Mexican · Lunch · Dinner
Sopa de Lima (Yucatán Chicken and Lime Soup)
Sopa de lima
A bright, fragrant Yucatecan broth of shredded chicken, tomato and sweet peppers, warmed with allspice and oregano and finished with plenty of tangy lime. Crisp oven-baked tortilla strips stand in for the usual fried ones.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 35% · Fat 23% · Protein 42%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 500 g (about 2 medium breasts)Chicken breast, skinless and boneless
- 8 1/2 cups (2 litres)2,000 gWater
- 1 large200 gWhite onion, divided
- 6 cloves18 gGarlic, divided
- 1 tspDried oregano (Mexican if possible)
- 1/4 tspGround allspice
- 1 pinchGround cloves
- 1/4 tspGround cinnamon
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 3 tsp14 gOlive oil, divided
- 1 medium120 gGreen bell pepper, diced
- 1 small14 gJalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 medium250 gTomatoes, diced
- 1/3 cup (from about 3 limes)80 gLime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 lime67 gLime, thinly sliced
- 4 small (15 cm)104 gCorn tortillas, certified gluten-free
- 1/4 cupFresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 medium70 gAvocado, diced (optional)
Steps
- 1
Cut the onion in half; finely chop one half and leave the other half in one piece. Peel the garlic, leaving 3 cloves whole and mincing the other 3.
- 2
Put the chicken, water, onion half, 3 whole garlic cloves, oregano, allspice, cloves and salt in a large pot.
- 3
Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part.
- 4
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Cut the tortillas into thin strips, toss with 1 tsp of the olive oil and spread on a baking tray.
- 5
Bake the tortilla strips for 10–12 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden, then set aside.
- 6
Lift the cooked chicken onto a board and shred it with two forks. Remove and discard the onion half and whole garlic from the broth.
- 7
Heat the remaining 2 tsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the chopped onion, minced garlic, bell pepper and jalapeño for 5 minutes until soft.
- 8
Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until they break down.
- 9
Stir the vegetable mixture and cinnamon into the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 10
Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stir in the lime juice, lime slices and black pepper, and heat for 2 minutes; do not boil long or the lime turns bitter.
- 11
Taste and add an extra squeeze of lime if you like it sharper, then ladle into bowls and top with the tortilla strips, cilantro and avocado if using.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breast for a richer, juicier soup, simmering a few minutes longer until they reach 74 °C / 165 °F.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with a can of drained chickpeas and use vegetable broth instead of water, choosing one labelled gluten-free if you need it.
- If you can't find a jalapeño, use a pinch of chili flakes, or leave it out for a milder soup.
- To save time, use store-bought baked tortilla chips, crushed, choosing ones labelled gluten-free if needed.
Storage
Refrigerate the soup within 2 hours in an airtight container and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot; keep the tortilla strips, avocado and cilantro separate and add them fresh. Remove the lime slices before storing so the broth doesn't turn bitter, and freeze only the broth and chicken (without toppings) for up to 3 months.
Make ahead
Poach and shred the chicken and make the broth up to 2 days ahead, chilling them separately, then add the vegetables and lime juice when reheating. The baked tortilla strips keep crisp for 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (845 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 294 kcal | 35 kcal |
| Protein | 31.6 g | 3.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25.9 g | 3.1 g |
| of which sugars | 5.5 g | 0.7 g |
| Fiber | 4.8 g | 0.6 g |
| Fat | 7.7 g | 0.9 g |
| of which saturated | 1.4 g | 0.2 g |
| Sodium | 678 mg | 80 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
