📍 Yucatán

Sopa de lima (lime soup)

Name: Sopa de lima (lime soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 g chicken breast; 2 Yucatecan limas; 1 tomato and 1 onion; 1 green bell pepper; Corn tortillas cut into strips for frying; Yucatecan oregano and salt

· Lunch

An aromatic chicken or turkey broth perfumed with Yucatecan lima and topped with fried tortilla strips.

Editorial content by WorldBites · 2026-10-04 · Contact

⏱ 60 min🍽 4 servings📊 Easy🏷 Commonly associated🌱 Dairy-free

Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 40 min
Waiting and resting: 0 min

History

A signature dish of Yucatecan cooking, made with the peninsula's sour lima, a citrus distinct from the common lime that gives it its unmistakable aroma.

Ingredients

Adjust quantitiesServings

Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

1
Cook the chicken with onion and salt to make a clear broth.
2
Shred the chicken and set the strained broth aside.
3
Saute the onion, bell pepper, and tomato; add them to the broth.
4
Add the chicken and a few lima slices; let it boil briefly.
5
Fry the tortilla strips until golden.
6
Serve the broth with lima juice to taste and tortilla chips on top.

Cooking tips

Use about 1.5 liters water for the stock and add lime juice at the end to preserve its aroma.

Technique and preparation

What to check during preparation

Strain the broth to remove bones and spice fragments before adding shredded chicken. Add citrus juice gradually and taste because acidity varies by fruit. Avoid prolonged boiling of peel-on slices, which can introduce bitterness. Prepare tortilla strips separately and add them just before eating. Aim for a clear broth, tender chicken and a crisp contrast in each bowl.