Sopa de Lima

The fragrant chicken-and-lime soup of the Yucatán: a clear, aromatic broth scented with Mexican oregano and the region's bitter lima limes, poured over shredded chicken and crisp tortilla strips

Origin: Yucatán, Mexico

From the journey of Oregano.

Sopa de lima is the signature soup of the Yucatán peninsula, a clear, restorative broth built on chicken (or turkey, the native bird), the local bitter-sour lima agria, and a generous hand of Mexican oregano. The lima of the name is not the common Persian lime but the Yucatecan bitter lime, whose fragrant, faintly bitter perfume gives the soup its name and character; a mix of lime and a little grapefruit or bitter-orange peel approximates it elsewhere. Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens) is the defining herb, its citrus-resin pungency a natural partner to the lime, woven through the broth and the toasted-spice base. Crowned with crisp fried tortilla strips and more oregano, lime, and chilli at the table, it is one of the most elegant soups of Mexican cooking.

Ingredients

Broth

  • 4 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
  • 1.2 litres chicken stock or water
  • 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 0.5 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 habanero or other chilli, left whole (optional, for aroma)

To finish

  • 4 limes, juiced (ideally bitter lima; otherwise lime with a little grapefruit)
  • 1.5 tsp salt, plus more to taste

To serve

  • 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried crisp

Method

  1. Simmer the chicken thighs in the stock with half the oregano and a little salt for about 25 minutes, until cooked through. Lift out the chicken, leave to cool a little, then shred the meat and discard the skin and bones. Reserve the broth.
  2. In a separate pot, soften the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a little oil for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cumin, and the remaining oregano, and cook for 5 minutes until the tomato breaks down.
  3. Pour in the reserved broth, add the whole chilli if using, and simmer gently for 10 minutes to marry the flavours.
  4. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and warm through. Take off the heat and stir in the lime juice and salt to taste; the soup should be fragrant, tangy, and savoury.
  5. Ladle into bowls and top with the crisp tortilla strips, a little more Mexican oregano, and extra lime and chilli at the table.

Notes

The authentic soul of the soup is the Yucatecan bitter lime (lima agria) and Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens); both are worth seeking out, though a blend of regular lime with a little grapefruit or bitter-orange stands in for the lima. Turkey, the native bird of the Yucatán, can replace the chicken. A scatter of oregano at the table is the classic finish and reinforces the herb that defines the dish.

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