Meal Mondays: Panera Bread Thai Chicken Flat Bread Review

I went to the dentist and was so hungry afterewards decided to stop by Panera Bread downstairs and pick up some lunch.  I figured Panera Bread has healthy choices since they have non-GMO, non-antibiotic produce and hormone-free chicken.  Since I was hungry their Pick 2 menu was right on time.

I wanted to try something different so I went for the Thai Chicken Flatbread.  Flatbread sandwiches are new on their menu.  I have had the black bean soup before so that is definitely one of my favorites.  I was like SERVE ME UP!

Cost:  approx. $8.99 for both the flatbread, soup and chips (yea I chose the kettle chips vs. apple)  LOL.

Thai Chicken Flatbread Ingredients:  All-natural, antibiotic-free chicken, cilantro jalapeno hummus, napa cabbage blend and cilantro with peanut sauce and Thai vinaigrette on freshly baked flatbread.

Nutritional value:

• 280 Calories
• 10g Total Fat
• 500mg Sodium
• 34g Total Carb
• 3g Fiber
• 7g Protein

Black Bean Soup Ingredients:  Low fat black bean soup (water, black beans [may contain soy], onions, celery, vegetable base [cooked vegetables {carrot, celery, onion}, tomato paste, corn oil, yeast extract, potato flour, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, natural flavoring], red peppers, modified food starch, salt, spices, lemon juice, garlic powder).

Nutritional value:

• 260 Calories
• 3g Total Fat
• 1360mg Sodium
• 54g Total Carb
• 9g Fiber
• 13g Protein

Review:   I bought it to go so everything was wrapped up in a paper bag.  The sandwich has a paper wrap and the soup was in its own cup.  The chips were in their own bag.  Everything stayed hot which was nice because it took me about 10 minutes to get home due to traffic and a couple of more stops I had to make.

The sandwich was VERY good.  The red cabbage made it crunchy and the hummus with the chicken was a delight to the palate.  The vinaigrette gave it a nice little twang without being overbearing.  The black bean soup is ALWAYS good to me.  There are nice whole black beans in there and it is not overpowered with liquid.  It’s simply delicious and was a very nice surprise pairing with the flatbread.

The sandwich is 280 calories and the soup 260 which is a decent lunch if you drink water with it.  But let me just say – you will need water to wash down all of the SALT and SODIUM in this pairing.  I was sadly disappointed.  The sandwich had 500 mg of salt and the soup a WHOPPING 1,360 mg of salt.  That is well over the recommended daily allowance of sodium for adult women.  I mean I do not think one has to pour a bunch of salt on food to make it taste good.  Let it stand on its own.

I would rate this a 4 out of 10 stars.  While the taste was out of this world, it comes with a COST – a bunch of SALT that will take things over the top.  I just do not think it needs to contain that much salt to taste good.

What have you eaten at Panera Bread lately?  Have you tried this?  What do you think?