Creamy Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Copycat Recipe)
This copycat Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup delivers restaurant-quality comfort at home. Creamy, hearty, and loaded with tender chicken, wild rice, and fresh vegetables in a velvety broth that’s pure comfort in every spoonful.
- Total Time55 minutes
- Yield6 servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup carrots (diced)
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 box long grain & wild rice mix (4-6 oz, discard seasoning packet or use sparingly)
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
- 0.5 tsp thyme (dried)
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup butter
- 2 cups milk or half & half
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Simmer Soup: Pour in 6 cups chicken broth and the rice mix. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender.
- Make the Roux: While soup simmers, melt ½ cup butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in ¼ cup flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly browned. Slowly whisk in 2 cups milk until smooth and thickened.
- Combine: Pour the creamy white sauce into the soup pot. Stir well to combine.
- Finish: Add 2 cups cooked chicken, ½ tsp thyme, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes until thick and creamy. Serve warm.
Notes
The soup thickens as it cools. Add a splash of broth or milk when reheating. For best results, make the roux in a separate pan to ensure a smooth, lump-free sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 380
- Sodium: 890
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
