Yucatán-Style Lime Soup with Chicken and Crispy Tortilla Strips
shared by Nibblore Español
This Yucatán-style soup pairs an aromatic chicken, tomato, sweet pepper, and spice broth with the bright, slightly bitter flavor of lime. Cooking the chicken directly in the broth adds depth, while stirring in the lime juice at the end preserves its fresh citrus character. It makes a comforting lunch or dinner finished with plenty of crispy tortilla strips. • Keep the broth at a gentle simmer; a vigorous boil can toughen the chicken and make the soup cloudy. • Taste the lime before using it. If the peel is very bitter, use the slices only as a garnish and remove them before eating. • Leave the habanero whole to perfume the broth with moderate heat. If it splits while cooking, remove it immediately. • Fry the tortilla strips in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop too much and make them greasy. • If Yucatán lime is unavailable, combine 60 ml Persian lime juice with 20 ml sour orange or regular orange juice. • You can replace the thighs with 650 g bone-in chicken breast; begin checking for doneness after 20 minutes. • Substitute green bell pepper for the green sweet pepper, though its flavor will be slightly less aromatic. • To skip frying, toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon oil and bake at 200°C for 10 to 14 minutes, turning them halfway through. Refrigerate the soup without the lime slices or tortilla strips in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months. Keep the crispy tortilla strips in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Reheat the soup over medium heat until it reaches 74°C without letting it boil for an extended time, then add fresh lime and tortilla strips when serving.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
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Save to my cookbook — freeIngredients
- 700 gbone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 2 lwater
- 1white onion, halved
- 4 clovegarlic, peeled
- 1 tspfine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tspblack peppercorns
- 2whole cloves
- ¼ tspdried Mexican oregano
- 1 tbspvegetable oil
- 300 gtomatoes, cored and diced
- 1green sweet pepper, seeded and finely diced
- ½white onion, finely diced
- 1lime, washed and thinly sliced
- 80 mllime juice, freshly squeezed and strained
- 12corn tortillas, cut into 1 cm strips
- 500 mlvegetable oil, for frying
- 1habanero pepper, whole
- 10 gfresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems chopped
Instructions
- 1Place the chicken thighs, 2 litres water, halved onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, peppercorns, cloves, and oregano in a 5- to 6-litre pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
- 2Reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 74°C and the meat pulls away easily. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- 3Strain the broth into a heatproof container and discard the solids. Measure out 1.5 litres broth; if you have less, top it up with water. Remove the meat from the bones, shred it into bite-size pieces, and discard the bones.
- 4Wipe out the pot and heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, sweet pepper, and diced onion; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender, the tomatoes have released their juices, and the mixture begins to reduce.
- 5Pour the 1.5 litres broth into the pot, then add the shredded chicken and whole habanero. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove the habanero before it splits; taste the broth and adjust the salt.
- 6While the soup simmers, pour the 500 ml oil into a deep 20 cm saucepan and heat it to 175°C. Fry the tortilla strips in 4 batches for 60 to 90 seconds per batch, moving them with a slotted spoon, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and immediately season with a pinch of salt; let the oil return to 175°C between batches.
- 7Turn off the heat under the soup and wait 1 minute. Gradually stir in the lime juice, tasting until the acidity is bright but balanced; do not boil the soup again after adding it.
- 8Divide the broth, vegetables, and chicken among 6 bowls. Add a few thin lime slices and some cilantro, then top each serving with the tortilla strips just before serving so they stay crisp.