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Ultra close-up macro of creamy chicken and wild rice soup with shredded chicken, nutty wild rice, and sliced cremini mushrooms

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Panera Copycat)

A cozy, restaurant-quality autumn lunch bowl made with tender shredded chicken breast, nutty wild rice, sautéed cremini mushrooms, and sweet mirepoix in a velvety herb cream broth. Even better than Panera Bread and made completely from scratch.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 bowls
Course: Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: American, Autumn Comfort Food, Cafe-Style
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

For the Savory Aromatics & Vegetables
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter divided (2 tbsp for sautéing, 2 tbsp for roux)
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced into rounds or half-moons
  • 3 ribs celery diced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms baby bella, sliced
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For the Broth, Wild Rice & Velvet Roux
  • 0.33 cup all-purpose flour for thickening roux
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth rich in collagen and savory fond
  • 1 cup wild rice blend long grain wild and brown rice blend, thoroughly rinsed
  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast rotisserie or roasted chicken cutlets
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream room temperature (or half-and-half)
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped for garnish

Method
 

Sauté Aromatics & Earthy Mushrooms
  1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Add diced onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant.
  3. Toss in sliced cremini mushrooms, minced garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, sea salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned.
Simmer Wild Rice to Tender Perfection
  1. Pour in the low-sodium chicken bone broth, scraping up any savory golden fond clinging to the bottom of the pot.
  2. Stir in the rinsed wild rice blend. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes until the wild rice grains pop open and are tender with a pleasant nutty chew.
Thicken with Velvety Roux, Cream & Chicken
  1. In a small separate saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until bubbly and golden to eliminate raw flour taste.
  2. Ladle 1 cup of hot soup broth into the flour roux while whisking vigorously to create a silky, smooth thickening slurry.
  3. Pour the roux slurry back into the main soup pot while stirring continuously. Add shredded cooked chicken breast and pour in the heavy cream.
  4. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes until the soup thickens into a luxurious, glossy chowder-like consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper. Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and thyme, and serve with warm sourdough.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 36gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 590mgPotassium: 680mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2450IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 2.4mg

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