Easy Cook: Daniel Wong’s Chicken & Corn Chowder aka “Chicken Velvet Soup”
Maylee at Beyond Gumbo
6 min read
Daniel Wong’s “Chicken & Corn Chowder” is an easy-to-prepare variation of the classic Chinese soup, “Chicken Velvet Soup.” The recipe makes a soothing, flavorful and aromatic soup. It is hard for me to stop eating this soup — I like it so much! A key to the sucess of this soup recipe is using rich, homemade chicken or turkey stock. It’s a great way to use the leftover meat and carcus from a holiday turkey. Or, I’ll make the stock using a rotessaire chicken or whole chicken which I’ve roasted. Making homemade turkey or chicken stock is so simple. Who knew? And the rest of the recipe is simple, too. Houstonian chef, Daniel Wong, masterfully blends traditional Chinese recipes with American ingredients to create Chinese-Texas “fusion” dishes. “Chicken & Corn Chowder” is one of these recipes. I put this soup at the top of my list of “what to do with all that homemade turkey stock.” This soup is delicious!
Chinese Chef – Daniel Wong
Daniel Wong is a Chinese-born and trained chef who makes his home in Houston, Texas. Now retired, he operated restaurants in Hawaii, California and Houston over the years. The last restaurant was the much beloved eatery, Daniel Wong’s Kitchen, which happened to be a block from my in-law’s place of business. And so my mother and father-in-law learned to know of Daniel Wong quite well (they loved to eat out at restaurants). In fact, the chef catered my extended family’s Thanksgiving dinner for years. My in-laws published a collection of Wong’s recipes. These recipes include a wide range of Chinese-American dishes including “Big Thicket Barbecued Pork”, “Hellfire Shrimp” and “Chinese/Texas Pizzas.” And that’s where I located the delightful recipe for “Chicken & Corn Chowder.”
Although Daniel Wong cooked traditional Chinese cuisine, he went beyond these recipes. Wong adapted his cooking to include American ingredients and foods found in Texas. “Chicken & Corn Chowder” is an example of his Chinese-Texan “fusion” recipes inspired by a traditional Chinese ones. For example, Wong states that potatoes and corn were not known in Ancient China, and so these ingredients would not have been included in “Chicken Velvet Soup.” But who cares, Wong’s soup recipe is delicious.
Wong simplified may of the Chinese recipes while staying true to quick-cooking wok techniques. Wong pre-prepped all his ingredients ahead of time and placed them in individual bowls. Then cooking the dinner was effortless. That way, he could clean the kitchen, take a shower and relax before his guests arrived for supper. (If only it were that easy!)
Homemade Chicken and Turkey Stock — Key Ingredient
The key ingredient in this soup recipe is a flavorful homemade stock. Its a great way to use the leftover Christmas turkey plus bones. Alternately, I’ll make homemade stock using a rotessaire chicken from a grocery market or a leftover whole chicken carcus with a spice rub which I’ve roasted for dinner. (The spice rub on the skin adds flavor to the stock.)
Making homemade stock is so simple. In addition to the chicken or turkey carcus, you need only four ingredients: an onion, carrot, celery stalk and bay leaf. Just a few simple ingredients which are probably already in your kitchen. To make the stock, add everything to a large pot, fill with water and boil gently for an hour. Then strain out the vegetables, bay leaves, chicken bones and save the broth. This makes the most wonderful, flavorful stock that you will ever find. One rotessairie chicken yields 3 to 4 cups of stock when the pot is filled to the top with water.
Chicken and Corn Chowder Recipe
Daniel Wong’s recipe uses several convenience food ingredients which makes this soup super easy and fast to prepare. In addition to chicken meat and stock, the other ingredients — canned creamed corn, a Russet potato, onion, and canned evaporated milk — are easy to locate. Egg whites, when beaten, make the “velvet” part of the soup. I don’t cook with muchrooms since I am allergic to several kinds, but mushrooms are traditioinally added to this soup. So, add a can of drained, sliced mushrooms if you wish.
Chicken or Turkey
This recipe can also be made using either a boneless, skinless raw chicken breast or leftover cooked, chopped chicken or turkey meat. If using a raw chicken breast, poach it in the broth first to cook it. Then shread the meat.
