Quick Answer: What Are Chicken Soup Substitutes In Recipe?

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Chicken Soup Substitutes are a perfect substitute for chicken soup. The best part is that these soups are much easier to make and require fewer ingredients. Some of the best Cream of soup substitutes to try include Cream of Mushroom Soup, Whipping Cream, Cream of Broccoli Soup, Fat Sour Cream, Cream of Shrimp Soup, Plain Greek Yogurt, and Cream of Celery Soup.

What kind of soup substitute should you make when you don’t have the Cream of chicken? What do you put in homemade chicken noodle soup if you’re out of noodles? What can I use instead of cream cheese in a soup recipe? These are some of the questions you are probably asking yourself.

Here we’ll walk through 10 different substitutes for the Cream of chicken soup.

People try to cook for their families daily without spending much money. One way cooks work on this is by getting creative with recipes and substituting ingredients when things go missing from the pantry.

But the question always looms: what do I substitute for Cream of chicken soup? It’s time to find out!

Here are 10 different creams of chicken soup substitutes. All of them are great in a delicious soup recipe!

Quick Table: Cream Of Chicken Soup Substitutes

Recipes	Calories
Cream of Mushroom Soup	39
White Sauce	105
Chicken Broth + Heavy Cream	267
Plain Yogurt	61
Cream of Broccoli Soup	201
Coconut Milk & Chicken Broth	310
Fat Sour Cream	238
Plain Greek Yogurt	80
Milk & Chicken Broth	174
Cream of Celery Soup	100
Roux	68
Cream of Shrimp Soup	90
Whipping Cream	400
Slurry	400

Substitutes For Cream Of Chicken Soup

1. Cream Of Mushroom Soup

If you have a recipe that calls for Cream of chicken soup, but you only have the Cream of mushroom soup available, don’t be scared to use it! Mushroom soup is a decent substitute – it will give your dish a little bit of thickness and flavor.

Mix the soup and milk in the same proportions as instructed on the can, but add milk gradually until it reaches the desired consistency.

This works best with savory dishes, like tomato chowder or warm vegetable beef stew. Try to avoid using this as a substitute for Cream of chicken soup in creamy recipes like macaroni and cheese or bisque.

How To Substitute
1 can cream of mushroom soup for every ⅓ cup called for in the recipe. Increase the liquid in the recipe by 1½ cups

2. White Sauce

White sauce is a fancy way of saying “a béchamel sauce.” Béchamel sauce has a white color and creamy texture, and it is one of the main ingredients in cream chicken soup.

So, it makes sense that you could use a white sauce as a substitute if you’re missing your can of soup!

What’s even better about this substitute is that it’s super easy to make! Just heat butter, add some flour, and stir together until it forms a paste.

Then add milk, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs for added flavor.

How To Substitute
Substitute 1 cup of white sauce for 1 can of cream chicken soup.

3. Chicken Broth + Heavy Cream

Chicken broth is the backbone of soups and stews. It lends a depth of flavor, moisture, and a hearty complexity to each dish.

And yet it’s one of the easiest ingredients to substitute! All you need to do is add another kind of liquid, like heavy Cream or vegetable stock, depending on the dish you’re making.

Be careful with this one, though! If you’re making a soup where the chicken broth gives the liquid a yellow-orange color (like split pea soup or parsnip soup), then you’ll need to add something that has a pale color. Heavy Cream will do the trick.

How To Substitute
Substitute 2½ cups broth for 1 can cream of chicken soup.

4. Plain Yogurt

Cream of chicken soup has a lot of ingredients that will make the dish taste much better, but none of them are necessary for the end product.

Namely, the ingredients are chicken stock, flour, butter, and salt. If you’re missing any of these things and want to start cooking, then it’s time to think outside the box.

You could make your plain chicken soup and cook some pasta or rice in it. But if you don’t have time for that – or if you’re trying to avoid carbs – then go for this substitute instead.

All you do is cook your grain of choice in plain yogurt (i.e., whole milk yogurt) with some seasonings added for flavor.

How To Substitute
Use 2 cups of whole milk yogurt instead of the Cream of chicken soup.

5. Cream Of Broccoli Soup

If you’ve ever tried making your broccoli, you know it takes some work. But if you’re looking to save time and money, then you could use the canned form of the vegetable instead!

