Panera chicken noodle soup is chicken breast, egg noodles, carrots, celery and onion in a chicken broth thickened with cornstarch, seasoned with thyme, celery seed and turmeric. Forty-five minutes, six servings at 246 calories each.
Cooking the noodles in a separate pot of salted water instead of directly in the broth is the step that stops them turning to mush. Noodles absorb liquid the entire time they sit in soup, so by hour two the broth is gone and the noodles are bloated and soft. Cook them separately, add them to individual bowls as you serve, and both the broth and the noodles stay the right texture.
Chicken fat instead of butter or olive oil in the first step is a small detail that makes a real difference. A tablespoon of schmaltz in the pan before the vegetables go in gives the carrots and celery a rounder, deeper flavour than oil does. If you do not have any on hand, olive oil works fine, but the soup will taste slightly flatter.
Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
Course: Soups, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes30
minutes246
kcalChicken breast chunks simmered in chicken broth with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, celery seed and turmeric, thickened with a cornstarch slurry, and served over separately cooked egg noodles. Dairy-free and naturally gluten-free if you swap the noodles.
Ingredients
4 ounces egg noodles
1 tablespoon chicken fat or olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into half-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Cook the noodles separately:Boil the egg noodles in salted water according to the package. Drain and toss with a little olive oil so they do not stick. Set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables:Heat the chicken fat or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 10 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- Bloom the spices:Add the garlic, sugar, thyme and celery seed. Stir constantly for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Simmer the chicken:Pour in the broth, add the bay leaf, chicken, turmeric and onion powder. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Thicken the broth:Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl. Stir the slurry into the soup and simmer for about 3 minutes until the broth thickens slightly and turns clear again.
- Serve:Add the cooked noodles to the pot or to individual bowls. Simmer for 1 minute to heat through. Garnish with chopped parsley.
FAQs
Why cook the noodles separately?
Noodles absorb liquid the longer they sit in soup, so cooking them in the broth means swollen pasta and no broth by the next day. Cooking them separately keeps both textures right. If you are making leftovers, store the noodles in a separate container and add them when you reheat.
What does the turmeric do?
It gives the broth that warm golden colour you see at the restaurant. The flavour is subtle at half a teaspoon and does not make the soup taste like curry. Without it, the broth looks pale and grey, which is technically fine but does not look like the Panera version.
Can you use rotisserie or leftover chicken?
Yes, and it saves you the simmering step. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and stir it in at the very end, just long enough to heat through. The broth will not be quite as chickeny without poaching raw meat in it, so use the best broth you can find.
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Add everything except the cornstarch, noodles and parsley to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. Before serving, switch to high, stir in the cornstarch slurry and the cooked noodles, and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
How do you store and freeze this soup?
Fridge for 3 to 4 days, keeping the noodles separate so they do not absorb all the liquid. It freezes for up to 3 months, but swap the cornstarch for arrowroot before freezing since cornstarch breaks down and loses its thickening power when frozen and thawed.
