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5 from 7 votes

Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Our Panera chicken & wild rice soup recipe is creamy, hearty, and flavorful.  Our copycat homemade version is made in one pot with fresh ingredients that are pantry staples, and is so comforting on a cold day. Gluten free friendly and no slow cooker required.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 15 cups
Calories: 275kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup yellow onion diced
  • 1 ½ cup carrots coins
  • 1 ½ cup celery thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ¾ teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/16 teaspoon turmeric for color (at the end)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
  • 1 ½ cups wild blend rice
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups filtered water
  • 2 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 3 ¾ cups cooked chicken breast cubed
  • 3 cups evaporated milk 2 cans
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat until foamy, then sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until soft and the onion has a bit of color, stirring frequently.
  • Add the garlic and the 7 dried spices.  Stir constantly until the garlic is fragrant, roughly 1 minute.
  • Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 2 minutes to cook it.
  • Add the wild rice blend, then stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute to toast it.
  • Pour in ½ cup of stock.  Using a wooden turner, scrape off the brown fond off the bottom of the pot.
  • Pour in the rest of the stock, water, sugar, and the fresh parsley and stir to combine.
  • If using uncooked chicken breast or thigh, add it now. Cover and bring the soup pot to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken has an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Allow the meat to cool for 10 minutes, then cube it.
  • While the chicken is cooling, continue simmering the soup for another 10 minutes to finish cooking the wild rice.
  • Dump in the cooked chicken and evaporated milk and mix well.  Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
  • Make the cornstarch slurry by whisking the cornstarch with an equal amount of water, then stir it into the soup.  Stir in the turmeric for color, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf.  Taste again to adjust seasonings.
  • Serve this chicken wild rice soup hot with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.  This soup thickens up after an hour of cooking because of the rice.

Notes

  • Bloom the spices, toast the rice, and deglaze the pot as instructed in the recipe for more flavor.
  • If you used reduced sodium chicken broth, increase the coarse sea salt by 1 ¼ teaspoons during the last 15 minutes.
  • For a low fat option, use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream.
  • Use fresh spices, especially for the tarragon.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2421IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 1mg
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