Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup
Zuppa di pollo e mais dolce
A rich, silky chicken and sweetcorn soup built on homemade chicken broth, fresh ginger, creamed corn and delicate egg-white ribbons.
This is a generous, comforting bowl built from a whole chicken rather than a shortcut stock. The creamed sweetcorn gives body and sweetness, ginger keeps it bright, and the egg whites are drizzled in at the end so they set into soft ribbons through the broth.
Watch Chef Paul make this
Chef Paul prepares his chicken and sweetcorn soup with whole-chicken broth, ginger, creamed corn and egg-white ribbons.
Written for about 8-10 bowls · Preparation 20 min · Cooking 1 hr
The original idea was exactly the sort of soup I want on a cold day: proper chicken broth, plenty of shredded chicken, creamed corn and enough ginger to wake it up. The only thing I changed for the Recipe Book was the order of the thickening and egg-white steps so the texture stays silky and the seasoning remains balanced.
Ingredients
For the broth
- Whole chicken, about 1.5-1.8 kg1 each
- Cold water, or enough to cover the chicken2.8 L
- Tomato, quartered1 large or 2 small
- Carrot, large, cut into chunks1 each
- Celery, roughly chopped3 stalks
For the soup
- Fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated30 g
- Creamed sweetcorn, about 400 g per can3 tin
- Shredded chickenall reserved meat from the broth
- Cornflour1 tbsp
- Cold water, for the cornflour slurry2 tbsp
- Egg whites, lightly beaten just until loose2 each
- Fish sauce2 tbsp
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Spring onions, finely sliced; or use 2 tbsp chopped chives4 each
- Fresh coriander, roughly chopped1 small handful
- Fine saltto taste
- Freshly ground black pepperto taste
- Sesame oil, optional, to finish1 tsp
Method
Place the whole chicken, tomato, carrot and celery in a large pot. Add the cold water and bring just to the boil. Skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Lift the chicken from the broth and allow it to cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces and set it aside.
Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Aim for about 2.5 litres. If you have significantly more, reduce it gently; if you have less, top up with a little water. Season only lightly at this stage because the fish sauce and soy sauce will add salt later.
Add the ginger to the broth and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir in the creamed sweetcorn and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
Mix the cornflour with the cold water until completely smooth. Stir the slurry into the simmering soup in a thin stream. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the soup has a light silky body.
Reduce the heat so the soup is barely simmering. Slowly drizzle in the lightly beaten egg whites while stirring gently in one direction. Let the whites set into fine ribbons and do not boil hard.
Add the fish sauce and soy sauce. Taste before adding any further salt, then adjust with salt and black pepper as needed.
Stir through the spring onions or chives and the coriander just before serving. Finish with sesame oil, if using, and serve immediately while piping hot.
Chef’s notes
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so it stays clean and sweet.
- Add the cornflour slurry before the egg whites. The soup should have a light silky body, not the texture of a thick sauce.
- Once the egg whites go in, keep the heat gentle. A hard boil breaks the ribbons into small curds.
Make ahead
The broth and shredded chicken can be prepared a day ahead and chilled separately. Finish the soup with the creamed corn, slurry, egg whites and fresh herbs close to serving.
Allergens and diet
Eggs. Fish. Soy. Gluten, depending on the soy sauce used.
Last refined · September 2026