Making the Recipe
To prepare the recipe, add diced potato, cream style corn, sliced mushrooms (optional) and diced, cooked chicken (or turkey meat) to the broth in a large pot. Let this simmer to cook the potato and mushrooms.
Meanwhile, in another large heavy, pot, add the oil and heat. Saute the onion. Over low heat, add flour to the oil and onion, stir continuously to cook the flour making a “white roux.” Remove from heat, add a little of the stock to thin the flour. When you are sure that there are no clumps of flour remaining, pour everything (the potato, corn, chicken and broth) into the second pot Add the can of evaporated milk. Season with salt and pepper.
The final touch on this recipe is to add beaten egg whites to the soup. Beat two egg whites with a wire whip until frothy. They do not need to foam. Pour the egg whites into the soup in a thin, steady stream, pouring from 6-inches above the pot. Stir gently once some of the egg whites are added, then again after all the egg whites have been added. This brings the lacy threads to the surface. Let the soup simmer for no more than 3 to 5 minutes. Then serve.
Such a simple soup! It is delicious and definately on my list of “what to do with leftover turkey.” Enjoy these cold winter nights with some warm Chinese-Texas fusion “Chicken & Corn Chowder Soup.”
Let’s all have a safe, healthy and happy year in 2024!
Chicken and Corn Chowder
Ingredients:
- 3 cups chicken or turkey stock
- 1 (8 oz) boneless, skinless raw chicken breast (or substitute 2 cups cooked, diced chicken or turkey meat)
- 1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into small dice (3 cups diced)
- 1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
- 1 (4 oz) can sliced, drained mushrooms (optional)
- 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) vegetable or Canola oil
- 1 small white onion, finely diced (1 cup diced)
- 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- dash white pepper (optional)
- 1 (12 oz can) evaporated milk
- 2 egg whites
Method and Steps:
- Heat the chicken or turkey stock to steaming. Add the boneless, sknless raw chicken breast. Add the diced potato, creamed corn and sliced, drained mushrooms (optiona.l). Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breast, shred and return to pot. (If using cooked, diced chicken or turkey meat — do not poach but add to pot now.)
- While the mix is simmering, heat another large pan (or wok) to high heat. Look for a shimmer in the bottom of the pan. Add the oil quickly followed by the onion. Stir continuously for no more than one minute.
- Then add the flour and stir vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer some of the simmering stock mix to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir to break up lumps. Then add the remainder of the ingredients along with the rest of the stock to this pot. Brin all to a boil.
- Stir will, add salt, pepper and can of evaporated milk. Stir again.
- In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a wire whip or fork until frothy. They do not need to foam. Pour the egg whites into the soup in a thin, steady stream, pouring from 6-inches above the pot. Stir gently once after some of the egg whtes are added, then again after all the egg whites have been added. This brings the lacy threads to the surface.
- Simmer for not more than 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately.
Source: Adapted from Daniel Wong’s Kitchen, Chinese Cooking with a Texas Flair by Chef Daniel Wong. Copyright 2005 by Daniel Wong and Associates.
Where can I find his book I’ve been looking for it??
Hello, Thanks for your interest in Daniel Wong’s recipe book. Unfortunately, since his restarurant closed, I no longer have contact information for the chef. Enjoy this one recipe! And, thanks for stopping by my blog.
Do you have any plans to post other recipes from this book? I remember going to Daniel Wong’s as a kid, right up until it closed. I remember seeing the book there but we didn’t buy one before they closed and I regret it often. I always wondered if some of my favorite recipes might be in it…
My father-in-law printed the book for Daniel Wong – so it is a self-published book. I’ll ask my sister-in-law if she still has any copies. In the meantime, Daniel Wong apparently passed away in August this year, but his wife survives. The book, published in 2005, is copyrighted — so I’m assuming the copyright still stands. However, if you can remember some of the dishes you like, I’ll see what I can do. I am not familiar with the dishes — my husband’s parents were the ones who loved the restaurant and befriended Daniel Wong and his wife. He does — or did — have a Facebook page, you might see if you could access that page.