Copy-Cat Panera Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Copy-Cat Panera Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Serves 8.

Super creamy.  Super delicious.  This soup really does taste a lot like Panera's.  It's fantastic!
Source: Food

6 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breast halves (cooked, boneless and cubed)
1 (6 ounce) package long grain and wild rice blend, quick cooking version (You will use the seasoning packet. I used Uncle Bens roasted chicken flavor)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup butter (12 tbsp. or a stick and a half)
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
3 cups light cream (can lighten by substituting part or all of the cream with fat-free evaporated milk, or half-and-half) -- I reduced this to 2 cups

Open rice, pull out seasoning packet and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine pepper and flour. Set aside.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth and chicken. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute for 10 minutes. Stir in contents of seasoning packet, and continue cooking vegetables until softened, about 10 minutes more. Add seasoned flour gradually while constantly stirring, to form a roux. Saute roux for 3-4 minutes to cook out raw flour taste.

Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through and rice is done,15-20 minutes.

Alternatively, for those who cannot get the quick-cooking version of the rice, I have put the broth on to boil and cooked the 25-minute version of long grain and wild rice blend according to the directions, while sauteeing the veggies in the butter. I tend to cook the veggies longer this way, and I like them quite soft. I then follow the rest of the directions above, adding the rice/broth to the cream mixture. I've also used fat-free half and half with no appreciable difference in flavor. Enjoy!