Description
This Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is creamy, comforting, and packed with tender chicken, hearty wild rice, and savory vegetables. A homemade version of your Panera favorite that’s perfect for chilly nights, meal prep, or feeding a hungry family.
Ingredients
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1 cup cooked wild rice
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1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
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1 cup carrots, diced
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1 cup celery, diced
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½ cup onion, diced
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4 cups chicken broth
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2 cups water
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½ cup heavy cream
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¼ cup unsalted butter
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¼ cup all-purpose flour
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1 tsp garlic powder
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1 tsp onion powder
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½ tsp dried thyme
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Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Sauté the Vegetables
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add diced carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until softened, about 5–7 minutes. -
Make the Roux
Sprinkle flour over the veggies and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to form a roux. -
Add Liquids
Gradually pour in chicken broth and water while whisking to avoid lumps. Stir until slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes. -
Season the Soup
Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. -
Add Chicken and Rice
Stir in shredded chicken and cooked wild rice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes. -
Incorporate the Cream
Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer another 5–10 minutes. -
Serve
Ladle into bowls and serve warm with crusty bread.
Notes
Rotisserie chicken works great as a shortcut.
To make dairy-free, sub coconut milk for the cream and olive oil for butter.
Soup can be stored in the fridge for 4 days or frozen (without cream) for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg