Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup recipe is simple, hearty, creamy, and tastes just like my favorite soup at Panera Bread! It’s light enough for the spring and summer months.

Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup recipe is simple, hearty, creamy, and tastes just like my favorite soup at Panera Bread! It's light enough for the spring and summer months.Yes, I’m posting a comforting soup recipe in May. In my defense, it’s going to be in the 50’s all week and rainy so I deemed it appropriate. I love soup recipes and I make them often. Panera bread is kind of my go-to place when I go out to lunch during the week. Being the creature of habit that I am, I alternate between the Broccoli Cheddar Soup and the Chicken & Wild Rice Soup. This Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is what I make when I’m fresh out of snacks.

I’m so glad you’re here! Follow along on Pinterest for more inspiration!

Back in 2012 when Mr. Wishes and I lived in Miami for six months, I went to Panera every single day for lunch. I wish I was exaggerating, but I am not. It was someplace I could walk to and sit for hours doing work on my laptop without looking out of place. The employees there got to know me and knew my order ahead of time after a while. One of Mr. Wishes’ favorite stories was how one day I was sitting in Panera Bread in Miami and I had the tomato soup. I called him up while he was at work because I thought I was having a heart attack. I literally thought I was going to keel over right there in that booth. He actually left work to come help me and I called him back a few minutes later to tell him it was just heartburn. Ha! It was really scary though.

Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup recipe is simple, hearty, creamy, and tastes just like my favorite soup at Panera Bread! It's comfort food in the cold weather but light enough for the spring and summer months.

I already have a copycat version of Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup and I thought it was about time that I learned how to make my other favorite at home. I could eat soup for every meal, much to Mr. Wishes’ dismay. How can anyone be a soup hater? This one has meat in it so it didn’t torture him as much as soup normally does. The seasonings in this soup are just right and the creamy texture is spot on. It is perfect for chilly weather but not too heavy at all for the warmer weather. I may never have to go to Panera again after tasting this! But, I will….nothing will ever stop me. Not even a tomato soup-induced heart attack.

Here are a few of my other favorite soup recipes from my blog:

I also love this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup from my friend Sandy.

Check out my how-to video of me making this Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup recipe!

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Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is simple, hearty, creamy, and tastes just like my favorite soup at Panera Bread! It's light enough for the spring and summer months.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup finely diced carrots
  • ½ cup finely diced celery
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 32 ounces chicken stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups milk, divided
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or finely diced
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4.3-ounce box of Rice a Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice + seasoning packet
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • scallions, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Place the carrots, celery, onion, and olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot.
  2. Allow the carrots, celery, and onion to simmer over medium heat for around 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
  3. Add the garlic cloves, chicken stock, water, and 1 cup of milk to the mixture and stir until combined.
  4. Add the pepper, dried oregano, bay leaf, and shredded chicken. Mix until combined.
  5. Allow the soup to simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
  6. Whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk with the ½ cup flour until no lumps remain.
  7. Pour this into the soup mixture and whisk until combined and no lumps remain.
  8. Place the long grain and wild rice and the seasoning packet into the soup and mix until combined. Allow the soup to simmer for 20 more minutes or until the rice is tender.
  9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Garnish with fresh scallions and serve hot. Enjoy!

Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup recipe is simple, creamy, and tastes exactly like my favorite soup at Panera Bread! It's comfort food in the cold weather, yet light enough for the spring & summer!

Recipe source: adapted from galonamission.com