Yucatán Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

Put the chicken, water, halved onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano and a good pinch of salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, skimming off any foam, until the chicken is cooked through.

• 1.2 kg chicken pieces
• 2.5 litres water
• 1 halved onion
• 6 unpeeled garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• to taste salt

✅ Done when: chicken reaches 75°C / 165°F and is cooked through

Lift out the chicken and set the broth aside. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, then strain the broth, discarding the onion, garlic and bay leaves, and keep it warm.

• 1.2 kg (cooked) chicken from step 1
• 2.5 litres broth from step 1

✅ Done when: meat pulls apart easily and broth is clear of solids

Pour about 2 cm of oil into a small frying pan and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Fry the tortilla strips in batches for 1-2 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp, then lift onto paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt.

• 6 corn tortilla strips
• for frying vegetable oil for frying
• to taste salt

✅ Done when: strips are golden brown and crisp

In a large, clean pot big enough to later hold all the broth, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the chopped onion, minced garlic and bell pepper for about 5 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper, and cook 5 more minutes, mashing lightly, until it becomes a thick, fragrant sauce.

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 minced garlic
• 1 bell pepper
• 3 chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

✅ Done when: sauce is thick and the tomatoes have broken down

Pour the strained broth into the sofrito, add the shredded chicken, and simmer gently for 15 minutes so the flavors meld. Taste and adjust the salt before adding the lime.

• 2.5 litres broth from step 2
• all of it sofrito from step 4
• 1.2 kg (cooked) shredded chicken from step 2
• to taste salt

✅ Done when: soup tastes well-seasoned and rounded

Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and zest so the soup stays bright instead of bitter. Ladle into bowls over crispy tortilla strips and top with avocado, cilantro, sliced chile and extra lime wedges.

• 120 ml lime juice
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 6 tortillas worth fried tortilla strips from step 3
• 1 sliced avocado
• handful cilantro leaves
• 1 sliced chile
• to serve lime wedges

✅ Done when: lime juice and zest are fully stirred in and soup looks bright