Comfort in a Bowl The Ultimate Copycat Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Comfort In A Bowl The Ultimate Copycat Panera Ch

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Preparation time:25 Mins

Cooking time:60 Mins

Servings:6 servings

Ingredients:

• cup Wild Rice Blend
• cups low sodium Chicken Broth
• lbs Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• large Bay Leaves
• Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
• medium Carrots, finely diced
• medium Celery Stalks, finely diced
• cloves Garlic, minced
• /3 cup All-Purpose Flour
• cup Heavy Cream (or Half and-Half)
• tsp Dried Thyme
• tsp Dried Parsley
• Salt to taste
• Black Pepper, freshly ground to taste

Instructions:

• Cook the Rice & Chicken: Combine wild rice blend, 6 cups of the chicken broth, and bay leaves in the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until rice is nearly tender (about 30-35 minutes). Add chicken breasts directly into the simmering broth for the last 20 minutes to poach.
• Shred Chicken & Strain Rice: Remove the cooked chicken breasts and set aside to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Strain the cooked rice into a separate bowl, reserving the cooking liquid (this is your flavourful stock base!). Shred the cooled chicken coarsely.
• Build the Mirepoix: In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté gently for 7 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not browned. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Create the Roux: Whisk in the all-purpose flour until fully incorporated, cooking for 1 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
• Whisk in Liquid: Gradually whisk in the remaining 2 cups of cold chicken broth and the reserved, strained rice cooking liquid, ensuring no lumps form. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly until the base thickens slightly (about 5 minutes).
• Combine & Simmer: Return the cooked wild rice and the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the thyme and parsley. Allow the soup to simmer gently for 10 15 minutes, letting the flavours meld and the rice finish softening.
• Finish the Cream Base: Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Heat gently until the soup is steaming hot, but do not allow it to boil once the cream is added.
• Season and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	1269 kcal
Protein	16.4 g
Fat	35.5 g
Carbs	89.3 g
Fiber	29.1 g
Sodium	313 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Soup
Cuisine	American

The Smell That Says "Home"

That first breath when you open the lid on a simmering pot of this soup? Absolute magic. It’s that warm, slightly earthy scent, heavy with thyme and creamy goodness. That aroma alone tells you you’ve nailed the Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup .

Forget the drive through queues, we're making the real deal today. This recipe is your ticket to proper, hearty comfort food, ready before you know it.

Getting Straight to the Good Stuff

I know why you’re here. You want to know if this actually tastes like the stuff they serve down at the shops. You're wondering how to get that perfect, non-gloopy texture. And, most importantly, you need to know if this Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe is genuinely quick. Well, stop worrying.

We’re solving all those pain points right now. Unlike those other overly complicated posts, we’re keeping the steps simple and the flavour profile spot-on for this excellent Copycat Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup .

Building That Best Ever Creamy Base

The secret weapon for any truly great Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is the initial sauté, or what the fancy chefs call the mirepoix . Don't rush softening those onions, carrots, and celery we want them sweet, not browned.

This is where the deep savoury flavour starts. Then comes the crucial part: the roux. If you’ve ever ended up with lumps, I’ve been there, mate. The key is whisking the flour into the melted butter for a good minute before slowly introducing the cold broth, little by little.

Trust me on this; patience equals a velvety finish every single time when making this Panera Wild Rice Soup Recipe . We are aiming for the Best Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup experience, and that starts right here in the pot.

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Right then, let’s get cracking on making this truly magnificent Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup . There’s nothing quite like a hearty bowl of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup on a blustery day it’s proper comfort food, isn't it?

We’re going to nail that creamy, savoury flavour profile that makes the Panera version so beloved. This outline will ensure any home cook, from novice to seasoned pro, can whip up a brilliant batch of this Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe .

Ingredients, Sourcing & Smart Substitutions

Core Shopping List

We need a few key players for this Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup . Grab 1 cup (180g) of Wild Rice Blend; make sure it’s a proper mix, not just white rice, or you’ll lose that essential texture.

