Yucatan Lime Soup, Mexican Lime Soup, Sopa de Lima Yucateca
Sopa de lima is Yucatán's bright chicken and lime soup: shredded chicken poached in a tomato and oregano broth, soured with fresh lime and finished with crisp fried tortilla strips. It is light enough for a warm day and warming enough for a cold one. One serving is about 600 g.
Sopa de lima comes from Yucatán, where Maya cooking met Spanish ingredients: the lime itself arrived with the Spanish, while turkey — the original meat in the soup — was a prized pre-Columbian food. Local lore credits a Mérida cook known as Katún with serving the soup in its modern form in 1946. Today chicken is the everyday choice, and the soup is served all over the peninsula with crisp tortilla strips and a lime on the side.
Pairs well with: Serve with extra lime wedges and a spoonful of habanero salsa on the side.
Provenance
Mexico
Yucatán Heritage
Latin America & Caribbean
Time Dedication
55m
20m prep • 35m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
328 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 600 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Easy (One Pot)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Prime Metabolic Fit
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Yucatán Heritage
Photo: Isaacvp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)
Made the Yucatecan way: chicken poached in stock, lime added at the end, tortilla strips fried crisp.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Chicken, Vegetables & Lime
20 Mins • Chopping & Juicing
Dice the tomato, onion and pepper, mince the garlic, juice two limes and slice the third. Cut the tortillas into strips. Keep the chicken whole for poaching — it shreds easily once cooked.
Maestro Tip: Roll each lime firmly on the counter before cutting it; you will get far more juice out of it.
20 Mins Gentle simmer, ~90°C (195°F)
Put the chicken breasts in the stock in a large pot and bring it to a bare simmer — small bubbles, never a rolling boil. Cook for about 18 minutes until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) at its thickest part, then lift it out onto a plate and shred it with two forks.
A rolling boil makes chicken tough and dry; a gentle simmer keeps it tender enough to shred.
Done when: Chicken that reaches 74°C (165°F) and pulls apart in soft strands.
8 Mins Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Heat half the olive oil in the same pot and cook the onion, pepper and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft and sweet-smelling. Add the tomato, oregano and cumin and cook for 3 minutes more until the tomato breaks down.
Let the tomato cook until it darkens slightly — that is when its flavour deepens.
Done when: Soft vegetables and a tomato base that smells rich, not raw.
12 Mins Simmering, ~95°C (200°F)
Pour the stock back in, return the shredded chicken to the pot and simmer gently for 10 minutes so the flavours come together. Season with the salt and taste — the broth should be savoury with a clear lime note to come.
Do not add the lime yet: acid added too early turns bitter in a long simmer.
Done when: A clear golden broth with tender chicken and soft vegetables.
5 Mins Medium-high heat, ~180°C (355°F)
While the soup simmers, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the tortilla strips in a single layer for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Fry in batches if the pan is crowded — overlapping strips steam instead of crisping.
Done when: Strips that snap when bent and stay crisp for several minutes.
2 Mins Off the heat, soup at ~95°C (200°F)
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Ladle into bowls, top with the fried tortilla strips, lime slices and cilantro, and serve at once with the chopped habanero on the side for anyone who wants heat.
Lime juice goes in last, off the heat, so its flavour stays bright and fresh.
Done when: A hot, fragrant soup with a clear citrus lift and crisp strips on top.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve immediately while the tortilla strips are still crisp — they soften quickly in the hot broth, so add them at the table.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
328
kcal / serving
Protein
35g
Complete AA
Carbs
27g
Complex
Fats
9g
Healthy
| Energy | 328 kcal |
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fibre | 4.3 g |
| Sugar | 6.0 g |
| Sodium | 929 mg |
| Energy | 55 kcal |
| Protein | 5.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.4 g |
| Fat | 1.5 g |
| Fibre | 0.7 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 155 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C from lime and tomato, vitamin B6 and niacin from chicken, potassium from tomato and onion.
Vitamin C from Lime & Tomato
Lime juice and tomato give this soup a good share of vitamin C, which the body uses in normal immune function.
Lean Protein
One serving carries about 35 g of protein from the chicken, which makes this light soup a proper lunch.
Light but Filling
At about 328 kcal a bowl, the soup is light, while the chicken, vegetables and tortilla strips keep you full for hours.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Extra Tortilla Strips
More crisp strips on the side let everyone top up the crunch, which is half the pleasure of this soup.
Sauces
Habanero Salsa
A spoonful of fiery habanero salsa on the side matches the Yucatecan way of eating — the heat is optional, so each person seasons their own bowl.
Vegetables
Avocado Salad
Cool, creamy avocado balances the soup's sharp lime and gentle heat.
Drinks
Agua de Jamaica
Iced hibiscus water is the classic Yucatecan partner for a citrus soup — tart, cold and refreshing.
Complete menu
Serve the sopa de lima with avocado salad and extra tortilla strips, follow with grilled fish, and finish with iced hibiscus water.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Boiling the Lime Juice
Lime juice boiled for a long time turns bitter and loses its fresh flavour, so always stir it in off the heat. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Very Salty Sides
The stock, salt and fried strips already make this soup salty, so salty cured meats or salty cheese on the side push one meal too far. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
Mexico
35m
Nixtamalized heirloom corn tortillas, pasture eggs, and charred tomato salsa bursting with fat-soluble carotenoids.
High Energy
Fried eggs, salsa roja and refried beans on warm corn tortillas.
Mexico
45m
This tacos al pastor recipe marinates pork shoulder in achiote and dried chillies, grills it until charred at the edges, and piles it onto warm corn tortillas with pineapple, onion and cilantro. One serving is about 312 g — two tacos.
Bold & Satisfying
Achiote-marinated pork, charred pineapple and onion on warm corn tortillas.
Mexico
2h 40m
This mole poblano recipe builds the dark Puebla sauce the slow way — chillies toasted and soaked, nuts and seeds fried, chocolate melted in at the end — and serves it over tender chicken. One serving is about 300 g.
Rich & Festive
Dark, complex sauce of chillies, nuts, seeds and chocolate over tender chicken.
Mexico
15m
This guacamole recipe is the Mexican classic done the simple way: ripe Hass avocados mashed with tomato, red onion, jalapeño, lime and coriander, seasoned and served straight away. One serving is about 208 g, with tortilla chips for scooping. It takes 15 minutes and no cooking at all.
Fresh & Creamy
Mashed avocado with tomato, onion, lime and chilli, made fresh in 15 minutes and served with tortilla chips.
