# Chicken soup: Milk, or no? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171 "2009-10-17T22:39:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/1 "2009-10-17T22:39:32Z")
I decided to make some chicken soup. Starting with broth/stock I made a while ago and that has been in the freezer for a while, I added some curly kale, most of a coarsely-chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, a diced potato, a couple of bay leaves, chicken cooked in a little oil and garlic, a bit of salt, a bit of freshly-ground black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. It’s been simmering for a couple of hours. I have a pint of half-and-half. Should I put it in, or not? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/2 "2009-10-17T22:45:09Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/3 "2009-10-17T22:45:33Z")
Maybe if you thickened it, then it would be cream of chicken soup. But just thin, milky chicken soup? That sounds gross. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/4 "2009-10-17T22:47:25Z")
Well, I think it’s entirely a matter of preference. I probably wouldn’t in my case, because I like a more “traditional”, brothy, chicken soup. What I might be tempted to do however for something different, is to maybe make it a more refined, hearty and silky, cream soup by blending/pureeing half of the soup and meat/veg with the half and half and adding that back to the remaining soup in the pot. A kind of Chicken Cream of Kale soup, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/5 "2009-10-17T23:11:23Z")
I make faboo chicken soup. But I usually make a lot of it. So for variety, I often splash in some half-and-half to make it a kind of cream soup. It’s especially good if you add a little garlic. And sometimes bacon. Or corn. Or all a that. But mostly bacon. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/6 "2009-10-17T23:14:23Z")
I’ve just had half a bowl, and I think I’ll keep it cow juice-free. I have plenty, and if I want to I can make a roux and add some half-and-half later. This is my first time using curly kale. Usually I use the less-curly kind (when I make colcannon). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/7 "2009-10-18T00:29:25Z")
Nothing wrong with adding whatever you wanna add . . . but call it something else. It’s no longer “chicken soup.” ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/8 "2009-10-18T00:59:18Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Nothing wrong with adding whatever you wanna add . . . but call it something else. It’s no longer “chicken soup.” And don’t serve it for medicinal purposes. Many people are affected negatively by milk (I truly love chicken soup when I’m sick). Sounds good though. Post your results. (you can always split the soup and add the milk to half of it as a comparison). ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/9 "2009-10-18T02:57:20Z")
A few teaspoons of evaporated milk make a lovely addition to chicken soup - in my opinion. I don’t like half & half unless you have a lot of it, it makes it too creamy for normal chicken soup but not creamy enough for cream of chicken soup. You have inspired me to make chicken soup this weekend, but I think I’ll use some cabbage instead of kale. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/10 "2009-10-18T08:55:22Z")
> [@Reepicheep](#): > > You have inspired me to make chicken soup this weekend . . . Me too . . . with matso balls! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/11 "2009-10-18T11:15:04Z")
On one hand, my mom will sometimes add coffee creamer to her chicken noodle soup. On the other, she never makes a soup with milk in it without adding potatoes. And, if it has anything else in it, she thickens it and calls it a type of stew. Me? I follow her instructions, and inevitably get food that doesn’t taste quite as good. BTW, My mom went to cooking school; that’s why I cite her in these cooking threads. ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/12 "2009-10-18T15:57:21Z")
I’m going to buck the trend here and say No. Why ruin a good clear soup with nasty milk? ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/13 "2009-10-18T21:29:57Z")
No to the milk…but eerily enough, I have chicken soup cooking as I post. Better go check on it… ---
**Author:** ![\_xiao\_wenti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b782af/32.png) [@\_xiao\_wenti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_xiao_wenti)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/14 "2009-10-19T02:18:06Z")
…Ah. I was wondering when the stock would re-appear. I put up about 5 quarts this week. You can never have too much chicken stock. Kale is the god leaf. They used to ground scape around the buildings in the winter at the University == my mouth would water going to class. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/15 "2009-10-19T02:33:01Z")
> [@\_xiao\_wenti](#): > > …Ah. I was wondering when the stock would re-appear. And I still have that lamb leg bone in the freezer, waiting to be roasted and boiled to make stock out of it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/16 "2009-10-19T13:52:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I decided to make some chicken soup. Starting with broth/stock I made a while ago and that has been in the freezer for a while, I added some curly kale, most of a coarsely-chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, a diced potato, a couple of bay leaves, chicken cooked in a little oil and garlic, a bit of salt, a bit of freshly-ground black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. It’s been simmering for a couple of hours. > > I have a pint of half-and-half. Should I put it in, or not? Unless you are going for a bisque, NO! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/17 "2009-10-19T14:08:45Z")
> [@ministryman](#): > > Unless you are going for a bisque, NO! I’ve made chicken and leek soup with milk in it, and it was quite good. I’ve been eating this soup without milk. ---
**Author:** ![Loisseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Loisseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loisseau)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/18 "2009-10-19T14:27:18Z")
Soup sounds great,\*\* Johnny\*\*! No cream or milk in this batch; maybe a splash of lemon. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/19 "2009-10-19T14:36:25Z")
You know? I thought about a splash of lemon in the bowl. I should try that at lunchtime, if I remember. I heated some soup in the microwave oven last night, and didn’t get it boiling hot; and I had a salad before I ate the soup. Being cooler than normal really brought out the cayenne pepper. I’d only put a dash in it when I made the soup, and it’s just right. Not spicy, but you can taste it. I’m tempted to put in some Sriracha sauce with the lemon. Too bad I don’t have any noodles or bean sprouts. (Might be strange with the potato anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![Loisseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Loisseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loisseau)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171/20 "2009-10-19T16:04:57Z")
If it were me, I’d go for the Sriracha and lemon with some nice buckwheat noodles to play off the potatoes and kale. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-soup-milk-or-no/514171.md?page=2)