Sopa de Lima
Vibrant Yucatecan chicken soup with bright lime juice, crispy tortilla strips, and tender poached chicken. Comfort in a bowl.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 310
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- 1.25 lb Chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- 6 cups Chicken broth
- 3 whole Limes, fresh
- 4 whole Corn tortillas
- 1 medium Yellow onion
- 2 whole Garlic cloves
- 1 medium Tomato, fresh
- 3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, removing excess moisture so they cook evenly.
- 2
Cut the onion in half from root to tip, then peel away the papery outer layers and discard them.
- 3
Slice the tomato crosswise into 3 or 4 flat rounds, about 1/4-inch thick.
- 4
Stack the tortillas and cut them into thin strips about 1/4-inch wide, like cutting ribbons across the stack.
- 5
Cut 2 limes in half crosswise. Juice them by squeezing each half firmly over a small bowl until no more liquid comes out—you should have about 1/4 cup of juice.
- 6
Cut the third lime into 4 thin wedges from top to bottom, leaving the stem intact so they stay together.
- 7
Pour the broth into a large pot and place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, onion halves, and garlic cloves.
- 8
Wait until the broth reaches a gentle boil where small bubbles break the surface constantly, about 8 minutes.
- 9
Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently—just a few lazy bubbles breaking the surface—for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink inside when you cut the thickest part.
- 10
Use tongs to carefully remove the chicken breasts from the broth and place them on a cutting board to cool for 2 minutes.
- 11
Discard the onion and garlic from the broth—they have flavored the soup and are no longer needed.
- 12
Shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces by pulling it apart with two forks along the grain, then return it to the pot.
- 13
Pour the fresh lime juice into the broth and stir gently for 10 seconds to combine, then taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
- 14
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 15
Add the tortilla strips to the hot oil and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn golden and crispy at the edges.
- 16
Use a slotted spoon to scoop the crispy tortilla strips out of the oil and spread them on a paper towel to drain.
- 17
Ladle the hot soup into 4 bowls, dividing the chicken and broth evenly among them.
- 18
Top each bowl with a handful of crispy tortilla strips and 1 tomato slice in the center, then place a lime wedge on the rim.
Tools you’ll need
- Large pot with lid
- Medium skillet
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Small bowl
- Tongs
- Two forks
- Wooden spoon
- Slotted spoon
- Paper towels
- 4 soup bowls
- Ladle
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
