Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup (Copycat Recipe)
Prepped in just 10 minutes of hands-on time, this Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe has a comforting flavor you can't resist on cool days. With tender bites of chicken, soft noodles, and easy seasonings, this recipe is better than takeout.
📌 Soup Summary
- ✅ Recipe Name: Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
- 🕒 Ready In: 10 minutes prep + about 30 minutes simmer
- 👪 Serves: 8
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Chicken, egg noodles, carrots, celery, onion, chicken broth, thyme
- 📖 Dietary Info: Contains gluten and is a meat-based soup. Can be adapted with simple swaps.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This Panera-inspired chicken noodle soup delivers tender chicken, springy noodles, and a clear, silky broth that tastes just like the café favorite; only better and made at home.
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Simmered to perfection and with a comforting flavor that hits your soul, this Panera chicken noodle soup is your new go-to for days you just want to curl up, along with my chicken tortellini soup, of course.
The best part about this recipe is the simple ingredients used to create such a delicious flavor. I love making this inspired version as well because it saves me a ton of money and I can control the texture of the noodles, ensuring that they're still springy and tender, not mushy, just like with this Italian sausage soup with pasta.
Why This Soup Tastes Like Panera's
- Better vegetables: Making this copycat Panera chicken noodle soup means that you can better saute the vegetables to give them a subtle richness without any heaviness.
- Seasonings: The signature Panera soup has subtle hints of thyme in it, which you can adjust at home to mimic.
- Texture: Using cornstarch thickening creates a silky broth, not a creamy one, just like the original.
- Tender noodles: Cooking the noodles separately leaves them with the perfect texture so that they're never mushy.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken: Cooked chicken is used in the Panera bread chicken noodle soup to make it easier for busy nights, just like my chicken paprikash soup. However, you can use fresh chicken and cook it as you make the soup, or use rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut.
- Cornstarch: Used sparingly, this small ingredient makes the soup silky and not thick.
- Egg noodles: These noodles give a soft and rich texture to the soup, and cooking them separately ensures they keep that texture.
- Broth: Low-sodium broth works best to mimic the classic flavor of the chicken noodle soup, though instant pot chicken broth works too. It leads with a light, savory taste that's not overpowering.
Check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and quantities of each one.
Dietary Modifications & Variations
- Gluten-free: Make the Panera bread chicken noodle soup recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles and double-checking that the broth you choose is gluten-free as well.
- Vegetable-based: Though it will be different from the classic version, adding canned corn, peas, or frozen green beans still makes a delicious, light chicken noodle soup.
- Vegetarian: Skip the chicken and use cooked chickpeas in its place. You'll also want to use a vegetable broth and dairy-free butter. Homemade instant pot vegetable broth tastes best.
How to Make Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
This cafe-style chicken noodle soup requires only 10 minutes of prep time to come together, making it easy to whip up on busy nights when you need some comfort.
Step 1: Sauté the Veggies. Saute the onion, celery, and carrots in butter until they're soft and the onion is clear.
Step 2: Add Seasonings. Mix in the minced garlic, dried thyme, parsley, and onion powder and continue to cook for about one minute or until it's super fragrant.
Step 3: Pour in Liquid. Slowly pour 9 cups of broth into the pot along with salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil and let it cook for 10 minutes with the lid cracked.
Step 4: Cook the Noodles. Begin to cook the egg noodles according to the package directions in a pot of salted water. Once they're ready, drain them and set them aside.
Step 5: Thicken the Soup. With the remaining cup of broth, whisk in the cornstarch and add it to the soup along with the chicken and cooked noodles. Bring it back to a simmer for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley
Step 6: Finish it Off: Season it with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve your soup with your favorite easy side dish like a pizza grilled cheese.
Lyn's Top Tips
- Let the steam out: As you bring the soup to a boil, let it simmer with the lid cracked on top so that the extra steam can release.
- Cooking the noodles: Cook the noodles until they're tender but not too soft. This will ensure that they retain their texture once added.
- Freshness: The parsley is added at the end so that the egg noodle chicken soup has the same fresh taste as the traditional Panera version.
- Storing: Once cooled, store the soup in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to five days. If you can, store the soup without the noodles in it so that they don't absorb the liquid and become too soft.
- Reheating: Reheat soup from the fridge by placing it in a pot over low heat on the stove and heating until warmed through. You may want to add a splash more broth to thin it out.
Soup-er Toppings & Serving Suggestions
This chicken noodle soup with thyme can be enjoyed at any time of day for a complete, cozy meal.
- Enjoy a soup and sandwich combination just like you can at Panera Bread! This brie grilled cheese and chicken club sandwich both work well.
- Serve it alongside your favorite Caesar salad and slices of warmed-up baguette or some crusty dinner rolls for another winning combination.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze Panera chicken noodle soup. When freezing leftovers, do not add the egg noodles to the pot of soup. Instead, let the clear chicken broth soup cool and store it in a freezer-safe container, leaving 2-3 inches at the top for it to expand. Store the soup for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you're ready, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge before reheating it over low to medium heat on the stove. Cook fresh noodles while the soup heats up, and then add them to the soup right before serving.
Penera chicken noodle soup is thin with a silky broth. It is not heavy or creamy but instead has a smooth texture.
Yes, you can add the noodles directly to the soup, but it's more difficult to achieve the proper soup and noodle texture. Egg noodles absorb liquid, so you'll want to add ½-1 cup more broth to the soup. Also, the noodles will become softer than they typically are when cooked using this method.
Yes! To make the soup with fresh chicken, add 1 pound of cubed chicken breasts to a pot with 7 cups of chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a simmer and cook it with the lid ajar for 10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Then, continue with the rest of the recipe.
Panera's broth is clear because the recipe does not use a thick, flour-like base or roux. Instead, it uses light sauteing and careful simmering to maintain its clear, savory base.
Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely minced onion
- 2 small celery stalks thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots sliced into coins
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 10 cups chicken broth divided, or stock low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded or cut into small cubes
- 4 cups egg noodles
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and saute for 7-8 minutes or until the onion turns translucent.
- Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, parsley, and onion powder, and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in 9 cups of chicken broth, along with the salt and pepper. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook with the lid ajar for 10 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, cook the egg noodles in a pot of heavily salted water according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining cup of chicken broth until well combined. Add the chicken broth mixture, chicken, and cooked noodles to the pot, bring back to a simmer, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the soup has slightly thickened and the chicken is heated through.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the soup hot!
Recipe Tips
- Using raw chicken: To make the soup with fresh chicken, add 1 pound of cubed chicken breasts with 7 cups of chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a simmer and cook it with the lid ajar for 10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Then, continue with the rest of the recipe.
- Cooking the noodles: Use a timer when cooking the noodles so that they keep their tender texture and don't become too mushy.
- Taste test: After you add the parsley, taste the soup and adjust the salt, pepper, and onion powder as needed to get the exact flavor you crave.
