Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (I’m Obsessed!)
This Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is so good and so easy. Don’t judge on just how easy I make it … I choose these easy ingredients for a reason. My sanity. 🙂
This is one of those easy dinners that you need in your back pocket. It’s hearty, creamy, and full of flavor, too.
Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Our niece’s birthday was in December and while my sister usually gets away with making Walking Tacos for all of us, she deviated from the norm this year, and I am oh, so glad that she did.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a Walking Taco just like the next lady … but this copycat recipe of the Panera Bread chicken and wild rice soup was simply amazing.
In fact it was so good that all of the aunts at the birthday party asked for the recipe. And, it is so easy that I was amazed.
Usually the easy dinners are what I have time to make on the weeknights, so I am all for easy and convenience.
If you’d rather make your own chicken broth and boil rice all day, this chicken wild rice soup recipe isn’t probably for you.
This easy chicken rice soup IS for you though if you enjoy letting a few ingredients all come together into one post of awesomeness.
First things, first. To make this chicken and rice soup first, I used these kitchen tools:
In the video that you may have seen on Facebook, and in these pictures on this post, I used my Ninja Slow Cooker. As you can tell, this is SO convenient for cooking because you can sauté veggies and cook your soup like it’s on the stovetop, or you can turn it down to the slow cooker setting as well, all in one pot.
Of course I love less dishes, so I love the Ninja 3-in-1 Crock Pot Cooker.
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Here’s how you whip this creamy chicken soup with rice recipe:
First, prepare your long grain and wild rice as directed on the package, with the seasoning packet and all. I know, I know … I told you this was easy, but yes, this really is this easy.
I even used a rotisserie chicken. Rotisserie chicken tastes better to me personally in this soup so I prefer to make it using that type of chicken.
You can, and I have also used white meat/chicken breasts. About 1 1/2 cups of shredded or really diced up chicken is perfect for this recipe.
While you’re preparing your chicken & wild rice, bring your chicken broth to a slow simmer in a large pot. In a separate pan, sauté your veggies in butter. Add minced garlic for the last minute or so.
If you prefer to only use one pan, you can saute the veggies in the pan first and then add in the chicken broth later after the veggies are a little softer.
Once your vegetables/garlic mixture is sauteéd, add your chicken and chicken broth. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the heavy whipping cream during the last ten minutes of simmering. The soup will get thicker as it stands on the stove top and as it boils. Don’t let it overboil, just a small rolling boil over medium heat is fine.
If you like your chicken and wild rice soup and little thicker, make a roux of all purpose flour and water with a whisk and add to the chicken broth mixture stirring well.
That’s it! Serve and enjoy!
Please note that you can also add in onion powder, salt and black pepper to taste once your soup has had some time to come together on the stove.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
-
Rotisserie Chicken or 1 1/5 cups shredded/diced chicken breast meat
amount to liking – I use 1/2 to 2/3 -
2
boxes Uncle Ben’s 5 minute Long Grain Wild Rice
Only use about 1 1/3 of the rice, or just go less by only using one box -
2
T
butter -
2
stalks celery
diced -
1
carrot
diced -
1/3
onion
diced -
3
cloves
garlic
minced -
2
cartons chicken broth -
1
half pint heavy whipping cream
Instructions
-
Cook rice according to directions on box
-
While cooking sauté veggies in butter 5-10 minutes
-
Add garlic to that mixture for the last minute
-
Simmer chicken broth
-
Add veggie, rice and shredded chicken to chicken broth
-
Simmer 20 minutes
-
Add heavy whipping cream during last ten minutes.
-
Serve and Enjoy!