Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup Copycat Recipe

This Panera Bread chicken noodle soup recipe gives you that same light, golden broth with tender chicken and soft egg noodles, all made at home in about 45 minutes. It’s the kind of soup you reach for on a cold night or when someone in the house isn’t feeling well, and this version is reliable enough to make on a weeknight without any fuss.

It tastes clean and simple, which is exactly the point. The broth stays clear and bright, the vegetables keep a little bite, and the noodles are just soft enough.

Why I Love This Recipe

The broth is the whole thing here, and simmering the chicken directly in it gives you flavor without needing to do much at all. It’s not a heavy soup; it’s light and savory with a little fresh dill at the end that makes it taste like someone actually cooked it.

This is the version I keep coming back to when I want something that feels restorative without being complicated. The ingredient list is short, and nothing on it is hard to find.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts – You can also use thighs for a richer result
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth – Low-sodium lets you control the salt; use a good-quality carton brand
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds – About 1.5 cups sliced; cut them to roughly 0.25 inch thick so they cook evenly
• 3 stalks celery, sliced – Adds a mild savory backbone to the broth
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced – Yellow onion gives the sweetest, mildest base
• 3 cloves garlic, minced – Optional, but it rounds out the broth nicely
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter – For softening the vegetables before adding liquid
• 2 tbsp olive oil – Combined with butter, it raises the smoke point and adds a subtle richness
• 6 oz wide egg noodles – The classic choice; curly egg noodles hold the broth well
• 1 tsp dried thyme – Earthy and quiet; it disappears into the broth without overpowering it
• 1 bay leaf – Pull it out before serving
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste – Add more at the end once the noodles are in
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – Freshly cracked if you have it
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped – This is the finishing touch that makes it taste like Panera’s version
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped – Adds a little color and freshness at the end

Variations / Substitutions

• Chicken thighs instead of breasts – Thighs stay juicier after simmering and shred into slightly richer pieces; the broth gets a deeper color.
• Rotisserie chicken – Stir in about 2.5 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken in the last 5 minutes instead of poaching raw chicken; the total cook time drops to about 25 minutes.
• Rice instead of egg noodles – Use 0.75 cup long-grain white rice added with the broth; it gives you a heartier, slightly thicker soup.
• Gluten-free noodles – A gluten-free egg noodle or a chickpea pasta works here; just check the package cook time since it varies.
• No butter, dairy-free – Skip the butter and use 3 tbsp olive oil total; the flavor is slightly less round but still good.
• Extra vegetables – Diced zucchini or a handful of baby spinach stirred in at the end both work without changing the character of the soup.
• Add more heat – A pinch of red pepper flakes added with the garlic gives the broth a quiet warmth that stays in the background.

If you like easy weeknight soups with a short ingredient list, the Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Copycat Recipe is worth making next.

How To Make Chicken Noodle Soup

Step 1: Soften the Vegetables

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt the 2 tbsp unsalted butter with the 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, the 3 sliced carrots, and the 3 sliced celery stalks. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the edges of the carrots just start to soften.

Add the 3 cloves of minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute, until it smells fragrant. Don’t let the garlic brown; you want it soft and mellow, not bitter.

Step 2: Simmer the Chicken in the Broth

Add the 8 cups chicken broth to the pot along with the whole 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, the 1 tsp dried thyme, the 1 bay leaf, the 1.5 tsp kosher salt, and the 0.5 tsp black pepper. Bring everything to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

The broth will take on a light golden color as it simmers. A few small bubbles breaking the surface is exactly right; a hard rolling boil will cloud the broth and toughen the chicken.

Step 3: Shred the Chicken

Lift the cooked chicken breasts out of the pot with tongs and set them on a cutting board. Use 2 forks to pull the meat apart into bite-sized shreds, which takes about 2 minutes. The pieces should pull apart easily; if they resist, give them another minute or two back in the simmering broth.

While you shred, fish out and discard the bay leaf from the pot.

Step 4: Cook the Noodles in the Broth

Return the shredded chicken to the pot and bring the broth back up to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the 6 oz wide egg noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just tender. Taste the broth now and add more salt if it needs it.

Keep an eye on the heat; you want a steady low boil, not a hard simmer that turns the noodles to mush. The noodles will absorb some of the broth as they cook, which is normal.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the 2 tbsp fresh dill. Ladle the soup into bowls, then scatter the 1 tbsp fresh parsley over the top. Serve right away while the broth is steaming and the noodles are at their best.

Recipe Tips

• Use low-sodium broth and season at the end. The noodles soak up salt as they cook, so the soup can taste under-seasoned mid-way through. Always do a final taste after the noodles are done before serving.
• Don’t cook the noodles in advance if you’re making this ahead. Noodles sitting in broth for hours turn soft and bloated. Cook them separately and add them to each bowl at serving time.
• The chicken poaches better if it starts in cold or room-temperature broth. Dropping cold chicken into already-boiling liquid can make the outside seize and tighten before the inside cooks through.
• Fresh dill versus dried. Dried dill is much more concentrated; if that’s all you have, use 1 tsp dried instead of 2 tbsp fresh, and add it with the thyme, not at the end.

Cook times by pot size and heat source:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If possible, keep the noodles separate so they don’t absorb all the broth.
• Reheating – Warm over medium-low heat on the hob for about 5 minutes, or microwave in a covered bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Add a splash of broth if it has thickened.
• Serve Cold – This soup doesn’t work cold; always reheat before serving.

What To Serve With Chicken Noodle Soup

A thick slice of crusty sourdough bread is the obvious move, and it earns its place here because the open crumb soaks up the broth without going soggy immediately. A simple green salad dressed with something acidic, like a lemon vinaigrette, contrasts well against the savory, mild broth. If you want to make it more of a spread, a grilled cheese on the side is a classic pairing because the salty, crispy exterior plays against the soft noodles and light broth in a way that feels satisfying rather than heavy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze this soup?

Yes, but freeze it without the noodles. Noodles turn mushy after freezing and thawing, so cook fresh ones when you reheat the soup. The broth and shredded chicken freeze well for up to 3 months.

My broth tastes thin and flat. What went wrong?

It likely needs more salt, which is the most common fix. If salt doesn’t do it, a small squeeze of lemon juice, about 1 tsp, added at the end brightens the whole pot and makes the existing flavors come forward.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Add everything except the noodles, dill, and parsley to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Shred the chicken, then cook the noodles on the hob separately and stir them in before serving.

How do I keep the broth from going cloudy?

Skim any foam that rises to the surface in the first few minutes of simmering and keep the heat low throughout. A hard boil is the main cause of a cloudy broth.

Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into 0.25-inch rounds
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 oz wide egg noodles
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method

 

1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the chicken broth, whole chicken breasts, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
3. Remove the chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks. Discard the bay leaf. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
4. Bring the broth back to a gentle boil, add the egg noodles, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until just tender. Taste and adjust salt.
5. Remove from heat, stir in the fresh dill, ladle into bowls, and top with fresh parsley.

Notes

If you plan to make this ahead, keep the noodles out of the pot and cook them fresh when you reheat, otherwise they soak up the broth and go soft. The soup itself, broth, chicken, and vegetables, keeps well in the fridge for 4 days and the flavor actually improves on day two. Fresh dill added right at the end is what gives this its signature brightness, so don’t skip it or add it too early.