If soup night is a regular thing at your house, this one belongs in rotation alongside our Corn and Potato Chowder and Chicken Vegetable Soup.
There’s a reason Chicken Corn Soup earns repeat requests — the broth gets real body from creamed corn working alongside a swirl of heavy cream, while thyme, oregano, and garlic powder build a warm, savory base underneath it all. Then a squeeze of fresh lemon stirred in right at the end lifts everything and keeps the whole bowl from feeling heavy.
This is the soup to make on a cool evening when you want something that actually satisfies. It starts with sautéed onion and browned chicken for a solid flavor base, and by the time everything has simmered together, the carrots and potato are tender and the whole pot has a depth of flavor that tastes like it took far more effort than it did.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- One pot, minimal cleanup. The entire soup builds in a single Dutch oven or large pot from start to finish.
- Two kinds of corn for great texture. Creamed corn gives the broth natural sweetness and body; frozen corn kernels add hearty bites throughout.
- A lemon finish that makes it pop. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving balances the richness of the cream and brightens every spoonful.
- Feeds a crowd. Eight servings means plenty for everyone at the table, with room for seconds.
- Pantry-friendly ingredients. Creamed corn, frozen corn, and staple spices — thyme, garlic powder, oregano — mean you likely have most of this on hand already.
- No complicated steps. Sauté, brown, simmer, stir in cream and lemon — straightforward from start to ladle.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Heat Oil in Pot: Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Sauté Onions: Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
- Brown Chicken: Push the onion to the outside edges of the pan, then add the cubed chicken to the middle of the pot and cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. (Let the chicken cook in the middle of the pot with the onions on the outside edge for the first 2-3 minutes, then stir to incorporate the chicken with the onions and cook all sides of the chicken.)
- Add Soup Ingredients: Add the chicken broth, creamed corn, frozen corn kernels, diced carrot, diced potato, ground thyme, garlic powder, salt, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Bring To Boil Then Simmer: Increase the stovetop heat to medium-high, bring soup to a boil (this may take 5-10 minutes), then reduce the stovetop heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
- Add Cream: Stir in heavy cream. Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 1-2 minute(s).
- Add Lemon Juice and Season: Carefully remove the bay leaf from the pot, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste the soup, and add additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper based on taste preferences.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, then serve.
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- No heavy cream on hand? Half-and-half or a mixture of milk and a bit of butter works as a lighter substitute — the texture will be slightly different but the soup still works well.
- Carnation canned cream can step in for heavy cream; expect a slightly different texture and flavor.
- For a dairy-free version, coconut milk or oat milk can replace the heavy cream.
- Prefer shredded chicken? Pull the cooked pieces apart before stirring in the cream — it’s an easy change if you’d rather have that texture throughout the soup.
✨ Variations
- For a thicker consistency, stir in a small amount of flour when you add the cream and let the soup cook for an extra minute or two.
- Lean into the brightness by adding extra lemon juice right before serving — the recipe encourages you to season to taste at the end, so go as bold as you like.
- The fresh parsley garnish is optional but worth doing — it adds a pop of color and a fresh note that plays well against the creamy broth.
〰️ How to serve
- Ladle into bowls and top with chopped fresh parsley — the garnish adds color and a bright, fresh finish.
- Pair with a slice of Honey Butter Skillet Cornbread on the side and dinner is done.
- Serve with Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread — it’s perfect for dunking into the creamy broth.
- This makes 8 servings, so it’s a natural fit for feeding a crowd or for keeping a full pot on hand for the week.
💬 FAQs
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
Sara hasn’t tested this one in a slow cooker, so the stovetop version is the method she can fully vouch for. If you’d like to try it, sauté the onion and brown the chicken in a skillet first, then transfer everything except the cream and lemon juice to the slow cooker. Stir those in at the very end before serving.
What can I substitute for the heavy cream?
A few options work here. Carnation canned cream is a direct swap with a slightly different texture and flavor. Half-and-half or a mixture of milk and a bit of butter are lighter alternatives. For a dairy-free version, coconut milk or oat milk can work in its place.
Can I shred the chicken instead of leaving it in chunks?
Yes — it’s an easy change. Pull the cooked chicken apart before stirring in the cream and lemon juice. One reader who preferred shredded chicken said she would make this soup again either way and loved the flavor.
How do I thicken the soup if it seems too thin?
Stir in a small amount of flour when you add the cream and let it cook for an extra minute or two. That’s the approach one reader used and found it worked well for her.
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Chicken Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon 15 milliliters avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
- 4 cups 32 ounces unsalted chicken broth
- 15- ounce can creamed corn
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium-sized russet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup 120 milliliters heavy cream
- Juice from half a lemon, ~1-2 Tablespoons, or more, depending on taste preferences
Optional Garnish:
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat Oil in Pot: Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Sauté Onions: Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
- Brown Chicken: Push onion to outside edges of the pan, then add cubed chicken to the middle of the pot and cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. (Let chicken cook in the middle of the pot with onions on the outside edge for the first 2-3 minutes, then stir to incorporate chicken with onions and cook all sides of the chicken.)
- Add Soup Ingredients: Add chicken broth, creamed corn, frozen corn kernels, diced carrot, diced potato, ground thyme, garlic powder, salt, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Bring To Boil Then Simmer: Increase stovetop heat to medium-high, bring soup to a boil (this may take 5-10 minutes), then reduce stovetop heat to low. Cover pot with a lid and allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
- Add Cream: Stir in heavy cream. Allow soup to simmer for an additional 1-2 minute(s).
- Add Lemon Juice and Season: Carefully remove bay leaf from the pot, then stir in lemon juice. Taste soup, and add additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper based on taste preferences.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, then serve.
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