This is a traditional soup with a long history since it was created by the Mayans.
The flavor of this Yucatecan soup is light and refreshing, with a citrusy touch from the lime. Plus, the chicken, tomatoes, chili and cilantro add sensational flavor.
Lime is an ingredient that gives a special flavor that can only be made with lime. It is difficult to describe the flavor of lime, in fact its flavor is unique, but it gives the feeling that you are tasting a sweet lemon.
– 8 corn tortillas
– 1/2 cup vegetable oil
– As salty as you like
– 1 medium onion (chopped)
– 1 stalk of celery (thinly sliced)
– 1 carrot, cut into thin slices
– 1 jalapeño or serrano chili pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped
– 4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
– 1 bay leaf
– 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried Mexican oregano
– 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
– 8 cups chicken soup
– 700 g skinless chicken breast
– 2 green onions, finely chopped
– Juice of 3 limes (about 1/3 cup)
– 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
Preparation:
Cut the tortilla into 1/2cm wide pieces. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and, when very hot, fry the tortilla strips, in portions, until lightly browned and crispy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Season with salt. Repeat until all tortilla strips are fried. Set the tortilla strips aside and reserve the vegetable oil.
Transfer the reserved 1 tablespoon oil to a large pot and add the chopped onion, celery, carrots, and jalapeño peppers. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
Add garlic, bay leaf, and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes and season with a little salt.
Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices and the mixture is almost dry.
Add chicken stock and chicken breast and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is medium-rare, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken from soup and set aside. Continue to simmer the soup over low heat.
Once the chicken has cooled slightly, shred it by hand and return it to the pot with the green onions and lemon juice.
Simmer for 5 minutes or until chicken and soup are cooked through.
Season the soup with salt and serve in wide bowls, adding a few tortilla strips to each bowl.
Garnish with avocado and cilantro and serve immediately.
