Chicken noodle soup is perfect to warm up cold winters, eat if you are sick, or for any time of the year, really. If you are a fan of Panera’s chicken noodle soup, you don’t have to go to the store, wait in line, and order one.
This simple recipe is a copycat version of Panera’s chicken noodle soup and is easy to make at home. You can cook a healthy and hearty meal any time you want and you can save money from not ordering out as well! It’s a win-win situation!
In this article, I will guide you through the step-by-step process of making chicken noodle soup, Panera-style!
In this article:
- Ingredients Needed to Make Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
- Equipment Needed to Make Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
- Step-By-Step Instructions
- Tips on Making Panera’s Chicken Noodle Soup
- How to Store Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients and Equipment Needed to Make Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
- 2 boneless, skinless cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- 1 to 1 ½ cups wide egg noodles
- Large Stockpot or Dutch Oven
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Make sure to burn the garlic.
- Add the chopped carrots and celery, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and chicken broth into the stockpot or Dutch oven. Stir everything to combine.
- Add the thyme, turmeric, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir everything to combine.
- Cover the stockpot or Dutch Oven and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender. You can use a fork to check.
- After 10 to 15 minutes, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Add the egg noodles and let the soup simmer until the noodles are cooked.
- Once the noodles are cooked, take out the bay leaf, and turn off the stove.
- Garnish with fresh parsley on top and serve!
Tips on Making Panera’s Chicken Noodle Soup
With how easy Panera’s chicken noodle soup is to make at home, you might not have the need for additional tips but here are some tips that might help you along the way:
Use Rotisserie or Leftover Chicken
If you have any leftover chicken in your fridge, now is the best time to use and make chicken noodle soup. Leftover chickens are typically seasoned already and will add additional flavors to your soup.
Additionally, a rotisserie chicken can also add a smokey flavor to your soup. You just need to shred them and toss them in your soup. No additional cooking is needed!
Add Other Vegetables
If you want to add more vegetables to your chicken noodle soup, nobody can stop you! You can add potatoes, peas, baby spinach, and kale.
Use Spiral Pasta
This is not really a life-changing tip to your Panera chicken noodle soup but if you don’t have or can’t find wide egg noodles, you can always use spiral pasta or other short pasta shapes. Just make sure to cook the pasta according to the instructions so you don’t get soggy pasta.
Add Egg Noodles Last
In relation to soggy pasta, make sure to not add your egg noodles or pasta of choice after you’ve added the broth. You’ll end up with soggy pasta and that’s not fun.
Check the package’s instructions and see how long you need to cook the egg noodles or pasta for. Adding in the noodles last will make sure that it cooks al dente and just right for your chicken noodle soup.
Use a Slow Cooker
Do you have a lot of time on your hands? Or Are you busy and can’t do a hands-on approach to making chicken noodle soup? Then a slow cooker or a crockpot can work for you.
All you have to do is throw the ingredients (except the pasta!) in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Once everything has been done cooking, throw in the pasta and cook according to package instructions.
You can prepare this after lunch and you’ll have a warm and hearty meal to end your day!
How to Store Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
What’s great about making Panera chicken noodle soup is it stores well in the fridge or freezer.
For leftovers, place the soup in an airtight container and place it in the fridge. It can last for up to 5 days. Just make sure to completely cool the soup down first before placing it in the fridge.
You can also portion it into small containers if you make a big batch so you can reheat what you need.
Chicken noodle soup can also be frozen for 3 to 6 months in the freezer. This can come in handy if you find yourself suddenly sick and need a warm soup to feel better.
To reheat frozen chicken noodle soup, just defrost the soup in the fridge overnight and reheat it in a microwave or saucepan. When freezing soup, it is recommended to portion it into individual portions to avoid reheating the soup multiple times.
If you plan on freezing your Panera chicken noodle soup, make sure to use freeze-safe containers or freezer-safe bags. Label your containers and put the date so you won’t wonder when you placed your soup in the freezer.
Wrapping Up
If you are craving warm, delicious, and hearty Panera-style chicken noodle soup, then this recipe is just for you! It is very easy to make and you don’t even have to wait in line just to have one bowl.
You can make a big batch and freeze it for your next soup craving or impress your family and friends with it. Now, this recipe is only a copycat version and you can add more vegetables or seasoning to it if you want to.
Let me know if you try this recipe anytime soon!
Other Panera Copycat Recipes:
- How to Make Panera Baja Bowl
- How to Make Panera Green Tea at Home – Quick and Affordable
- How to Make Panera Mac And Cheese at Home – Affordable and Fast
