This homemade gluten-free cream of chicken soup is simple to make once you learn the basic gluten-free roux. It recreates the rich, concentrated flavor of condensed soup and brings back favorite comfort recipes your family will love.
What makes this soup special
- Customizable: Adjust the creaminess, herbs, and spices to suit your taste.
- Versatile: Thin with extra stock or water for a bowl of soup, or serve thick with a slice of gluten-free bread for a complete meal. Use leftover or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Concentrated: This recipe yields about the equivalent of two cans of condensed soup. Use half the batch to replace one can in casseroles.
- Time-saver: Use this as a base for gluten-free chicken and dumplings, chicken pot pie, casseroles, or other cream-based dishes.
Key ingredients
- Onion: A minced shallot is mild and sweet, but any onion will work.
- Butter: Forms the fat base for the roux and adds flavor.
- Gluten-free flour: A gum-free all-purpose blend or a combination of rice flour, tapioca, and potato starch gives a smooth texture without gumminess.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper and herbs de Provence or poultry seasoning provide classic flavor. For a different twist, use a gluten-free onion soup mix.
- Chicken stock: Use a good-quality stock for the best flavor.
- Evaporated milk: Gives creamy body with less added moisture than regular milk.
- Chicken: Cooked, diced or shredded chicken completes the soup, though the base is delicious on its own.
How to make gluten-free cream of chicken soup
Condensed cream soups start with a roux — a cooked mixture of fat and flour that thickens sauces. For a condensed version, we reduce the liquid so the flavors concentrate. This condensed base can be thinned later with milk or stock for serving or used straight in recipes.
Make the roux
- Sauté a minced shallot (or small onion) in olive oil until soft, then remove and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the saucepan, add the gluten-free flour, salt, pepper and herbs, and stir into a paste.
- Slowly add chicken stock while whisking until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
Finish the soup
- Return the cooked shallots to the pan and add evaporated milk, whisking until smooth.
- Simmer until reduced and thickened to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in diced cooked chicken and remove from heat. The condensed-style soup is ready to use or store.
About the chicken
This recipe calls for cooked, diced chicken, but you can omit the chicken if you prefer a vegetarian-style base. Use shredded rotisserie chicken for ease, or cook plain chicken breasts so their mild flavor complements the seasonings without overpowering them.
How to cook chicken breasts easily
Place raw chicken breasts in a greased or lined casserole dish, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the chicken with parchment placed directly on top to retain moisture.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes before dicing.
Other condensed “cream of” soups
This same technique makes a condensed potato soup by simmering diced potatoes in the base while it reduces. For a mushroom version, sauté mushrooms first and swap poultry seasoning for complementary herbs.
These condensed bases are ideal for classic dishes like green bean casserole or chicken pot pie, where a concentrated sauce adds depth without extra liquid.
Popular ingredient substitution suggestions
Dairy-free
Replace butter with a nondairy buttery spread or margarine and cook the roux a bit lower and slower to evaporate moisture. Use a reduced nondairy cooking milk or reduce unsweetened almond milk separately before adding so the soup doesn’t become too thin. A mix of canned coconut milk and unsweetened nondairy milk can also work for richness.
Shallots
Shallots are mild and sweet, but any onion works. If you prefer a shortcut, use 2–3 tablespoons of minced dried onion flakes in place of fresh shallot.
Gluten-free flour blend
Use a gum-free blend such as a mix of superfine white rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch for a smooth condensed soup. Cornstarch will thicken but may thin as it cools, so a blend that holds when cooled is preferred.
Herbs and seasonings
Herbs de Provence give a classic pot-pie aroma, and poultry seasoning is an easy alternative. Adjust amounts to taste.
FAQ
Yes. Some brands make gluten-free condensed cream soups, though availability varies. Homemade lets you control the herbs, seasoning and texture.
Stored in a well-sealed glass container, it will stay fresh at least five days. For longer storage, leave out the chicken and add it when serving.
Yes. Freeze in well-sealed bags laid flat, in mason jars with headspace, or in portions using an ice cube tray. Thaw in the refrigerator or gently on the stovetop over low heat.
Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons gum-free gluten-free flour blend (see notes)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence or poultry seasoning
- 1½ cups (12 fl oz) chicken stock
- 1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk
- 1 cup (6 oz) diced cooked chicken
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shallot to a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter to the same pan and melt over medium heat.
- Stir in the flour blend, salt, pepper and herbs. The mixture will clump at first, then smooth into a roux.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux begins to turn a light brown.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, switching to a whisk and breaking up any lumps.
- Add the cooked shallots back to the pan and whisk to combine.
- Stir in the evaporated milk and whisk until smooth.
- Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about one-quarter and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 6 minutes).
- Remove from heat, stir in the cooked chicken, and serve or cool for storage.
Notes
To make herbs de Provence: 1 tbsp dried thyme + 2 tsp dried marjoram + 2 tsp dried savory + 1 tsp dried rosemary + 2 tsp dried lavender (optional) + ½ tsp dried sage.
To make poultry seasoning: ½ tsp dried parsley + 1 tsp dried sage + ½ tsp dried thyme + ½ tsp dried marjoram + ½ tsp dried rosemary.
For the flour blend: a gum-free mix of 30 g superfine white rice flour + 10 g potato starch + 5 g tapioca starch works well. You can also use a commercial gum-free all-purpose blend.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
