Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

This copycat Panera chicken noodle soup recipe is super comforting and hearty! It’s packed with tender rotisserie chicken and veggies, and best of all, it’s ready in 30 minutes! Not to mention, this Panera soup recipe is just as good as the restaurant’s!

Copycat Panera chicken noodle soup

I don’t know about you, but the Panera chicken noodle soup hits the spot when I want something warm and comforting.

But instead of driving to Panera – which can take a long time since it’s always busy – I created this Panera chicken noodle soup copycat recipe. And honestly, I think I like this even better than the original!

It’s super simple to put together. You can cook a meal for 8 people in as quick as 30 minutes! It’s made with simple ingredients and only takes about 10 minutes of active prep time.

Once you’ve tried this copycat soup recipe, I’m sure it’ll become a part of your regular soup rotation.

Panera soup ingredients

My copycat Panera Bread chicken noodles soup uses essentially the same ingredients that you’d find in a classic chicken noodle soup recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

• Rotisserie chicken: Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken is the fastest, easiest, and most convenient way to go. It’s already cooked and will save you some time. You can also use leftover cooked chicken.
• Noodles: Panera uses curly egg noodles for the soup, but the great thing is that any short pasta will work (such as farfalle, elbow macaroni, rotini, and penne pasta).
• Chicken broth: Use high-quality chicken broth from the carton or homemade chicken stock. I recommend using a low-sodium broth to control the soup’s overall saltiness.
• Onion adds excellent flavor to the base of the soup. Yellow and white onions will work here.
• Carrots add aromatic sweetness. Peel and slice the carrots.
• Celery adds great texture to the soup.
• Unsalted butter helps sauté and caramelize the vegetables and gives the broth richness.
• Fresh thyme brings a warm, woodsy note to the soup.
• Dried bay leaves introduce subtle flavors of pine and black pepper.
• Salt + black pepper impart delicious flavor to the soup.
• Better-Than-Bouillon: Adding a little chicken-flavored Better-Than-Bouillon enhances the chicken flavor to absolute perfection.

How to make Panera chicken noodle soup

My Panera chicken soup recipe comes together quickly and effortlessly with a few steps. And in less than 30 minutes, you will have a wholesome dinner on the table!

1: Sauté the vegetables

• Add butter, diced onion, carrots, and celery to a large stock pot or Dutch oven.
• Sauté for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.

2: Add the chicken broth

• Pour the broth into the pot. Season with salt (definitely taste the broth before adding more salt), pepper, bay leaves, and thyme.
• You can also add a small spoonful of “better than bullion” chicken to bring out the chicken aroma.
• Put the lid on and bring the broth to a rolling boil.

3: Cook the noodles

• Once boiling, add noodles and cook just until noodles are al dente.
• Be careful not to overcook the pasta – you don’t want it mushy! Remove the pot from heat as soon as the noodles are just barely tender – they will continue to cook off the stove.

4: Stir in the chicken & serve

• Add the chicken meat from the rotisserie chicken. Taste the soup again and add more seasonings as needed.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of herbs. Serve the soup hot and hand roasted bread or dinner rolls if desired. Enjoy!

Tips

With these simple-to-use tips, you will have one fantastic Panera chicken noodle soup recipe!

• Use a heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven because it distributes the heat more evenly and creates a better soup.
• Additional seasonings: There are a lot of herbs and spices that you can add to this soup, so feel free to get creative. I love adding rosemary, oregano, parsley, lemon slices, or garlic for extra flavor.
• Sautéing the veggies is important to develop flavor, so don’t hurry this step: The onion and carrots soften and caramelize as they cook, releasing their fragrant aromas and building the flavorful backdrop of the soup.
• Deglaze the veggies: Pouring the chicken broth into the pot lifts the caramelized, brown bits off the bottom. This is called deglazing and amplifies the incredible taste of your Panera chicken soup.
• Avoid overcooking the noodles: If you want to prepare this soup ahead of time, the only thing you need to worry about is the egg noodles. They will soak up the liquid over time and become soggy. The soup cooks really fast, so I would add the noodles when you’re ready to serve it and are warming it up.

Store & reheat

Store Panera chicken noodle soup

Panera Bread chicken soup is just as delicious the next day. You can make this in advance and have a delicious dinner ready on busy nights.

• Store: Once the soup has cooled down to room temperature, put the leftovers in an airtight container with a secure lid to store in the refrigerator.
• How long does it last? It will keep for 3 to 4 days, depending on the freshness of the chicken used.
• Tip: When homemade chicken soup cools, a layer of fat can form on the top. You can either skim the fat off or reheat the soup and it will melt right back into the broth.

Reheat chicken noodle soup

• Stove: Reheat the soup in a pot or saucepan with a lid on the stove on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired temperature.
• Microwave: You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second bursts until warmed through.

Freeze Panera chicken noodle soup

This Panera bread soup recipe is great for making ahead or cooking a double batch and freezing.

• Freeze: Let the soup cool completely. Then store it in a freezer-friendly container for 2 to 3 months.
• Defrost: When you’re ready to eat, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge, or over medium heat on the stove.
• Tip: If you plan to freeze the soup ahead of time, I recommend undercooking the noodles before freezing the soup to avoid the pasta getting soggy when reheating.

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