A quintessential dish of the Yucatán Peninsula, sopa de lima is a bright, fragrant chicken broth soup brightened with Mexican lima (key lime) juice. The combination of charred onion and tomato, shredded chicken, and crispy tortilla strips makes it both comforting and refreshing — an unusual combination that is absolutely characteristic of Yucatecan cooking.

Directions

STEP #1

Heat a dry skillet or comal over high heat. Place onion halves and tomato halves cut-side down and char until deeply blackened on the cut side, about 5 minutes. Char the garlic cloves as well, about 3 minutes.

STEP #2

In a large pot, combine chicken thighs, chicken broth, charred onion, tomatoes, garlic, whole habanero, Mexican oregano, and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and very tender. Remove the chicken and habanero (discard habanero).

STEP #3

While the chicken cooks, heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until golden and crispy, about 2–3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.

STEP #4

Shred the chicken, discarding bones and skin. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the lime juice. Taste and season with salt. Add the shredded chicken back to the broth.

STEP #5

Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with a generous handful of fried tortilla strips and fresh cilantro. Add a slice or two of lime and serve immediately so the tortilla strips stay crispy.

Tips

Mexican lima is milder and more aromatic than regular Persian lime. Key limes are the closest substitute. Do not use bottled lime juice — the flavor won't be right.
Add the lime juice at the very end and off the heat for the brightest flavor. Prolonged boiling mutes lime.
For a spicier version, keep the habanero in the broth the whole time, then remove before serving.

Sopa de Lima

Ingredients

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