Review: Panera - Chicken Tikka Masala Soup

Panera's Chicken Tikka Masala Soup features chicken, black lentils, butternut squash, and kale in a curried tomato broth, finished with tamarind, coconut milk, and classic Indian spices. It comes topped with brown rice and quinoa.

I got a cup for $7.49 (a bowl costs $9.59) and it came with a piece of baguette on the side.

The soup offered a slightly sweet and tangy tomato base that was spiked with tamarind and Indian curry-type spices but also a surprisingly strong touch of cilantro. Compared to the actual chicken tikka masala meals that I've eaten, it's a lot less creamy and rich, which made it feel less filling.

There was a nice variety of textures and light additions of flavor to the soup with all the veggies, grains, and chicken. There wasn't a lot of chicken though and the chicken had an odd texture that was somewhat meat crumble-like. It felt like if you had a cold mass of well shredded chicken and pinched off little pieces into hot soup.

Panera's baguette is more like a dinner roll than a baguette. It's soft all around with a chewy crust and a pretty uniform and tight crumb. It absorbs soup well though and seemed pretty durable while doing it.

Taken altogether,  aside from the oddly strong note of cilantro, Panera's Chicken Tikka Masasa Soup made for some enjoyable quick eats with a tasty curry-like flavor. However, I wouldn't have immediately guessed it was meant to taste like chicken tikka masala. Also, it seemed pricey for what you get and you might find yourself wanting to eat again not too long after.

Nutritional Info - Panera Chicken Tikka Masala Soup - Cup
Calories - 230 (from Fat - 100)
Fat - 11g (Saturated Fat - 6g)
Sodium - 660mg
Carbs - 23g (Sugar - 5g)
Protein - 10g