Canned broccoli comes in the form of a supplemental ingredient in many soups, stews, and other dishes. If chicken broth is not readily available or not appealing to you, then broccoli soup is quite a good substitute for your Cream of chicken soup needs!

How To Substitute
Substitute 2 cups of canned broccoli for 1 cup of Cream of chicken soup.

6. Coconut Milk & Chicken Broth

Coconut milk is a healthy alternative to dairy, as it contains less saturated fat and more calcium than your average cow’s milk. It also has a sweet, mild flavor which is an easy way to make any soup a little bit more special.

Coconut milk and chicken broth are both white liquids thick enough to be used as substitutes for the Cream of chicken soup.

How To Substitute
Substitute ½ cup coconut milk + 1 cup chicken broth for every 1 cup cream of chicken soup.

7. Fat Sour Cream

Fat sour Cream is another popular ingredient that can be used as a substitute for the Cream of chicken soup.

Many fatty foods (like sour Cream and dairy) have been used to replace heavy sauces like Cream of chicken soup to make recipes lighter.

Sour Cream is just made with a blend of regular milk and butterfat, which gives it a thicker consistency and slightly sweet flavor. It’s suitable for making things like potato leek soup!

How To Substitute
Substitute 1 cup fat sour cream instead of the Cream of chicken soup.

RELATED: What You Can Eat With Tomato Soup

8. Plain Greek Yogurt

Here’s a substitute that’s a bit more similar to the actual Cream of chicken soup. Greek yogurt is thicker and less fatty than sour Cream, making it easier to mix into your recipe.

The ingredient is also believed to aid digestion and keep you full for longer, which makes greek yogurt the healthier alternative. But if you’re just looking for something to use in place of the soup, then go with this substitute!

How To Substitute
Substitute 1 cup Greek yogurt + ½ cup milk instead of the Cream of chicken soup.

9. Milk & Chicken Broth

If you want to make the switch to a healthier alternative, then you can substitute the chicken broth for just about any kind of milk!

If you happen to have cow’s milk on hand and are looking to make something a little lighter, go for skim or 1% milk instead.

Non-fat or lactose-free milk will require you to use a little more than the recipe calls for, so just remember that when using substitutes.

How To Substitute
Substitute 1½ cups skim milk + 3 cups chicken broth instead of the Cream of chicken soup.

10. Cream Of Celery Soup

Celery is an ingredient that is often hidden within soups and stews, so it’s a good idea for those who want to keep things healthy.

Celery has a natural, almost undetectable taste that is quite refreshing. So, if you want to make a soup or stew with other ingredients like potatoes, why not add some celery?

Another thing to consider when choosing a substitute for cream chicken soup is the kind of flavor you want.

While some people prefer the taste of celery without any soup base, others would rather have its flavor enhanced by the mix of chicken soup and other ingredients.

How To Substitute
Substitute 2 cups of celery for every 1 cup cream of chicken soup.

11. Roux

As the French would say, roux is a sauce made from flour that’s cooked in fat. This can be butter, oil, or a mixture of both.

The roux is then used to stir-fry vegetables, meat, or fish as it’s added to a dish with liquid and seasonings.

The texture and flavor of the roux will depend on what type of flour you use and how long you cook it; this makes different textures suitable for different dishes.

One common version is called yellow roux because the color resembles mashed potatoes at this stage in its development.

How To Substitute
For a 1-to-1 ratio, substitute one part roux for one part cream of chicken soup base. You can also use 1/4 cup of butter for the same amount.

12. Whipping Cream

Whipping cream is made by whipping heavy cream with sugar. It has a high-fat content and a relatively low percentage of water, so the fat globules stand up like microscopic icebergs.

This allows it to hold up better than plain cream when whipped. The whipped cream resembles soft-serve ice cream or even meringue when it’s poured over the cake, fruit, and other desserts.

How To Substitute
For a 1-to-1 ratio, substitute 1 part whipped cream for one part cream of chicken soup base. You can also use up to 1/2 cup of heavy cream.

13. Slurry

A slurry is a mixture of water and flour that’s used to thicken sauces. Its texture resembles a runny paste, so it can be used in dishes that use other pastes like tomato sauce or curries.

It’s added to the pot when the sauce is at a simmer.

