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Cozy Panera-Style Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Cozy Panera-Style Chicken and Wild Rice Soup - featured image
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This thick, creamy, and deeply savory soup is a happy accident turned staple. It’s the ultimate comfort food for cold weather, featuring tender chicken, chewy wild rice, and a velvety broth that tastes even better than the café version.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice (or wild rice blend)
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken works well)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Let it foam but not brown, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and create a roux.
  5. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking or stirring vigorously until the roux is fully incorporated and the broth begins to thicken slightly. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
  6. Add the uncooked wild rice, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until the rice is tender and starting to burst open.
  7. Stir in the cooked chicken and heavy cream. Simmer uncovered for another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the soup has thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  8. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread or oyster crackers.

Notes

For best texture, use a wild rice blend (wild and brown rice). Do not use quick-cooking rice. The soup thickens as it sits; add extra broth or milk when reheating. For freezing, leave out the cream and add it after thawing and reheating. To make it thicker, mash some cooked rice against the pot before adding cream, or use a cornstarch slurry.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken and wild rice soup, Panera copycat, creamy chicken soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe, wild rice soup, cozy soup

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/cozy-panera-style-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup-best-easy-recipe/