I love the Chicken & Wild Rice Soup at Panera. It is so warm and cozy; perfect for fall, winter or any rainy day. I have always wondered if I could recreate it at home but had never tried… until now. I got online and started Googling recipes. I read a few, took bits and pieces from several and added some of my own thoughts. That is how the recipe below came about. I am so happy with the result!
This soup would be a wonderful use for already cooked, leftover chicken. I didn’t have leftover chicken so I cut up raw chicken breasts and let them simmer in the broth.
You could easily substitute turkey for chicken. What a great way to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers! You probably already have the veggies in your fridge from Thanksgiving prep (and maybe even some wild rice). Let’s get started…
Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 T Olive Oil
½ medium Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
3 Carrots, chopped
Salt & Pepper
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
6 c Chicken Stock
2 skinless, boneless Chicken Breasts, chopped (about 1¼ lbs)
6 oz box Long Grain & Wild Rice (such as Uncle Ben’s)
6 T Butter
½ c Flour
2 c Milk (warmed if possible but not necessary)
2 T Parlsey, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Heat oil in pot over medium to medium-high heat.
Add onions, celery and carrots; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring often until veggies begin to soften, about 7-10 minutes.
Add minced garlic and stir for another minute.
Pour in chicken stock; bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Add chicken and rice to the pot (reserve the seasoning packet from the rice).
Stir everything together and put on the lid. Continue to simmer covered for 25 minutes.
After the soup has been simmering for about 10-15 minutes, melt the butter in a separate saucepan over medium to medium-high heat.
Whisk in seasoning packet from rice and the flour. Stir with whisk and cook for about 3 minutes so the raw flour taste is cooked out.
Reduce heat to low and gradually pour in milk while stirring constantly.
Continue to simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir cream mixture into broth.
Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes so all the flavors combine.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
If desired, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve warm.
Go to your happy place.
Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 T Olive Oil
- ½ medium Onion diced
- 2 stalks Celery diced
- 3 Carrots chopped
- Salt & Pepper
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 6 c Chicken Stock
- 2 skinless, boneless Chicken Breasts chopped (about 1¼ lbs)
- 6 oz box Long Grain & Wild Rice such as Uncle Ben's
- 6 T Butter
- ½ c Flour
- 2 c Milk warmed if possible but not necessary
- 2 T Parlsey chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oil in pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until veggies begin to soften, about 7-10 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir for another minute. Pour in chicken stock; bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Add chicken and rice to the pot (reserve the seasoning packet from the rice). Stir everything together and put on the lid. Continue to simmer covered for 25 minutes.
- After the soup has been simmering for about 10-15 minutes, melt the butter in a separate saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Whisk in seasoning packet from rice and the flour. Stir with whisk and cook for about 3 minutes so the raw flour taste is cooked out. Reduce heat to low and gradually pour in milk while stirring constantly. Continue to simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir cream mixture into broth. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes so all the flavors combine.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- If desired, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve warm.
so delicious!