A delicious, dairy-free creamy chicken corn soup, with coconut milk, corn and diced chicken. Can be made with fresh, frozen or canned corn, so enjoy it any time of year.
Why you’ll love this chicken corn soup
- This is a perfect shoulder-season soup, as it is lighter than the chowders of Winter, but still hearty enough to enjoy as a light main or for lunch.
- You can make this corn soup year-round, as it will work with fresh, frozen or canned corn.
- You’ll love the aromatic corn and coconut broth, with just a touch of heat and a bit of lemon. Combined with the hearty chicken chunks, this is a perfectly soul-soothing and satisfying soup.
- This corn soup is quick and easy to make, ready to eat in just about 30 minutes. So this one is perfect for lunch soup.
- It’s dairy-free! Yes, it’s wonderfully creamy without dairy milk or cream! Coconut milk adds great flavour, as well as perfect for anyone avoiding dairy.
Ingredient and Substitutions
Corn – you can use fresh (cut from the cob) corn, frozen corn that is thawed or drained, or canned corn here. For the frozen corn, it is necessary to thaw almost completely, so that it will blend nicely for the broth.
Coconut Milk – full-fat coconut milk is recommended, for the best flavour and thickness, but you could use Lite coconut milk, if you prefer. The soup will be a little less thick with this option.
Lemon – it may sound unusual, but the bit of lemon is wonderful in this soup! I urge you to try it. In a pinch, lime would work here as well.
Cilantro – if you aren’t a fan of cilantro, you can substitute flat-leafed parsley. That said, if you don’t mind dried coriander, you might consider adding a pinch to the soup, just to bring that flavour in.
Step-by-Step Photos
- Add corn and coconut milk to the blender.
- Puree until smooth and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large pot, add diced chicken and cook until no longer pink.
- Add red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add corn/coconut milk mixture to the pot.
- Add chicken broth and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow soup to gently heat for 10-15 minutes, to blend flavours.
- Stir in cilantro.
- Add lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
You can make this soup ahead and reheat it to serve. It holds up well in the fridge and shouldn’t thicken much as it sits. After it has been re-heated, add a splash of additional chicken broth to thin it out, if needed.
Store left-over soup in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
You could freeze this soup, to avoid wasting leftovers, but the coconut milk base could possibly split with the freeze/thaw. It is fine to consume, just not as appealing in appearance or mouth-feel.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Coconut Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 medium chicken breasts)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or 2 Tablespoons ginger paste
- 1 cup chicken broth, plus more, if needed, to thin
- 4 cups corn kernels, fresh, thawed frozen corn or canned corn, drained
- 400 ml coconut milk, full fat recommended (14 oz.)
- 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced, plus more for serving
- Juice of 1/4 of a lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For serving:
- Lemon wedges
- Cilantro, chopped
- Cooked corn kernels, for garnish
Instructions
- *Be sure to thaw frozen corn ahead, or it will not blend well! If you forgot to thaw it, simply pop it in the microwave briefly until thawed.
- Place corn kernels and coconut milk into a blender. Blend well until very smooth. Set aside. *If you don't have a blender, a food processor is another option, as is an immersion blender. Both of these may not process the corn quite as smoothly as the blender.
- In a large pot on the stove-top, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and cook, stirring, until it is no longer pink. Add the ginger, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 30-45 seconds.
- Add the corn/coconut milk mixture to the pot, along with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Stir to combine and reduce heat under the soup to medium low or whatever level maintains a very gentle simmer. Be sure to simmer the soup gently, as higher heat will cause the coconut milk to break. Simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes, to allow the flavours to blend.
- Stir in cilantro and lemon juice. Taste soup and add salt, as needed, to bring together the flavours. Finish with some freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve soup warm with additional chopped cilantro, lemon wedges and a sprinkling of cooked corn, for garnish, if you like.
Notes
More Corn Soup Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for this new and exciting recipe. I made it yesterday and decided it would be a perfect lunch choice for this damp, wet fall day after watching 6.5 hours of the funeral for Queen Elizabeth. The combination of tastes and textures did not disappoint and raised our spirits on this sad day in our history.
I am only sorry I did not double the recipe and have some for freezing.
Ah well, I shall just have to make it again!
Thanks again for another winner.
Hi Carole Ann and so glad you enjoyed this soup. It was a wet day here, as well and yes, I spent many hours watching tv today, as well. Thanks so much :)