Sopa di Lima (Chicken Lime Soup)

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Delicious Sopa di Lima

In keeping with my 2012 resolution, this first post for February is a recipe that is extremely easy to prepare. In the interest of keeping it simple, just a bit of a back story and one picture to entice you to try this delicious soup!

After being in Belize for a little over 3 weeks in January, I was a little tired of burritos, chicken rice and beans, and ceviche. I’d been craving something “clean” and healthful, something filling, and not complicated to make for dinner. I was too tired to bike to town for additional ingredients, so this recipe is totally fabricated – based solely on items at hand. I didn’t consult a single recipe or do a Google search, I simply forged ahead with the vegetables I had in my refrigerator. My husband had a bit of a sore throat, so what could be better than a new version of chicken soup???

I’m telling you this was “double oh” good!

Sopa di Lima

Serves 4-6

Stock Ingredients:
  • 4 chicken thighs on the bone, skin removed
  • 2 average sized tomatoes, roughly diced
  • 1 small onion, peeled and roughly diced
  • ½ bay leaf
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped into ½ inch coins
  • ½ bunch of cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp sea salt and 10 grinds of fresh pepper
Soup Ingredients:
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 small tomatoes, diced
  • ½ green pepper, dice small
  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped stems and all (Cilantro is one of the few herbs where you can use both stems and leaves!)
Additional Ingredients:
  • 2 limes, juice only
  • Tortilla strips
  • Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions:

In a 3 quart sauce pan, cover the chicken with water so it is one inch above the chicken parts. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam and add the rest of the ingredients. Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer 1 hour. Remove chicken thighs and strain the broth. Shred the thigh meat, return to the wiped-out-with-a-paper-towel soup pot with the strained broth. Discard everything else. (Note: when I make stocks for soup, I always strain out the vegetables once cooked, and then start anew with fresh veggies. That way they have a brighter, fresher flavor in the finished soup.)

Add all the “Soup Ingredients” to the stock and shredded chicken. Simmer until veggies are barely cooked (around 15 minutes).

Right before serving, add the juice of 2 limes and some baked corn tortilla strips. (* See note) Add more lime juice, hot sauce or salt to taste.

I also add about ½ cup of previously cooked and reheated quinoa with the soup before serving, but cooked brown rice would be equally tasty and filling.

*Baked tortilla strips: cut fresh (unbaked) corn tortillas into strips about 2 inches long by ¼ inch wide. Put on foil lined tray and bake at 350 for 10 minutes until they are crisp. I do this in my handy dandy toaster oven.

With a simple salad, this hits the spot for hot or cold weather.

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2 Responses to Sopa di Lima (Chicken Lime Soup)

  1. Shira says:

    Oh I am so excited about this one. Going to make it tomorrow. Sounds like the PERFECT soup for a winter day. Delicious.

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