Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 1000 ml chicken broth, low sodium preferred
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g ginger, peeled and finely minced
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 10 ml sesame oil
Proteins & Vegetables
- 250 g chicken breast, raw, thinly sliced against the grain
- 200 g sweetcorn kernels, canned and drained, or frozen
- 15 g cornstarch
- 15 ml water, cold
Noodles & Garnish
- 200 g egg noodles, dried
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 393 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbohydrates
- 49 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1494 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 115 mg
- Potassium
- 1366 mg
- Calcium
- 518 mg
- Iron
- 7.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 202 mg
- Phosphorus
- 755 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 38 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.30 mg
- Niacin
- 21.0 mg
- Folate
- 226 mcg
- Water
- 121 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare all aromatics and garnishes by mincing the garlic and ginger, and thinly slicing the chicken breast, scallions, and fresh red chilli. Keep the raw chicken separate from the ready-to-eat garnishes.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Cook the egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain well, rinse briefly under cold water to halt the cooking process, and divide the noodles evenly among 4 serving bowls.
In a large pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the minced ginger and garlic, and saute for about 1 minute until highly fragrant, being careful not to let the garlic brown.
Pour the chicken broth and light soy sauce into the large pot with the aromatics. Turn the heat to high and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer around 90°C/194°F.
Add the thinly sliced raw chicken breast and sweetcorn kernels to the simmering broth. Gently poach the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes until it turns entirely opaque and reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until completely smooth. Stir the slurry into the gently boiling soup and allow it to thicken for 1 minute until the broth achieves a light, glossy body.
Use a ladle to generously pour the hot chicken and corn soup over the waiting noodles in each bowl. Garnish immediately with the sliced fresh chilli, scallions, and cilantro before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For an even faster weeknight meal, substitute the raw chicken breast with leftover pulled rotisserie chicken. Add it along with the sweetcorn just to warm through.
- If you prefer a milder soup, remove the seeds and white membranes from the fresh chilli before slicing. This delivers the bright, floral flavor of the pepper without the intense heat.
- For the classic egg-drop texture often found in this soup, omit the noodles. Instead, slowly drizzle a beaten egg into the simmering, thickened broth while gently stirring in a circular motion.
- Always rinse your noodles under cold water if they finish cooking before your soup is ready. This removes surface starch and stops the cooking process so they do not clump together.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store noodles separately from the broth to prevent them from becoming mushy and absorbing all the liquid.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze the soup base only. Do not freeze the cooked noodles or fresh garnishes.
Reheating: Reheat broth gently on the stovetop until simmering, then pour over fresh or separately reheated noodles.
Troubleshooting
Broth is too thin and watery after adding cornstarch
Cause: The cornstarch slurry was not mixed properly or the soup did not reach a boil after the slurry was added
Fix: Mix an additional 5g of cornstarch with a splash of cold water, stir it into the soup, and boil for 1 minute
Prevention: Ensure the slurry is completely lump-free and the soup is actively bubbling when it is stirred in
Chicken is rubbery and tough
Cause: Chicken was boiled too aggressively or for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed once overcooked, but shredding the meat further in the bowl can improve texture
Prevention: Slice the chicken very thinly against the grain and gently poach it just until it reaches 74°C/165°F
Cultural Context
Chicken and sweetcorn soup is a beloved staple in Westernized Chinese and Cantonese-style takeaway cuisine, treasured for its comforting warmth and delicate balance of savory and sweet flavors. The addition of wheat or rice noodles transforms the dish from a light starter into a fulfilling, standalone meal. Garnishing with fresh, vibrant aromatics like raw scallions and fiery chilli provides a sharp, textural contrast to the mellow, velvety broth.
