Panera Mexican Street Corn Chowder
Sweet corn, creamy potatoes and a delightfully seasoned broth make for the best - and easiest - Corn Chowder I've ever made. With just 30 minutes of active cooking time, you can have a sumptuous, end of summer supper that's fit for company but easy enough for a weeknight meal. (Chicken Salt recipe adapted from Delicious.au)
Ingredients
- 8 ears Corn kernels removed, cobs reserved for broth
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 6 C Water or veggie broth
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Bell Peppers medium chopped; I used red and orange, but feel free to use any color combo you prefer.
- 3 large Poblano Peppers medium chopped
- 1 Yellow Onion medium chopped
- 7-10 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 ¼ lb Yukon Gold Potatoes 1-inch cubes; can substitute russet potatoes
- 4 tablespoon Chicken Salt recipe below makes enough for 2 batches of chowder
- 1 C Heavy Cream or vegan equivalent
- ⅓ C Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese or vegan equivalent
- 1 ¼ C Freshly Grated Pepperjack Cheese or vegan equivalent
- Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- 1 C Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
- 1 handful Cilantro chopped
- Cholula
- leftover cornbread bread crumbs
Homemade Chicken Salt
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Chicken Bouillon Powder I used Maggi; feel free to swap in powdered Miso for a vegan version
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
- 4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika sub ground chipotle for spicier version
- 1 ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ¾ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Celery Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Mustard Powder
- ½ teaspoon Curry Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
Instructions
- Shuck corn, removing all hairs. Remove kernels with a sharp knife (Note: a bundt pan comes in really handy to stabilize the ear while you use the knife, and the pan catches all the good stuff!) Set kernels aside for later.Mix together chicken salt ingredients in a bowl until uniform.
- Place the naked cobs, 2 Bay Leaves, and 6 C Water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and leave to cook while you complete other veggie prep.
- In a medium dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoon Olive Oil over medium heat. When thee oil is shimmering, add 2 Bell Peppers, 3 large Poblano Peppers, and 1 Yellow Onion. Cook until the onions are beginning to turn translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add 7-10 cloves Garlic, stirring and cooking until fragrant — about 1 minute.
- Add 1 ¼ lb Yukon Gold Potatoes and the corn kernels from 8 ears Corn.Stir around and coat them in the fat, sautéing them just a little for color.
- Add in 6 cups of prepared, strained corn broth, the bay leaves, and 4 tablespoon Chicken Salt.Simmer until potatoes are just fork tender. Remove from heat.Use a potato masher, immersion blender, or regular blender to purée up to half of the chowder, depending on the thickness you prefer.
- Stir in 1 C Heavy Cream⅓ C Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese, and 1 ¼ C Freshly Grated Pepperjack Cheese. Season with Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste.
- Scoop into bowls and top with your choice of toppings. ENJOY!
Notes
- Chowder will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days. I don't recommend freezing.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 9gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 483mgPotassium: 410mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1421IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 229mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!