It’s important to mix it well because you don’t want lumps; this will ruin the texture of the sauce. You can also make a slurry from other thickeners such as cornstarch or arrowroot powder.

How To Substitute
For a 1-to-1 ratio of slurry to the cream of chicken soup base, use equal parts water and cornstarch or arrowroot powder. For 1/2 cup of cream of chicken soup base, you’ll need one tablespoon each of cornstarch and water or one teaspoon each of cornstarch and water.

14. Cream Of Shrimp Soup

Cream of shrimp soup is very similar to cream of chicken soup. The main difference is that the flavor and ingredients are quite different.

For example, shrimp may be combined with milk and tomatoes, or sometimes lemon juice, herbs, and bay leaves are added.

The final product may be prepared in any number of ways including whole or chopped in pasta or a variety of other dishes.

How To Substitute
For a 1-to-1 ratio of cream of shrimp soup to the cream of chicken soup base, use equal parts cream of shrimp soup for cream of chicken soup. You can also use 1/2 cup of cream of shrimp soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Cream Of Chicken Soup Compare To Cream Of Mushroom Soup?

Comparatively, Cream of Chicken Soup contains a smaller amount of sodium than Cream of Mushroom Soup but more sodium than Cream of Celery Soup.

It also has a larger amount of calories, protein, and carbohydrates than any other variation.

This also helps to explain why fat is the least abundant ingredient in the Cream of chicken soup. The added flavorings used in this soup are mainly Cream and salt.

Of course, the sodium content of each particular recipe varies greatly depending on the amount of sodium added to each batch.

What Is The Difference Between Condensed And Evaporated Milk?

Condensed milk is whole milk that has been cooked until about 60% of the water has been evaporated, leaving a thick syrup.

Evaporated milk is also whole milk, but it’s boiled to remove almost all of the water. The result is a thick, more intensely flavored product.

Do You Need To Add Cream Or Something To Make Your Soup Creamy?

No, adding any amount of milk will make the soup creamy. Heavy Cream is indeed calorically dense, but it is not actually “dense” as a result of the addition of fat in the calorie sense, but rather because it is rich in protein (about 14%).

Heavy Cream has about 10% fat compared to evaporated milk which has about 8%. The higher fat percentage means there is about 4% more energy per cup as compared to evaporated milk, but it also has more protein and vitamins A and D.

Should Canned Cream Or Condensed Soup Be Thinner Or Thicker Than Usual?

If you are using condensed soup, you do not have to worry about the thickness. Just add the condensed soup to your recipe, including the amount of water called for in your recipe.

If you are using a “reduced sodium” version of condensed soup (bouillon), then use the same amount that is called for in your recipe, but add additional water until it is the desired consistency.

You can thin the soup with water or milk if it is too thick.

Should I Use A Low-Sodium Or Regular Condensed Soup?

Cream of chicken and Cream of celery substitute recipes are typically made from condensed low-sodium soups.

As a result, if you want to make a cream of chicken or celery soup using an original recipe and not substitute it at all, then use the low-sodium version in your recipe.

However, if you do not have low-sodium versions on hand, then use regular condensed soup in the recipe calling for Cream of chicken or celery soup. The flavor will be slightly less salty than the original recipe.

How Do I Make My Cream Of Soup Thick?

Since it is impossible to thicken condensed soups, you can add cornstarch or flour to make your creamier (thicker). Then add more water as you normally would.

If your recipe calls for water, you can also use chicken stock and/or beef stock in place of water. Use at least 1 cup of additional stock or enough to achieve the desired consistency.

Add extra chicken broth if the Cream of whatever soup is too thin.

14 Best Cream Of Chicken Soup Substitutes To Try

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The cream of chicken soup substitute is a wonderful meal for those that want to eat something tasty, but do not have the time to cook chicken.

Ingredients

Cream of Mushroom Soup
White Sauce
Chicken Broth + Heavy Cream
Plain Yogurt
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Coconut Milk & Chicken Broth
Fat Sour Cream
Plain Greek Yogurt
Milk & Chicken Broth
Cream of Celery Soup
Roux
Cream of Shrimp Soup
Whipping Cream
Slurry

Directions

Choose your favorite substitute from the list given above
Follow the directions given in the recipe after having substituted the ingredient in the correct ratio

Recipe Video

Author
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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!