Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (Panera Bread Copycat)

Q: Should noodles be cooked separately for chicken soup ?

Ye s. Doing so prevents the noodles from turning mushy and from the starch to thicken the soup beyond the desired consistency .

Photos of Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (Copycat)

This Panera chicken noodle soup is perfect for a chilly day or when one is feeling under the weather. It’s rich in carbs, protein, and nutrients. Filled with healthy vegetables and lean chicken breasts, the ingredients needed for this soup are both healthy and inexpensive. Here, we’ll show you how to recreate the Panera Bread chicken noodle soup recipe that will surely keep your body and heart warm. Have this comfort food on its own or with slices of freshly baked sourdough bread on the side.

Cooking the Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (Copycat)

Tips on Making Panera Chicken Noodle Soup

Despite being hailed as the best soup at Panera, this chicken soup is actually a simple and straightforward recipe that even beginners can easily follow. With that, here are helpful tips and techniques on making it:

Use any cut of chicken that you prefer for this homestyle chicken noodle soup. We used skinless chicken breast because it’s lean and boneless, but bony cuts like legs or thighs will do. Make sure to have them in bite size pieces. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken.

Sear the chicken to golden brown. You want it to develop some color because this means it’ll have a more complex flavor. Try to cook chicken in chicken fat from the skin, too, for extra flavor! But don’t overdo it, or else the chicken will end up dry and tough.

Personalize this Panera soup by adding some of your favorite veggies such as sweet corn, potatoes, and broccoli.

Cook noodles separately and only add them once the soup is done. This is to prevent them from turning mushy which happens quickly especially if you are using egg noodles. You can also switch things up and use your preferred pasta, from elbow macaroni to rotini, or even gluten free noodles.

Double or triple the recipe and freeze some of it for later. This soup freezes well, but do note that you should not add the noodles yet. Once the soup is cool enough, portion them into serving sizes. You can freeze them for up to 2 months. Simply thaw, reheat, and add noodles when ready to serve. For gatherings or parties, place the soup in a crock pot to keep it warm.

More Panera Soup Recipes You’ll Love

Now you don’t have to go out to enjoy a warm bowl of good soup. Aside from this Panera chicken noodle soup recipe, we have more Panera bread soups that you should try. Check these out:

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup — Pureed black beans make this vegetarian soup thick and hearty. It’s perfect for dipping, so make sure to have some bread on the side.

French Onion Soup Recipe — This french onion soup features a beef-flavored broth and melted cheese topping. With the addition of brandy, the richness and depth of flavor in this soup is unbelievably good.

Summer Corn Chowder — Filled with corn kernels and potatoes, this all-vegetable chowder is creamy and tasty! It has a vegetable broth base and is also loaded with peppers and onions pureed into one smooth soup.

Garden Vegetable Soup — This chicken and tomato soup based concoction is filled with onion, peppers, kale, barley, and actual tomatoes. It’s exploding with umami flavors just from natural ingredients and without the use of MSG.

Rich Broccoli Cheese Soup — Kids will love this creamy broccoli cheddar soup. They will barely notice the carrots and broccoli in it, and you can add chicken to make it more fun to eat.

Feel free to pair the soups with other Panera copycat recipes like bagels and souffle. But for now, let’s head right on to making the chicken noodle soup.

How To Make Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup (Copycat)

This Panera chicken noodle soup features tender chunks of chicken meat, vegetables, and egg noodles in a savory broth. It’s very easy to make and will definitely warm you up from the inside out.

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 50 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

5 cups low-fat chicken broth, or chicken stock
½ cup celery stalks, sliced
½ cup carrot, peeled and sliced
8 oz frozen peas, thawed and drained
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp dried thyme
6 oz chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 oz wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup white wine, or rice wine
salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

Start by heating up oil in a deep skillet. Saute chicken briefly.
Add the garlic, celery, and carrots. Saute briefly.
Deglaze with white or rice wine and reduce briefly.
Lightly season with salt and pepper. Adjust accordingly and set aside.
In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, stir together the chicken broth, onion powder, marjoram, and thyme.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Let the soup simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the cooked chicken mixture and continue simmering for 5 minutes.
Add green peas and egg noodles. Stir to combine.
Simmer for about 5 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through.
Scoop the noodles and soup into a bowl. Top with chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

We suggest using a noodle strainer to cook the noodles in the soup. It will make it easier to keep the noodles strands together and cook them evenly in the soup.

Nutrition

Sugar: 2g
:
Calcium: 35mg
Calories: 154kcal
Carbohydrates: 15g
Cholesterol: 23mg
Fat: 6g
Fiber: 2g
Iron: 1mg
Monounsaturated Fat: 4g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Potassium: 321mg
Protein: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Sodium: 566mg
Trans Fat: 1g
Vitamin A: 1612IU
Vitamin C: 23mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should noodles be cooked separately for chicken soup?

Yes. Doing so prevents the noodles from turning mushy and from the starch to thicken the soup beyond the desired consistency.

What noodle do you use for chicken noodle soup?

Egg noodles, flour noodles, glass noodles — you can use any type of pasta or noodles that you prefer or have on hand for this Panera bread soup.

What can I add to chicken soup to give it flavor?

Adding some flavorful herbs like thyme, bay leaf, and parsley give this seemingly simple soup even more rich depth in flavor. We also recommend adding chili powder if you want a slightly spicy kick in your soup. If you prefer a creamy soup, feel free to add milk or cream. Just make sure to heat them up first before adding them into the hot soup, and don’t let the soup boil once they’re added in.

Conclusion

This Panera chicken noodle soup is the perfect comfort soup for those cold days or when you are feeling under the weather. It is warm, rich in flavor, and super healthy for you. Try this copycat recipe today!