Copycat Panera Mexican Style Street Corn Chowder

This copycat Panera Mexican style street corn chowder is a rich and hearty soup, and it’s so simple to make at home! Sweet corn, cubed potatoes, bacon, chiles, and more in a cheesy broth. Canned green chiles and seasonings add in a hint of spice and extra flavor to the soup. Serve topped with extra crispy bacon, chives, and shredded cheese along with some warm crusty bread.

If you like this recipe, check out my other Soup Recipes for more! I love this comforting soup for chilly fall or winter nights, the potatoes with the crispy bacon and the cheesy broth make this soup extra delicious. It goes great with a piece of warm sourdough or crusty baguette.

You will also love this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup or this Beer Cheese Soup with Cauliflower!

Highlights of this copycat soup:

• One pot: make clean up a breeze with this one-pot soup that comes together in no time. Everything can be cooked in or added to the Dutch oven and allowed to simmer together until combined. This could also be made in a crockpot.
• Simple ingredients: made with potatoes, corn, bacon stock, cheese, chiles, and seasonings. This soup is full of simple, hearty ingredients that add the perfect amount of flavor and texture. Topping with some extra crispy bacon and fresh herbs finishes the dish off nicely.
• Great as leftovers: this soup reheats very well! If you made a big batch and have leftovers, allow to cool, and store in an airtight container. Reheat soup in a pot or in a bowl in the microwave for a quick meal!
• Budget friendly: this soup is extremely budget friendly! Potatoes and sweet corn can be found on sale seasonally and stock is always an affordable pantry staple. Use what you have on hand for fresh herbs and seasonings.

Now you can make this classic Panera Bread soup in the comfort of your own kitchen for a fraction of the cost, perfect for in season sweet corn. Bring Panera home with some of the other restaurant recipes like Panera Bread Chicken Tortilla Soup, or Panera Bread Inspired Watermelon and Feta Salad

Ingredient List & Ingredient Substitutions:

This soup is made of simple ingredients, easily substitute with other pantry staples or ingredients kept on hand. See below for substitutions:

• Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil can all be substitutes. Unsalted butter can also work.
• Onion: red onion, white onion, or yellow onion can work in the recipe, omit onion if you prefer. A diced shallot will work too!
• Garlic: use as much garlic as you want! I like fresh garlic minced fine but jarred garlic or garlic paste will also work if needed.
• Bacon: chop bacon into small chunks so they fry up nice and small and get extra crispy, set aside some extra bacon bits for topping the soup.
• Bell pepper: red bell peppers add a nice color to the soup but yellow bell or green bell peppers will also work.
• Seasonings: chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper add extra flavor to this soup. Other seasonings like cayenne pepper, cumin, or garlic powder can also be used.
• All-purpose flour: this helps to thicken the soup and it absorbs any excess fat from the bacon. Gluten-free flour will also work.
• Potatoes: russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes work the best here. You can either peel the potatoes or leave them unpeeled.
• Green chiles: canned diced green chiles are a quick short cut ingredients that add a bit of heat and flavor to this soup!
• Chicken stock: any broth or stock of choice can used. Beef broth, vegetable broth, or use homemade stock or bone broth.
• Sweet corn: fresh sweet corn is best in the recipe, cut it off the cob and add raw corn directly into the soup. If needed, use frozen sweet corn, I don’t recommend canned corn.
• Heavy cream: heavy whipping cream, whole milk, 2% milk, or a non-dairy milk can be used to add a touch of creaminess to this soup.
• Shredded cheese: any type of shredded cheese will work here. Shredded pepper jack cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded Colby jack cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend.

How to make the Copycat Panera Mexican Style Street Corn Chowder (with step by step instructions):

Let’s talk a little about how to make this corn chowder (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Quick overview:

• Prep fresh and canned ingredient’s.
• Sauté bacon, onion, and bell peppers. Add in garlic, seasoning, and flour.
• Stir in chiles potatoes, and chicken stock. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
• Add in fresh corn, cream, and cheese. Stir until melted.
• Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!

1. Prep fresh ingredients by diced onion, bell peppers, garlic, and cutting corn off the cob. Prepare canned ingredient’s.

2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add in onions, bacon, and bell peppers. Sauteed for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add in minced garlic and seasonings, stir to combine.

3. Sprinkle in flour and stir until the flour has been absorbed. Mix in stock, chiles, and potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium until potatoes are tender.

4. Once potatoes are soft, mix in cream, cheese, and fresh corn. Stir until cheese is melted.

5. Serve immediately topped with bacon bits, extra cheese, and fresh chives.

Tools I used for this bacon and potato chowder:

• Le Creuset 5 1/2-Qt. Dutch Oven – enamel cast iron is great for even heat and this pot is large enough so nothing boils over. My go to pot for soups, stews, chilis, roasts, and more! I have had my collection of Le Creuset for years and it is still in great condition!
• Wooden Spoons – perfect for sautéing and mixing, and great for not scratching your pans. Remember to deep clean your wooden utensils once a month!
• Pairing knife: I love these boxwood kitchen knives by Pallares Solsona, the carbon steel stays sharp for a while and I just love the look and design.

This dish can be made vegetarian if you leave out the bacon, white beans like great northern beans or cannellini beans can be added for extra protein. If you want a spicier soup, sauté diced jalapenos or add in dashes of hot sauce.

Looking for a sweet treat to finish off your dinner, try these Copycat Panera Bread Pumpkin Streusel Muffins or these Copycat Panera Bread Buttery Shortbread Cookie!

If you like this Copycat Panera Mexican Style Street Corn Chowder, you’ll love these other easy recipes…

• Easy Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup – cheesy and loaded with ground beef.
• Hearty One-Pot Lentil Chili – an easy, hearty vegetarian recipe!
• One-Pot Lasagna Soup – lasagna noodles, tomatoes, spicy sausage, and cheese in a tomato broth.
• The Cheesecake Factory White Chicken Chili – chicken, beans, and chiles in a creamy broth!
• The Best Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe – chicken, veggies, and tender potato gnocchi.

Recipe FAQs:

How do you thicken corn chowder?

Adding flour into the sautéed veggie mix helps the soup thicken once you add in the liquid, also allowing plenty of time to simmer helps this soup thicken.

How can I make my chowder more creamy?

Heavy cream and shredded cheese give this a super rich and creamy texture, a dollop of sour cream or cream cheese will add extra richness. You can also mash a few of the potato chunks into the broth.

How to store leftover potato chowder?

To store leftover chowder, allow it to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on a saucepan on the stove.

Can I make this soup in the crockpot?

Yes! This soup is great in the crockpot, if making this in the crockpot I recommend sautéing the bacon, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and seasoning separately on the stove top. Then adding to the crockpot with the remaining ingredients and letting simmer for a few hours on low heat. This will help to develop a deeper flavor!