Sopa de Lima (Mayan Chicken Lime Soup)

A soup that's native to the Yucatan and Mayan culture, Sopa de Lima is a lovely chicken soup with fragrant with lime and chili.

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 whole frying/broiling chicken (3-4 lbs.), cut into pieces

• 8-10 cups water (enough to just cover the chicken)

• 1/2 Onion, coarsely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat of a knife

• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1-2 mild chilis (anaheim, banana, hungarian, etc.)

• 1/2 onion, diced to small pieces

• 2 small tomatoes, seeded and cut into 3/4 ich pieces

• 1 tsp. dried oregano

• Several springs of fresh cilantro (4-5)

• (Chicken bouillon or similar, if needed)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 lime, sliced thin

• Juice and zest from 3 limes

• Crispy tortilla strips for garnish

Directions

Place the chicken pieces, onion, garlic, salt and oregano in a large pot and cover with water with a inch or so to spare. Bring to a rapid boil and then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken breast pieces are just cooked through.

Remove the cooked chicken pieces to a bowl to cool and strain the broth through a sieve into another container. Rinse out the pot to get rid of any protein coating it's surface, skim or pour off as much as the protein/fat from ther broth as you can, then return the broth to the pot and bring back to a simmer over low heat.

When the chicken is cool enough, remove the meat from the chicken pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Shred the chicken meat with a fork and reserve.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan and cook the chilis, onion, and tomatoes until they're just soft and add them to the simmering broth.

After about 15 minutes or so of simmering, taste the broth and adjust with salt, pepper and, if needed, a little chicken bouillon or similar concentrate. (I find this is sometimes necessary, depending on the quality of the chicken I can get.)

Add the shredded chicken, lime slices, lime juice and lime zest to the broth and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, then taste and again adjust seasoning.

Ladle the soup into bowls, top with crispy tortilla strips* and serve immediately.

*You can buy the tortilla strips or make them yourself by cutting tortillas into strips and quickly frying them in hot oil.

The broth can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated until needed.

Full printable recipe at http://ift.tt/1Q3tpzZ

bon appetit