Cream of Chicken Soup (Chicken Velouté)
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 24, 2009
Time
2¼ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Broth and Shredded Chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast meat removed on the bone, split, and reserved; remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces1 onion, chopped2 quarts boiling water 2 teaspoons table salt 2 bay leavesSoup
6 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 shallots, chopped fine6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup dry sherry 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme2 cups milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chivesBefore You Begin
This is the classic French cream of chicken soup flavored with sherry. The stock and shredded chicken can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for several months. With some sacrifice in flavor, you could use 2 quarts of low-sodium canned broth along with 4 cups of shredded roasted or poached chicken. This soup can be made with milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream, depending on the desired richness. We like the chive garnish, but parsley or tarragon (use just 1 tablespoon of the latter) are fine alternatives.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken breast halves and cook until both sides are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Add onion and cook until softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion to a large bowl.
- Add half of chicken pieces to pot and cook until both sides are lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces (excluding the breasts) to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
- Increase heat to high. Add boiling water, chicken breasts, salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover until chicken breasts are cooked through and stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from pot. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Strain stock and discard solids. Skim fat from surface of broth and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat to keep warm.
- Melt butter in now-empty pot over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. (Do not let shallots brown.) Increase heat to medium, whisk in flour, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking constantly. (Do not let flour brown.)
- Remove pot from heat and gradually whisk in several tablespoons of hot stock. Repeat, adding a few more tablespoons of stock. Use wooden spoon to scrape flour from edges of pan. Return pan to low heat and slowly whisk in remaining stock, stopping once or twice to scrape flour from edges of the pan. Whisk in sherry and thyme.
- Raise heat to medium, bring soup to gentle simmer, and cook, stirring constantly and skimming any foam on surface, for 15 minutes. Add milk and chicken pieces, and bring soup back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with chives, and serve immediately.
for the broth
for the soup
Time
2¼ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Broth and Shredded Chicken
Soup
Ingredients
Broth and Shredded Chicken
Soup
Ingredients
Broth and Shredded Chicken
Soup
Why This Recipe Works
For our cream of chicken soup recipe, we used a roux made of equal parts butter and flour, and settled on 2 quarts of stock and 2 cups of dairy for the liquid. We needed the roux to remain white for this white soup, so we cooked it over medium heat for two minutes to get rid of the flour flavor without coloring the mixture. We found that we could add hot liquid—and speed preparation of the cream of chicken soup recipe—as long as we added it gradually. Whisking the liquid in gradually, rather than stirring with a wooden spoon as many sources suggest, also helps prevent the formation of lumps. Once all the liquid has been incorporated, constant stirring is necessary. Without it, the fully swelled starch can settle on the bottom of the pan and burn.
Before You Begin
This is the classic French cream of chicken soup flavored with sherry. The stock and shredded chicken can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for several months. With some sacrifice in flavor, you could use 2 quarts of low-sodium canned broth along with 4 cups of shredded roasted or poached chicken. This soup can be made with milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream, depending on the desired richness. We like the chive garnish, but parsley or tarragon (use just 1 tablespoon of the latter) are fine alternatives.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken breast halves and cook until both sides are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Add onion and cook until softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion to a large bowl.
- Add half of chicken pieces to pot and cook until both sides are lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces (excluding the breasts) to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
- Increase heat to high. Add boiling water, chicken breasts, salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover until chicken breasts are cooked through and stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from pot. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Strain stock and discard solids. Skim fat from surface of broth and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat to keep warm.
- Melt butter in now-empty pot over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. (Do not let shallots brown.) Increase heat to medium, whisk in flour, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking constantly. (Do not let flour brown.)
- Remove pot from heat and gradually whisk in several tablespoons of hot stock. Repeat, adding a few more tablespoons of stock. Use wooden spoon to scrape flour from edges of pan. Return pan to low heat and slowly whisk in remaining stock, stopping once or twice to scrape flour from edges of the pan. Whisk in sherry and thyme.
- Raise heat to medium, bring soup to gentle simmer, and cook, stirring constantly and skimming any foam on surface, for 15 minutes. Add milk and chicken pieces, and bring soup back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with chives, and serve immediately.
for the broth
for the soup
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