Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 150 g chicken breast, finely diced or minced
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 5 g cornstarch
- 1 g ground white pepper
Soup Base
- 800 ml chicken stock
- 400 g creamed corn, canned
- 150 g sweet corn kernels, canned or frozen
- 10 g fresh ginger, finely minced
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 5 ml sesame oil, toasted
Thickening and Finish
- 20 g cornstarch
- 30 ml water, cold
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 20 g scallions, finely sliced, green parts only
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 267 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 1675 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 121 mg
- Potassium
- 431 mg
- Calcium
- 39 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 52 mg
- Phosphorus
- 213 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 55 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 6.0 mg
- Folate
- 79 mcg
- Water
- 370 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small bowl, combine the finely diced chicken breast, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside to marinate.
Place a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken stock and minced ginger, bringing the liquid to a rolling boil at approximately 100°C/212°F.
Stir the creamed corn, sweet corn kernels, light soy sauce, and sesame oil into the boiling stock. Reduce the heat and allow the soup to simmer gently at 90°C/195°F for 5 minutes.
Drop the marinated chicken into the simmering soup, stirring immediately to break up any clumps. Cook until the chicken turns completely opaque and reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F, about 2 to 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Pour it slowly into the soup while stirring continuously. Allow the soup to cook for 1 more minute until it becomes glossy and thickens.
Turn off the heat entirely. Using a whisk or chopsticks, stir the soup in a slow, gentle circular motion to create a whirlpool. Slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the moving liquid in a thin, steady stream to form delicate egg ribbons.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt if needed. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish generously with sliced scallions before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic takeaway texture, mince the chicken breast very finely. Partially freezing the chicken for 20 minutes before chopping makes it much easier to achieve a precise, tiny dice.
- The secret to the perfect egg drop technique is temperature and motion control. The liquid must be hot enough to cook the egg instantly, but not boiling rapidly, which shatters the delicate proteins.
- Creamed corn from a can provides the essential sweet, thick base that defines this dish. If substituting entirely with fresh or frozen whole corn, you must blend half the kernels with a little stock to replicate this creamy, starchy texture.
- White pepper is non-negotiable for traditional Chinese flavor profiles. It provides a sharp, earthy warmth that regular black pepper simply cannot replicate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The texture of the egg ribbons and overall thickness may degrade slightly upon refrigeration.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until it reaches a simmer. Do not boil vigorously or the eggs will toughen.
Troubleshooting
Egg forms large, rubbery clumps instead of delicate ribbons
Cause: Soup was boiling too vigorously, or the egg was poured too quickly without creating a gentle whirlpool first
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked, but remains safe and delicious to eat
Prevention: Turn off the heat before adding eggs, stir soup in one direction, and pour eggs from a height in a slow, thin stream
Soup is too thin and watery
Cause: Not enough cornstarch, or the soup was not simmered long enough to activate the starch after adding the slurry
Fix: Mix an additional 5g of cornstarch with 10ml of cold water, stir into the simmering soup, and cook for 1 minute until thickened
Prevention: Ensure the cornstarch is fully dissolved in the slurry before adding, and allow the soup to simmer for at least 1 minute after the addition
Cultural Context
Chicken and sweet corn soup is a beloved staple of Cantonese-Western takeaway cuisine, originating from mid-20th century Chinese diaspora communities. It beautifully adapts the traditional Chinese technique of egg-drop soup by incorporating sweet corn, an ingredient that became widely accessible in canned form, creating a brilliant fusion of East Asian texture and Western sweetness.
