Cream of chicken soup is an essential component that is used in a variety of potluck dishes and casseroles. Without this soup added in, none of these dishes would be the same!
So, the real question is that if you run out of cream chicken soup, can’t get your hands on any, or if you need to have a healthier version, what do you do? Luckily, we have already thought about this, and we have compiled a few ideas for you to try.
Do not worry, none of these will have an aggressive impact on the flavor or consistency of your dishes, but they can work well as a good alternative. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Using Other Varieties Of Condensed Soups
One of the best options you have when the cream of chicken soup is not an option is to use other condensed soups in its place. Of course, you want something that will be similar, so things such as mushrooms, celery, and asparagus should all be ideal options.
None of these should have a massive impact on the taste of your dish, but they can work well as a great substitute when you are unable to use cream of chicken! Let’s look into each in a bit more detail!
1. Cream Of Mushroom Soup
We would be lying if we said that this was not one of our favorite soups overall. Cream of Mushroom soup is an awesome stand-in for the cream of chicken soup. It is delicate, and does not have a super assertive flavor, allowing it to mix in well with a wide variety of dishes.
Cream of mushroom soup is also very easy to get your hands on, and it is a fairly common pantry staple, one that many people have on hand. It is also vegetarian, so it works well in vegetarian dishes.
2. Cream Of Shrimp Soup
Cream of shrimp is a more niche condensed soup alternative, but this would work incredibly well in a soup or a seafood-based dish, such as a Gumbo, or Jambalaya casserole. Of course, this is a niche option and will not fit with every single dish.
3. Cream Of Celery Soup
Cream of Celery soup does have a unique and tasty flavor that goes very well with ground beef, sausage casseroles, and a meaty soup. You can use this soup to make a nice, dirty rice dish, and other similar dishes.
Although it is not the most popular option as a cream of chicken soup or even a cream of mushroom soup, this option is still readily available in a vast majority of grocery stores.
Since celery is quite a bland ingredient, it mixes well with a lot of dishes and other ingredients, so it is a versatile option.
4. Cream Of Potato Soup
Cream of potato soup is bound to work well as a substitute for cream of chicken soup. Potato is another simpler ingredient that can mix well in a vast majority of recipes.
Cream of potato soup goes well in many dishes including baked potato casserole dishes, potato gratin dishes, and other dishes that are similar to hash brown casseroles and so on.
5. Cream Of Asparagus Soup
Cream of asparagus is a delicious option, working as an amazing stand-in for vegetable and ham casseroles, soups, rice dishes, and chicken dishes.
If you enjoy the taste of this delicious vegetable, then you can use this type of soup as a substitute in many of your favorite dishes. While asparagus does have a distinct flavor, it is not quite so strong in cream of asparagus soup, so it won’t overpower your dishes.
Consider Using Plain Greek Yogurt Or Sour Cream
What do you do if you do not have any other options in the condensed soup category? Or if you do not have any homemade alternatives that you can work with at the time?
Well, if you do not have any condensed soup options available to you, then you can use sour cream, or just plain Greek yogurt with some additional seasonings to make a great substitute.
If you use light sour cream or Greek yogurt, these can work as a super healthy alternative to the cream of chicken soup. You can add these to your dish to mimic the delicious creaminess and the incredible consistency that you usually get from the cream of chicken soup.
Make Your Very Own Cream Of Chicken Soup
Of course, if you have some time on your hands, and you would rather have a fresh soup, you can make your cream of chicken soup as well! It is super cheap and simple to make, and will taste much better than a pre-made option!
Homemade chicken soup is also a great option for those who want to avoid any artificial coloring, flavoring, and any preservatives that are often found in pre-made soups.
There are so many recipe options for this kind of soup, but a majority of them will begin with a flour-based roux and some other basic ingredients that you would likely expect. Let’s give you a simple recipe to follow, so if you have some time on your hands, you can give it a try.
Ingredients List
- 1 tablespoon of flour.
- ½ a cup of chicken broth.
- ½ a cup of milk.
- 3 tablespoons of butter.
- Salt and pepper for tasting.
Instructions
- Begin by melting the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted in the pan, you can then add in flour and whisk the mixture until it is bubbling and smooth.
- Next, slowly stir in the milk and the broth and allow it to build to a low boil, constantly stirring until the soup starts to thicken up. Now add some seasonings to the dish to taste.
This is the most basic way you can make this dish, there are some more complex ways to make it, but this is the most ideal.
Making It Gluten Free
One of the other benefits of making cream of chicken soup yourself is that you will be able to make it gluten-free if you want to! All you need to do to make this soup gluten-free is to swap out normal flour with gluten-free flour. Some options include:
- Oat flour.
- Almond flour.
- Brown rice flour.
- Arrowroot flour.
Overall
Cream of chicken soup is an ingredient in a wide variety of soups, however, it may not always be readily available to you, in which case having a great alternative set up ready can be a real lifesaver.
Cream of mushroom, asparagus, celery, or even shrimp could work well in a dish as a replacement for the cream of chicken. However, if you need some cream of chicken soup for a recipe, and you have the time, why not make your own?
Cream of chicken soup is delicious and works so well in many dishes, but this does not mean it has to be your only port of call in every scenario. Maybe next time, consider making your dish with cream of mushroom instead!