For the liquid gold, you’ll need 8 cups (1.9 Litres) of low-sodium chicken broth. We’re using 1.5 lbs (680g) of chicken breasts, poached right in the broth, which is a cracking little flavour booster.

When buying butter, just go for the standard block; we need 4 Tbsp (56g) for the base. Stick to standard yellow onions, carrots, and celery for the mirepoix; you can’t really go wrong here, just make sure they’re finely diced.

Economical swaps work fine for the vegetables, but don’t skimp on the heavy cream you need that full 1 cup (240ml) for the right velvety mouthfeel in this Panera Wild Rice Soup Recipe .

Flavour Architecture

This is where we build the soul of our Easy Chicken Wild Rice Soup . The aromatics onion, carrot, and celery are sautéed gently until soft. This sweet base is non-negotiable for nailing that authentic taste.

For the spice profile, we rely on simple 1 tsp of dried thyme and parsley. If you’re missing those dried herbs, no sweat. For thyme, use fresh if you have it, but halve the quantity.

If you don't have parsley, frankly, it won't ruin the dish, but for an extra punch, sauté 1/4 cup of fresh mushrooms with your veg that brings a lovely umami note that really elevates it into the Best Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup .

I learned years ago that cooking the flour down properly the roux is what stops your whole dish tasting dusty. Take your time there.

Equipment & Mise en Place

You don’t need fancy gear for this Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup Copycat . A big, heavy Dutch oven or any large, sturdy pot will do the business. You’ll also need forks for shredding no need for an electric mixer unless you fancy washing extra bits!

The real secret to keeping calm while making this fantastic Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe is mise en place . Before you even turn the hob on, have all your vegetables chopped, your butter measured, and your flour ready next to the stove.

Trust me, when you start whisking the flour into the melted butter, you need to move fast to incorporate the stock without lumps. Getting everything prepped beforehand means the cooking process flows like a dream. It turns a potentially frantic 15 minutes into a calm, steady simmer.

This is hands down one of my favourite Comfort Food Soup Recipes .

Right then, let’s get down to brass tacks. We’re making that legendary bowl of creamy goodness the Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup . I’ve made this so many times, I could practically cook it in my sleep.

But trust me, getting that restaurant quality texture at home takes a bit of know how. This isn't just throwing stuff in a pot; we’re building layers of flavour here for the Best Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup .

Before You Cook

The biggest trap people fall into with this Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe ? Mushy rice and bland chicken. If you’re aiming for a Copycat Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup , you need organisation.

First up, your rice. Wild rice takes a good while to soften up. Unlike some recipes that rush it, we need to give it a good 30 to 35 minutes of simmering time initially. If you cook it too long now, it’ll turn to paste later when the soup simmers again.

My rivals online often forget to mention soaking the rice overnight for a quicker cook don't bother; this Panera Wild Rice Soup Recipe works best by cooking it right in the broth.

Also, don't use dry, dusty herbs. If your dried thyme and parsley have been lurking in the back of the spice rack since the Queen's Jubilee, chuck 'em! Freshness matters for this creamy broth.

Guided Cooking Sequence for Your Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Here is the order of attack. Follow these steps, and you’ll be golden.

1. The Poach and Simmer (Approx. 35 mins): Get your rice cooking in 6 cups of broth with those bay leaves. About 15 minutes into the rice cooking, drop your raw chicken breasts right into that simmering pot.

   They’ll poach beautifully in the flavoured liquid. After about 35 minutes total, the rice should be al dente , and the chicken cooked through. Pull the chicken out it needs to cool down so you can shred it nicely.

   Strain that rice, saving all that liquid! That stock is liquid gold for your Easy Chicken Wild Rice Soup .

2. Sauté the Veggies (7– 10 mins): Wipe out your pot quickly. Melt the butter over medium heat. Toss in your diced onion, carrots, and celery. You aren't browning them, mind you; we want them soft and sweet. This is called sweating them down.

   Once they smell sweet (about 7 minutes), chuck in the garlic for the last minute.

