Sopa de Lima

 

Sopa de Lima

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or corn oil
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 1 1/4 cups chopped white onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 habanero chili, seeded and minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • 1 pound tomatoes (2 large), cored, peeled, and chopped (or 1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes)
  • 2 quarts chicken stock (homemade is best)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano if you have it)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds  skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer, we like the stronger taste of thighs), trimmed of excess fat, and cut in half crosswise
  • 1/3 cup lime juice (from 2 to 4 limes, depending on the size)
  • 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped (stems included), for garnish
  • 2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and roughly chopped, for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Dry the tortillas in oven, cut into strips:

    Place tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet and heat in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping over after the first 5 minutes. (This will help dry out the tortillas a bit before frying.) Remove from oven. Cut the tortillas into 1/4-inch wide strips.

  3. Heat the oil:

    Pour oil into a large, thick-bottomed pot to 1/4-inch deep, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Heat the pot on medium high heat until the oil temperature reaches about 350°F or a small piece of tortilla place in the oil sizzles.

  4. Fry the tortilla strips in hot oil:

    If a small tester piece of tortilla burns or browns too fast, move the pan from heat to let the oil cool a bit before continuing.

    Working in batches, gently scatter a handful of tortilla strips in the hot oil. Turn with metal tongs so that the tortilla strips are separated. Cook for a few minutes or until the strips just begin to color. Remove them to a paper towel lined plate.

    When I make these after I add the tortilla strips I increase the heat of the burner to compensate for the tortilla strips lowering the temperature of the oil. Once the tortilla strips start to color I lower the temperature to keep the oil from getting too hot.

  5. Sauté the onions, add garlic, habanero, cinnamon, ground cloves:

    Remove all but two tablespoons of the tortilla frying oil. Heat on medium high. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, minced habanero, cinnamon, and ground cloves and cook a few minutes longer.

  6. Add the tomatoes, stock, oregano, chicken, salt, then simmer:

    Add the peeled chopped tomatoes to the onions. Add the stock, oregano, and chicken. Add one teaspoon of salt.

    Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer.

    Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through.

  7. Remove the chicken from pot, shred:

    Remove pot from the heat. Remove the chicken from the pot. Using two forks, shred the chicken.

  8. Return the shredded chicken to pot, add lime juice:

    Return the chicken to the soup. Stir in the lime juice. Add more salt, if needed, to taste.

    Serve garnished with fried tortilla strips, chopped avocado, and cilantro.