Panera chicken and wild rice soup is chicken breasts, carrots, celery and onion simmered in chicken stock with oregano and a bay leaf, thickened with a milk and flour slurry, with Rice-a-Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice stirred in. Fifty-five minutes, serves 6 at 186 calories.
Using the boxed Rice-a-Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice with its seasoning packet is the shortcut that makes this taste like the restaurant version without hunting down five separate spices. The seasoning packet does a lot of the flavour work in the background, and skipping it means you lose depth that is hard to rebuild with dried herbs alone.
Whisking the flour into a full cup of cold milk before it goes near the pot is what keeps the soup smooth instead of lumpy. Flour stirred straight into hot liquid clumps instantly and no amount of whisking afterwards will fix it. The cold milk slurry disperses evenly and thickens the broth into that creamy consistency you are after.
Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Course: Soups, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes45
minutes186
kcalShredded chicken, carrots, celery and onion in a creamy chicken broth thickened with a milk and flour slurry, with Rice-a-Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice and its seasoning packet stirred in for the last 20 minutes. One pot, six servings.
Ingredients
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 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
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (4.3 oz) box Rice-a-Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice, plus the seasoning packet
Salt and pepper, to taste
Scallions, for garnish
Directions
- Sauté the vegetables:Add the carrots, celery, onion and olive oil to a Dutch oven or large pot. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the liquids and chicken:Stir in the garlic, chicken stock, water and 1 cup of milk. Add the pepper, oregano, bay leaf and shredded chicken. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Thicken the soup:Whisk the remaining 1 cup of milk with the flour until smooth. Pour into the soup and whisk until combined.
- Add the rice:Stir in the Rice-a-Roni and the seasoning packet. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve:Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh scallions.
FAQs
o you have to use Rice-a-Roni specifically?
It is the easiest way to get the right flavour, but Near East Long Grain and Wild Rice or Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice both work. If you use bulk wild rice without a seasoning packet, add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, a pinch of garlic powder and a chicken bouillon cube to compensate.
Can you use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Shred or dice the meat and stir it in with the stock. The broth will not be quite as rich as poaching raw chicken in it, but it saves you the cooking step entirely.
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Add everything except the flour, the second cup of milk and the Rice-a-Roni. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. In the last hour, switch to high, stir in the flour slurry and the Rice-a-Roni, and cook until the rice is tender.
Why is my soup too thick?
The flour quantity is generous for 6 servings. If you prefer a thinner soup, start with a quarter cup of flour instead of a half cup. You can always add more, but you cannot take it out. Adding extra chicken stock when reheating also loosens it back up.
How do you store and freeze this soup?
Fridge for 3 to 4 days, freezer for up to 3 months. The rice absorbs liquid as it sits, so add a splash of stock when reheating. It freezes well and multiple commenters have confirmed that it tastes just as good after thawing.
