I've been converting processed foods with healthy traditional replacements in my kitchen for the past few years. I firmly believe in cooking and making things ourselves, instead of being spoon fed unhealthy chemical laden products by companies that only care about turning a profit.

It can be daunting and my best advice is to start with one item at a time. Begin with the items that you ingest the most of on a daily basis. For me, that was bread. It's been over a year since I've purchased bread from the store using the less than 5 minutes a day method and only 5 traditional ingredients

Today I want to show you how to make cream of soup substitutions in your favorite casseroles and recipes. We'll be making a basic sauce. For the cream of chicken soups, I make a basic white sauce with a twist.

First start with a cast iron skillet, or a large skillet of your choice, but beings we're being healthy, no Teflon coated pans.

Pioneering Today-Basic White Sauce Recipe

1/4 cup (or 1/3 cup) of butter (dairy free options include lard or coconut oil)

1/3 cup flour (gluten free option is organic corn starch or arrowroot powder *affiliate link)

1 to 2 cups milk (dairy free option is chicken broth or stock)

salt to taste

Melt the butter in your pan over medium low heat. Stir in the flour until it makes a thick paste and is combined.

Add your liquid slowly, working it until the paste is absorbed. Continue to add liquid until the sauce has reached the desired thickness, stirring continually. It will thicken as it simmers. Use in place of cream soups in your favorite casseroles and recipes. Or serve it over top of hard-boiled eggs and toast.

The Twist-Depending on your recipe, try switching out the liquid. Instead of milk, use chicken stock and a dash of white wine. The alcohol content cooks out. If you desire a rich sauce, use real cream.

Some of you may be worrying about your health using real butter and cream. I'm the first to say that using real butter is healthy! Read this article for info on the truth behind the butter is bad myth. 

I personally always believe using real ingredients in a balanced diet is the healthiest way to live. I only serve myself and my family real butter and real milk (provided you don't have a dairy allergy).

What's your favorite processed replacement recipe? How are you doing on swapping out real for fake food items?

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe

Melissa Norris

This homemade cream of chicken soup substitute whips up in four minutes and only uses 5 ingredients to replace store-bought condensed cream of chicken soup. It's full of flavor and can be adapted for dairy-free and gluten-free.

4.04 from 160 votes

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Cook Time 4 mins

Total Time 4 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 5 servings

Calories 93 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 Tablespoons butter for dairy-free use lard or coconut oil
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons flour organic cornstarch or xanthan gum works for gluten-free thickeners
• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• dash of pepper

Instructions

 

• In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter (or fat of choice).
• Whisk in flour. It will make a thick paste, continue whisking for about a minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
• Slowly whisk in liquids. Bring to a simmer (barely a boil), adding more liquid if it becomes too thick. It will thicken up more as it cools.
• Remove from heat and stir in salt and dash of pepper.

Notes

• For gluten-free options, use cornstarch or xanthan gum instead of flour.
• For dairy-free options, use all chicken broth, or substitute full-fat canned coconut milk (unsweetened). 
• Need a cream of celery substitute: saute a 1/4 cup of finely diced celery in butter before adding flour and other ingredients.
• Need a cream of mushroom substitute: saute a 1/4 cup of finely chopped mushrooms in butter (or fat source) before adding flour and other ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cupCalories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 250IUCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg

Keyword cream of chicken soup, cream of chicken soup recipe, homemade cream of chicken soup

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!