Panera Chicken Noodle Soup (Easy Copycat)
This copycat Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe takes 10 minutes of hands-on time and makes eight servings for about what a single bowl costs at the café. Same clear, savory broth, same tender bites of chicken, and egg noodles that stay springy instead of going soft on you.
📌 Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe at a Glance
- ✅ 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.
Summarize & Save This Content On
Summarize & Save This Content On
I love Panera's chicken noodle soup, but I do not love paying close to $8 for a bowl I can finish eating in minutes. One pot of this makes eight servings for close to that same money, and y'all, that's the whole appeal for me. Dinner tonight, lunches through Wednesday, and a container in the freezer.
Getting the flavor right took a few rounds. Panera's broth is clear and silky rather than thick or creamy, so a cornstarch slurry does the work a roux would ruin.
The noodles cook in a separate pot every single time, which keeps the noodles from turning to mush. Same rule I follow for my Italian sausage soup with pasta.
Why This Soup Tastes Like Panera's
- The seasoning stays quiet. Just thyme, onion powder, and one clove of garlic. Panera's version isn't heavily spiced, and piling on more won't get you closer to it.
- Cornstarch, not a roux. Panera's broth is clear and faintly silky. Two teaspoons whisked into cold broth give you this result. Flour and butter would make it a different soup.
- Noodles cook on their own. Egg noodles soak up all the broth, but when boiled separately and added at the end, they keep their texture, even when stored.
- Vegetables cut small. Minced onion, thin celery, carrot coins, so you get a little of everything in every spoonful instead of one big chunk of carrot.
- Chicken goes in last. It's already cooked and only needs to warm through. A long simmer turns it stringy.
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.
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.
What's Actually in Panera's Chicken Noodle Soup
| Panera's café list | What we use | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| White meat chicken (breast with rib meat) | Cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken | They use breast meat only, which keeps their broth light rather than rich. I prefer the ease of using rotisserie chicken. |
| Egg noodles | Egg noodles | Same noodle. Ours cook separately so they don't go soft |
| Carrots, celery, onions | Carrots, celery, onions | Identical trio, all cut small |
| Cornstarch and modified cornstarch | Cornstarch | Panera thickens with starch, not a roux. That's the whole reason the broth stays clear and faintly silky |
| Chicken fat | Butter | The butter does the same job of adding richness and softening the onion, and you probably already have it in your fridge. |
| Chicken stock, broth concentrate, yeast extract | Low-sodium broth + Better Than Bouillon | Their savory backbone. I like to add a bit of bouillon base for added flavor. |
| Garlic | 1 clove garlic | On the label, and one clove is about right |
| Dried thyme, dried parsley | Dried thyme, fresh parsley | Thyme matches. Fresh parsley stirred in at the end is my one upgrade on them |
| Onion powder, black pepper | Onion powder, black pepper | Straight match |
| Dried rosemary, bay leaf | Don't use | Both are on their label. I like this soup without them, but add ¼ teaspoon rosemary or a bay leaf to the simmer if you want it closer to the café bowl |
| Turmeric | Don't use | Used to add color only, and it won't change the taste. I didn't see the need for it in this homemade version. |
| Sugar | Not needed | Rounds out commercial broth. Fresh broth doesn't need it. |
| Guar and xanthan gum | Not needed | Stabilizers for soup sitting in a warmer all day but not needed for a homemade soup. |
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. This makes a large pot, so make sure to grab at least a 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot.
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. Save the 10th cup for the end. 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.
- Portion it before you put it away: Divide the soup into single-serving containers while it's still warm, placing the noodles in a separate container. This way it's easier to grab just what you need to microwave for two minutes, instead of reheating the whole pot every time. Eight servings portioned on Sunday is three or four lunches you don't have to think about, which is the reason I make soup in the first place.
- Freeze it without the noodles: The broth, chicken, and vegetables freeze beautifully for up to 3 months, but the egg noodles do not. They go soft and grainy on thawing, and no amount of reheating brings them back. Freeze the soup base in flat quart bags, lay them flat to save room, and boil a fresh handful of noodles when you thaw it.
- Eat the fridge batch within 3 to 4 days: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The limit isn't about safety alone. Cooked chicken and vegetables in broth start to break down longer than that, and I find the carrots get soft and the broth loses some flavor. If you know you won't finish it by Thursday, freeze half on day one rather than hoping.
- 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.
Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe FAQs
Panera 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.
You can, and it only changes one step. Add two boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the pot along with the 9 cups of broth, bring it to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F. Pull the breasts out, shred them with two forks, and return them to the pot. Everything else stays the same, including the cornstarch slurry with the last cup of cold broth and the noodles boiling away in their own pan. Just note, it adds about 20 minutes, and the broth comes out a little cloudier than the café version, because raw chicken releases proteins as it simmers.
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.
Yes. Add the butter, vegetables, garlic, seasonings, and 9 cups of broth to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 hours, until the carrots are tender. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining cup of cold broth, stir it in, and cook on high for another 15 minutes to thicken. Add the cooked chicken at the end and let it warm through for 10 minutes. If you'd rather start with raw chicken, put two boneless breasts in at the beginning and shred them before you add the slurry. Cook the noodles in their own pot and stir them right before serving.
Yes, you can. Use the sauté function for the butter, onion, celery, and carrots for 4 minutes, then the garlic and seasonings for one more. Pour in 9 cups of broth, seal, and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes with a quick release. Switch back to sauté, stir in the cornstarch slurry, and let it cook on the saute setting for 2 minutes until it thickens. Add the cooked chicken and the separately boiled noodles. If you're starting with raw chicken, add two boneless breasts to the pot before sealing and cook for 10 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
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.
