chicken while stirring for one minute. Mix the cornstarch and chicken stock slurry until incorporated. (If you mixed it in advance, be sure to mix again. The cornstarch and water will separate when left to sit for more than a few minutes.) Use a spoon or a whisk to stir the soup while slowly pouring in the cornstarch slurry. The soup will begin to thicken further as the cornstarch cooks. Keep stirring for another 30 seconds. If the soup is too thick, add more stock. If it’s too thin, add more cornstarch slurry until the soup is at your preferred consistency. Next, use a large spoon or ladle to gently stir in one direction while slowly pouring in the beaten egg whites. Stirring slowly in a large slow circular motion will create large “ribbons” of egg. Stirring faster will yield a finer “egg flower.” Use your own discretion on how you personally like the texture of the egg! Stir in half of the scallions, and add the rest as a garnish for serving. If you’re looking for a bit more flavor, you can also sprinkle some chopped cilantro and fresh ground black pepper over each bowl. Enjoy this chicken corn soup, everyone! It’s a real classic.
