I saw a version of this recipe posted in the Dallas Morning News the other day and being-as-how it's been gray and rainy here, this sounded like the perfect go-to recipe for a cold, winter's day. I learned that Sopa de Lima, a light, bright, chicken-and-lime soup, is popular up and down the Yucatán. This dish is similar to our favorite tortilla soup recipe, although the spices and herbs added like, cinnamon stick, cloves, all-spice, and oregano add a different depth of flavor than the traditional tortilla soup. I love the idea of charring some of the vegetables before adding them to the soup, as that gives it a bold, distinct, but not too overpowering charred flavor. Usually when beginning any soup using chicken, I will roast a whole chicken and will use the carcass to make the broth because the bones add an additional layer of delicious, healthy flavor. In addition, I will add almost every vegetable I can get my hands on. That will always include a roughly chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, a dozen whole peppercorns. Depending upon the spices that are required for a recipe, I will add them in this process as well. So, for this dish, I added just a touch of cinnamon, clove, allspice and a leafy stem of cilantro. There's nothing better than homemade broth, but to speed up the process you can substitute with canned or boxed broth. Also, you can simplify things by using a store bought rotisserie chicken, or any leftover chicken you have on hand. With all the good vitamin C this soup has to offer, this recipe is sure to cure anything that ails you. Buen provecho!
For the broth:
One 3-pound chicken, quartered (or two whole legs and two bone-in breasts, about 3 pounds)
10 cups chicken broth
1 large white onion, halved
8 garlic cloves (4 peeled, 4 unpeeled)
2 dried bay leaves
4 whole cloves or 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
8 allspice berries or 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cinnamon sticks or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 leafy stem of cilantro
15 whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional) I leave this out as my family doesn't like cumin
For the soup:
2 roma or plum tomatoes, halved
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup chopped cilantro, divided
Pinch cayenne
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/4 cup lime juice
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
For the garnish plate:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack
2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed
1 cup of cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into slices
Tortilla Strips (recipe follows)
Place the chicken, half of the onion, the 4 peeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and oregano, cover with the broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and gently simmer until the chicken pieces are cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes for the breasts and 15 to 18 minutes for the legs and thighs. The meat should separate from the end of the leg bone when cooked, and an instant-read thermometer will read at least 165 F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or breast.
When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot, let it cool enough to handle, then remove the chicken skin and discard. Using your hands, shred all the meat and discard the bones and vegetables. Set the meat aside. Strain the broth and reserve.
Meanwhile, char the remaining unpeeled garlic and halved tomatoes (cut-side down) in a cast-iron, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until blackened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Peel the garlic and finely chop them; finely chop the tomato halves and the remaining onion as well.
Wipe out the soup pot, then place it over medium-high heat. Add the chopped tomato, onion and garlic, along with the bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not browned. Add the reserved strained broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the lime zest, juice, the shredded chicken and the cilantro to the soup and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper, if necessary.
Serve hot with a garnish plate, consisting of cheese, jalapeños, avocado, cilantro leaves, tortilla strips and lime wedges. Enjoy!!
Tortilla Strips:
To make the tortilla strips, warm 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add 4 small corn tortillas, sliced into strips, and fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tortilla strips are mostly crisp all over. Transfer the strips to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Season with salt.
Repeat to make another batch or two.
**This recipe is adapted from The Chicken Soup Manifesto by Jenn Louis
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