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Panera-Style Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Rachel Kim

Panera-Style Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Wild rice needs more time than the creamy soup around it, so cook it in broth first. A small flour-and-butter base gives the finished soup body without burying the rice. Add cooked chicken late so it stays in recognizable pieces.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup wild-rice blend
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth divided
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 1 large carrot diced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Combine the wild-rice blend with 3 cups broth and simmer covered for 35 to 40 minutes until tender.
  2. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and cook the onion, celery and carrot for 7 minutes until softened.
  3. Stir in the flour for 2 minutes, then whisk in the remaining broth and milk.
  4. Add the salt, thyme and black pepper and simmer for 8 minutes until lightly thickened.
  5. Fold in the cooked rice and chicken and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes.
  6. Heat the chicken to 165°F and thin with additional broth if the rice absorbs too much liquid.