Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Panera)
This Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a creamy, hearty copycat of Panera's comfort food classic, made in one pot in less than 30 minutes with a simple wild rice mix shortcut, tender shredded chicken, and heavy cream.
Servings: 5.5 cups
Calories: 1serving
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup sliced small carrots
- 3 to 4 tablespoons sliced celery
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 )6-8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast (or stir in 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken at the end)
- 1 32 ounce carton chicken broth or stock 4 cups
- 1 4.3-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix, including seasoning packet (I used Rice A Roni)
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Cook the onion, carrot and celery in the oil over medium heat in a 6 to 8 quart pot about 5 minutes or until onions begin to soften, stirring often.
- Cut the chicken breast into 3 pieces, crosswise and add it to the pot. Add broth, rice mix along with seasoning packet, and pepper. Turmeric is optional but it does give the soup its signature color. If using, add it here.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is very tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Using two forks, shred the chicken right in the pot. You can also carefully remove it to a plate and shred it, then return it to the soup.
- Whisk together the whipping cream and cornstarch. Bring the soup back up to a boil and stir in the whipping cream mixture. It will thicken slightly in just one minute.
Notes
Tips
- Cut the chicken breast into pieces before adding it to the pot. Cutting the chicken into 3 crosswise pieces rather than leaving it whole speeds up the cooking time and makes it easier to shred later. The pieces cook more evenly in the broth and fall apart beautifully with just two forks.
- Don't skip the cornstarch and cream mixture. Whisking the cornstarch into the heavy cream before adding it to the hot soup prevents lumps and ensures even thickening throughout. If you add cornstarch directly to the soup without mixing it into the cream first, you risk clumping.
- The soup will thicken significantly as it cools. What looks like a perfectly creamy soup right off the stove will become thicker after sitting in the refrigerator. This is totally normal! Simply stir in a splash of chicken broth or water when reheating.
- Season at the end, not the beginning. The seasoning packet in the rice mix contains salt, so hold off on adding any extra salt until after the soup is finished. You may find it needs very little, or none at all.
Storage
- To Store: Store leftover chicken wild rice soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup will thicken as it sits! You can thin it with a splash of broth, cream, or water when reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- To Freeze: This soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding extra liquid as needed to reach your desired consistency.
