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white dinner plate with a black bowl of bright yellow Panera-style mexican street corn chowder garnished with corn kernels, cilantro, and hot sauce in front of a white dutch oven.

Copycat Panera Mexican Street Corn Chowder

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
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 12 bowls
Calories 243 kcal

Equipment

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; feel free to swap in Trader Joe's Everything But The Elote Seasoning.
  • 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
  • Roasted Corn Kernels

Homemade Chicken Salt

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

Expert Tips
  • In a rush? Hit the frozen aisle! You can get frozen corn kernels, chopped bell peppers, chopped onions, and diced potatoes to significantly cut down on prep time. While finding frozen poblano peppers isn’t always easy, you can swap in 2 small cans of hot roasted green chiles, too. 
  • Salt at every step. To properly build flavor, I recommend adding a pinch or two of salt every time you add a veggie to the pan. The salt will both help the peppers and onions to sweat, but will also absorb into the vegetables more effectively than if you just add the salt to the completed soup at the end. 
  • Cut back on dishes. After you’ve made your broth, strain it into another vessel, and give the Dutch oven a quick wipe to dry it out to keep the oil from spattering.
  • Save your scraps. You’re welcome to add the garlic and onion skins and ends and leftover pepper parts to the pot with your corn broth, or freeze them for a separate veggie broth in the future. 
  • Texture is everything. A proper chowder should have a bit of chunkiness, so don’t blend the soup completely. That’s why I like using an immersion blender—you can pulse it until it’s the right level of smooth for your liking. Once it’s puréed a bit, feel free to return it to the stovetop to simmer a bit. The released potato starch will help to thicken it. 
Storage and Reheating Instructions
  • If you have any leftovers of your Mexican street corn chowder, transfer them to airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to a week. 
  • Since this soup has a creamy base, I don't recommend that you freeze it. (If you'd like soup ideas that ARE for freezing, check out this Soup Swap post.)
  • To reheat, gently simmer on the stovetop or microwave in 45 second bursts, stirring between each to ensure equal heating. 
Serving Suggestions
Adding some thoughtful garnishes not only increases the visual appeal, but also gives your homemade Panera corn chowder an extra pop of flavor. Try extra cheese, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, fresh lime juice, and some roasted corn kernels for crunch. 
If you have any leftover/stale cornbread floating around in the pantry, you can crumble it on top like breadcrumbs. For an extra delicious take, sauté your cornbread breadcrumbs in a dollop of bacon fat for added richness and a crispy texture. 😋

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 9gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 483mgPotassium: 410mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1421IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 229mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Cheap, Comforting, Easy, Summer
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