3. Making the Roux ( 2 mins): Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it vigorously into the melted butter and veg. Cook this mixture the roux for a solid two minutes .

   I learned this the hard way early in my cooking career; undercooking the flour makes your Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup Copycat taste distinctly powdery. Cook it till it smells slightly nutty.

4. Building the Velvety Base ( 5 mins): Now, slowly pour in your reserved cooking liquid and the remaining cold broth, whisking like mad to stop lumps. Bring this to a gentle bubble, and it should thicken up nicely.

   Once thickened, toss in the rice, the shredded chicken, and the herbs. Let it all mingle on a low simmer for another 10– 15 minutes.

5. The Cream Finish: Turn the heat right down to low. Stir in the heavy cream. This is the crucial bit for any Comfort Food Soup Recipes : heat it until it’s steaming hot, but DO NOT LET IT BOIL .

   Boiling cream after you’ve mixed it into soup base can cause it to split, and nobody wants oily soup floating on top of their Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe . Give it a final taste test and add salt and pepper. Perfection!

Save-It Section

This soup is even better the next day, honestly. It’s brilliant for meal prep. Cool it completely, then pop it in airtight containers. It keeps well in the fridge for four days.

If it gets too thick overnight (it always does!), don't panic. When reheating, just stir in a splash of milk or extra chicken broth until you hit that perfect, flowing texture again.

If you accidentally made it too salty (it happens!), stir in a potato, peeled and quartered, and let it simmer for 15 minutes before removing the potato. It absorbs a load of salt. Happy cooking!

Right then, let's get cracking! There's nothing quite like a hearty bowl of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup on a blustery day it’s proper comfort food, isn't it? We’re going to nail that creamy, savoury flavour profile that makes the Panera version so beloved.

This outline will ensure any home cook, from novice to seasoned pro, can whip up a magnificent batch.

Here is the comprehensive structure for our fantastic homemade Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup .

Recipe Outline: The Ultimate Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Taste & Texture Upgrades

If you want to make this Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup look like it came straight from a fancy magazine, go heavy on the finish. Instead of just sprinkling parsley on top, try a tiny drizzle of good quality olive oil right before serving it makes the colour pop.

For an extra layer of savoury depth, try roasting your mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) slightly before adding them to the butter; it brings out a lovely sweetness. Honestly, I tried skipping the initial poaching of the chicken in the broth once, using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead, and the resulting soup was just...

fine. Using the broth to cook the chicken infuses everything with so much more flavour. This homemade version beats the original Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup hands down because we control the salt and the cream ratio.

Nutrition & Dietary Paths

Let’s talk numbers, shall we? For a decent sized bowl (about one-sixth of the batch), you’re looking at roughly 475 calories, packing about 35 grams of protein great for keeping you full.

The main culprits for fat are the butter and cream, so if you’re watching those numbers, use half and-half instead of heavy cream; you’ll lose a bit of velvety texture, but the calories drop smartly.

If you need this Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe to be gluten free, swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount of a gluten free all-purpose blend that contains xanthan gum, or simply use cornstarch slurry at the very end instead of making a roux.

Serving & Pairing Ideas

This soup is a meal on its own, but it loves company. For proper dipping, you absolutely need something crusty nothing beats tearing off chunks of a warm baguette. If you want to lean into the cafe vibe, grab some salty, crispy kettle chips; their crunch is a brilliant contrast to the soft rice.

If you’re making a huge batch (and you should be!), this soup keeps beautifully in the fridge for about four days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of extra milk or broth if it seems too thick.

It’s brilliant for meal prep, making it an incredibly Easy Chicken Wild Rice Soup option for busy weeknights.

There you have it! Don't let this masterpiece stay on the screen; get cooking! I promise you’ll agree this is the Best Panera Chicken Wild Rice Soup you’ll ever make at home.

If you're craving more ideas, explore Easy Crispy Parmesan Chicken Bistro Quality Fast , Easy Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Lemon Butter Drizzle and Creamy Keto Garlic Mushroom Chicken Casserole Recipe .