Go Back Email Link
panera mexican street corn chowder

Panera Mexican Street Corn Chowder Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 poblano pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for topping
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for topping

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, poblano, and jalapeño for 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and lightly golden at the edges.
  2. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add the flour and cook 1 minute, whisking in the broth until smooth.
  3. Add the corn, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
  4. Lower the heat, stir in the heavy cream, cotija cheese, and lime juice, and stir gently for 2 minutes until the cheese softens through the soup.
  5. Ladle into bowls and top with extra cotija, cilantro, and tortilla strips.

Notes

This soup thickens a lot as it sits, so if you're making it ahead, keep a little extra broth on hand to loosen it when reheating. Taste before adding extra salt, since cotija's saltiness varies quite a bit by brand.