Description
Sopa de Lima is a traditional Yucatán-style lime soup featuring a flavorful chicken broth infused with citrus zest, aromatic spices, and a soffrito of roasted garlic, tomatoes, and onion. Served with crispy tortilla strips and fresh cilantro, this vibrant and tangy poultry soup perfectly balances refreshing lime and savory spices for an authentic Mexican culinary experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Citrus and Broth Ingredients
- 2 whole limes, plus 1 more lime for garnish
- 1 grapefruit
- 1 large white or yellow onion (about 8 ounces; 225g), unpeeled
- 1 pound (450g) bone-in, skin-on split chicken or turkey breasts (about 1 whole chicken breast or 1/2 small turkey breast)
- 8 large cloves garlic, unpeeled, divided
- 4 dried Turkish bay leaves
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 (3-inch) piece cinnamon stick, preferably Mexican canela
- 5 whole allspice berries
- 15 whole black peppercorns
- Large pinch dried Mexican oregano
- 1 quart (960ml) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
Sofrito
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons (90ml) vegetable oil, divided
- 1 Hungarian wax pepper (or 1 small green bell pepper), finely minced
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 large white or yellow onion (the other half from above), peeled and finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic (remaining from above), peeled and charred
Toppings
- 6 small corn tortillas, cut into strips
- Small bunch fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Citrus Zest and Juice: Use a vegetable peeler to remove four 2-inch strips of lime zest and two 2-inch strips of grapefruit zest. Juice the limes and grapefruit, setting aside 2 tablespoons of each juice. Reserve the remaining juice for another purpose and set aside the zests and juice for later use.
- Make the Broth: Split the large onion in half from pole to pole and set one half aside. Place the other half in a large saucepan. Add the bone-in, skin-on chicken or turkey breasts, 4 unpeeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, black peppercorns, and dried Mexican oregano. Pour in the chicken broth and add enough water to fully submerge the ingredients. Heat over medium heat until gently simmering, then reduce heat to keep the broth steaming-hot but not boiling. Cook, turning the chicken occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 150°F (66°C), about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Strain and Steep Broth: Using tongs, carefully remove the chicken pieces and transfer to a bowl. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof container and add the reserved lime and grapefruit zests. Adjust the volume with water if necessary to have at least one quart of broth. Set aside to steep.
- Prepare the Sofrito: Thread the remaining 4 garlic cloves onto a metal skewer and roast over a gas flame or dry skillet until charred on all sides, about 3 minutes. Roast the Roma tomatoes over the flame or in the skillet, turning until their skins bubble and blacken, about 30 seconds. Peel the garlic and tomatoes and finely mince both. Finely mince the reserved onion half. Heat 2 tablespoons (30ml) of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, tomatoes, minced onion, finely minced Hungarian wax pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until completely softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
- Combine Broth and Sofrito: Remove and discard the citrus zests from the broth. Pour the strained broth into the pot with the sofrito. Stir in the reserved lime and grapefruit juices and season with kosher salt to taste.
- Fry Tortilla Strips: In a nonstick or cast iron skillet, combine the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil with the cut tortilla strips. Heat over medium heat, stirring and tossing frequently until tortilla strips are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the crispy tortilla strips onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve the Soup: Shred the cooked chicken or turkey meat into bite-size pieces using your fingers or two forks, discarding bones and skin. Divide the shredded meat evenly between serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the meat. Top each bowl with a small handful of crispy tortilla strips and sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves. Cut the remaining lime into wheels and wedges; add lime wheels into the soup and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.
Notes
- Sopa de Lima is a quintessential dish from Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula known for its fresh and tangy flavor that balances savory spices with bright citrus.
- Using bone-in, skin-on poultry enriches the broth with flavor and body.
- Roasting the garlic and tomatoes adds a smoky depth to the sofrito, which is the flavor base of the soup.
- The crispy tortilla strips add textural contrast and are best served fresh to maintain their crunch.
- This soup is traditionally garnished with fresh lime to enhance the bright citrus notes at serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 326 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 853 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 51 mg
