Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Chicken
- 250 g chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 10 g ginger, peeled and minced
- 10 g garlic, minced
- 15 ml neutral oil
Broth & Vegetables
- 1000 ml chicken broth
- 400 g canned creamed corn
- 150 g sweetcorn kernels, drained
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 2 g white pepper, finely ground
Noodles & Eggs
- 150 g thin egg noodles, dried
- 2 eggs, beaten
Finishing & Garnish
- 10 g fresh red chilli, thinly sliced
- 30 g spring onions, thinly sliced
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 471 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 1762 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 170 mg
- Potassium
- 559 mg
- Calcium
- 64 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 73 mg
- Phosphorus
- 338 mg
- Zinc
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 67 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.57 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.59 mg
- Niacin
- 11.5 mg
- Folate
- 162 mcg
- Water
- 430 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Slice the chicken breast into thin strips on a cutting board using a chef's knife.
Peel and mince the ginger and garlic. Thinly slice the fresh chilli and spring onions.
Heat the neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced ginger, garlic, and chicken strips. Sauté with a wooden spoon until the chicken turns white and opaque.
Pour the chicken broth, creamed corn, sweetcorn kernels, light soy sauce, and white pepper into the pot. Mix thoroughly to combine the ingredients.
Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Cook until the flavors meld and the chicken strips are fully cooked to an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Add the dried thin egg noodles directly to the bubbling broth. Boil until the noodles have untangled and softened.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them vigorously until the yolks and whites are completely homogenous.
Turn the heat to low so the soup is barely bubbling. Stir the soup slowly in a wide circular motion with a wooden spoon to create a gentle whirlpool, then slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the moving liquid to form delicate ribbons.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the toasted sesame oil, then portion into bowls using a ladle. Garnish with the sliced fresh chilli and spring onions before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For an even faster meal prep, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken shredded directly into the simmering broth instead of cooking raw chicken breast.
- The starch from the creamed corn and the egg noodles naturally thickens this soup. For a glossy, restaurant-style thickness, stir in a slurry of 15g cornstarch and 15ml water during the simmer phase.
- Pouring the beaten egg slowly over the back of a fork or ladle helps disperse the egg into delicate, beautiful ribbons rather than large scrambled clumps.
- Control the spice level by removing the white membranes and seeds from the fresh chilli before slicing, or serve the chilli on the side to accommodate different heat tolerances.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Noodles will absorb liquid over time and soften significantly.
Reheating: Warm gently in a pot over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the noodles.
Troubleshooting
Egg ribbons turn into cloudy mush or fine grains
Cause: The soup was boiling too vigorously, or it was stirred too rapidly while pouring the eggs
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and stir the soup in a slow, wide circular motion before slowly drizzling the eggs
Soup becomes excessively thick and starchy
Cause: Noodles released too much starch into the broth or absorbed too much liquid during simmering
Fix: Stir in an additional 100ml of hot chicken broth or water to thin the consistency
Prevention: Do not overcook the noodles, or cook noodles in a separate pot of water and add them to individual bowls before pouring the soup over
Cultural Context
Chicken and sweetcorn soup is a beloved staple of Cantonese cuisine and a popular fixture on Western-Chinese takeaway menus worldwide. Originally served as a light, comforting starter, this variation introduces egg noodles and fresh chilli, transforming the homestyle classic into a hearty, warming main course.
