This Panera chicken noodle soup recipe brings that brothy, familiar restaurant-favorite taste home in an easy slow cooker version. The slow cooker does most of the work, building a rich homemade broth while you go about your day.
Why You'll Love This Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Homemade Panera chicken noodle soup gives you restaurant-style flavor in a full pot you can serve for lunch or a simple dinner. The slow cooker builds a rich broth with very little tending, so the recipe fits easily into a regular weekday.
- Restaurant favorite at home: Familiar Panera-style comfort in a homemade soup you can ladle up anytime.
- Slow cooker friendly: The broth has time to develop while you move on with the rest of your day.
- Warm and practical: A warm, familiar soup that works for chilly nights, sick days, or simple lunches.
Ingredients Overview
Simple soup staples do the heavy lifting here, with a savory broth base, tender chicken, noodles, and the classic vegetables that make chicken noodle soup taste familiar. The slow cooker gives everything time to come together without needing complicated ingredients.
💡 Pro Tip - Use a Rotisserie Chicken Carcass
A leftover rotisserie chicken carcass makes a flavorful broth without starting from a whole raw chicken. Remove the meat first if you have some left, then simmer the bones and scraps in the slow cooker before straining.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
This slow cooker Panera chicken noodle soup recipe starts with homemade broth, then finishes with tender chicken and noodles. Sauté the vegetables first for better flavor, and add the noodles last so they don't overcook. Follow the step-by-step visual guide below.
Step 1: Place the chicken in the slow cooker and add the water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or overnight, or cook on high for 4 hours.
Step 2: Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it in a bowl until cool enough to handle. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve, then return the broth to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Pull the meat from the bones and tear it into bite-size pieces. Discard the bones and refrigerate the chicken until it is time to add it back to the soup.
Step 4: Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots, then sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step 5: Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, then cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.
Step 6: Add the egg noodles and cooked chicken to the slow cooker. Cook for about 15 minutes, or just until the noodles are tender.
Step 7: Stir in the parsley once the noodles are done. Taste the broth, adjust the salt and pepper, and serve while hot.
💡 Pro Tip - Stovetop Option
A Dutch oven or stock pot works well if you would rather cook the soup on the stove. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, then add the noodles near the end so they stay tender.
Serving Suggestions
Panera chicken noodle soup is a natural lunch or simple dinner with warm bread, crackers, or easy homemade croissants on the side. For a lighter meal, pair it with a crisp Panera strawberry poppyseed salad.
For more Panera copycat recipes, try Panera summer corn chowder, Panera chipotle chicken avocado melt, Panera autumn squash soup, or copycat Panera creamy tomato soup.
Substitutions and Variations
Easy swaps can help you use what you already have without moving too far from the Panera-style flavor.
- Chicken options: Use chicken breast, chicken thighs, or leftover cooked chicken depending on what you have on hand.
- Noodle swaps: Egg noodles give the soup that classic feel, but rotini, ditalini, or small shells can work in a pinch.
- Broth shortcut: Use store-bought chicken broth when you need a faster version, then season to taste before serving.
- Extra vegetables: Peas, corn, spinach, or diced zucchini can be stirred in near the end if you want to stretch the pot a little further.
Tips for Success
A few small details keep the broth flavorful and the noodles from going soft.
- Sauté the vegetables: Cooking them first gives the soup a better base flavor.
- Strain the broth: A fine mesh sieve catches small bones, skin, and bits from the chicken so the finished soup is cleaner.
- Add noodles near the end: Egg noodles only need a short cook time, and adding them late helps prevent mushy soup.
- Season after simmering: Salt levels change as broth cooks down, so taste near the end before adding more.
- Hold parsley until serving: Fresh parsley tastes brighter when stirred in after the noodles are tender.
Storage Options
Chicken noodle soup stores well, but the noodles will keep absorbing broth as it sits.
- Refrigerate: Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze without noodles when possible: Broth, chicken, and vegetables freeze well for 2 to 3 months, but noodles can soften after thawing.
- Reheat gently: Warm leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water if the noodles absorbed too much liquid.
- Meal prep tip: For planned leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl when serving.
Related Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Chicken Kreplach Soup
- Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken Casserole
- Easy Baguette Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Panera-style chicken noodle soup is usually made with tender egg noodles. Wide or twisted egg noodles work well because they hold up nicely in broth.
Yes, cooked chicken can be stirred in near the end of the recipe. Add it just long enough to heat through so it stays tender.
Yes, chicken broth can replace the water for a faster soup with a richer starting flavor. Taste before adding salt because boxed broth can already be salty.
Chicken thighs give the broth more flavor, while chicken breast keeps the soup lighter. A mix of both is also a good option if you have them.
Yes, but the best texture comes from storing the noodles separately or adding them fresh when reheating. Noodles continue to absorb broth in the refrigerator.
Cloudy broth usually comes from boiling too hard or from tiny bits of chicken and vegetables staying in the broth. A gentle simmer and straining help keep it clearer.
Yes, use gluten-free noodles and check that the broth, seasonings, and any cooked chicken are gluten free. Cook gluten-free noodles carefully because some soften faster than egg noodles.
Add more chicken broth or water a little at a time until the soup is as brothy as you like. Taste again after thinning and adjust the salt if needed.
Sandwich Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Panera Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- Crock Pot 6 qt Slow cooker
- 6 qt Enameled Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast or thigh, any chicken meat
- 12 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped or diced
- 4 medium carrots diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic fresh minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried or fresh
- 2 bay leaves dried or fresh
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 3 cups egg noodles twisted flat egg noodles
- 3 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped.
Instructions
- Place the chicken into the slow cooker and add the water. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours, or overnight.2 lbs chicken, 12 cups water
- Carefully remove the chicken and bones from the slow cooker and place in a bowl to allow it to cool enough to touch. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the chicken broth.
- Return the strained chicken broth to the slow cooker.
- Remove the meat from the bones and tear into bite-size pieces. Discard the bones. Refrigerate the chicken until needed.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, onions, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4 medium carrots, 3 stalks celery, 2 cloves garlic
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the seasoning, cover and cook on high for 4 hours.1 teaspoon thyme, 2 bay leaves, 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Add the egg noodles and chicken to the slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes or until the noodles are tender.3 cups egg noodles
- When the noodles are done, stir in the parsley. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.3 tablespoon parsley
Notes
- Sauté the vegetables: Cooking them first gives the soup a better base flavor.
- Strain the broth: A fine mesh sieve catches small bones, skin, and bits from the chicken so the finished soup is cleaner.
- Add noodles near the end: Egg noodles only need a short cook time, and adding them late helps prevent mushy soup.
- Season after simmering: Salt levels change as broth cooks down, so taste near the end before adding more.
- Hold parsley until serving: Fresh parsley tastes brighter when stirred in after the noodles are tender.
Nutrition
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