Panera Chicken Tortilla Soup

Panera Chicken Tortilla Soup arrives in a 16 oz microwavable cup that you’d spot in the refrigerated grab-and-go or prepared soup aisle, often shelved near other heat-and-eat soups, deli bowls, and branded café-style meals. It reads like a quick-cafe option for a shopper who wants a Panera experience at home: roasted poblano, lime and cumin notes, white meat chicken, black beans and corn, finished with a handful of tortilla chips. The product is positioned by the Panera brand as a slightly elevated convenience meal — fast-casual credibility (bakery-cafe origins), with callouts like “white meat chicken raised without antibiotics,” “gluten free,” and “dairy free” to appeal to health-minded busy professionals and parents seeking simple, familiar flavors. The label leans on natural-sounding claims rather than organic certification or kid-focused marketing; it includes “natural lime flavor” and other pantry-style ingredients but also lists flavor extracts, acidulants and preservatives. In plain terms this is a ready-to-heat, shelf-chilled convenience product made from multiple prepared components. Sensory notes: a lightly brothy, tomato-and-chile aroma with bright citrus lift; a mix of soft shredded chicken and tender beans, poppable corn kernels, and the contrast of crunchy stone-ground tortilla chips if added just before eating. The ritual is grab, peel, microwave, stir and eat from the cup — a commuter’s lunch, a quick dinner on a busy night, or a warming snack between errands. Nutrition cues (about 110 kcal and 610 mg sodium) underline the product’s convenience-first tradeoffs.