A signature dish of the Yucatan Peninsula, Sopa de Lima is a bright, aromatic chicken soup that uses the distinctive Yucatecan lima agria - a local variety of bitter lime with a floral, almost bergamot-like perfume - as its defining flavor. Shredded chicken floats in a clear golden broth perfumed with the local lime, habanero, and the herb epazote, topped with crispy fried tortilla strips that soften at the edges while remaining crunchy at their centers.
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Place the chicken pieces in a large pot with the quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, epazote sprigs, half habanero, and water. Bring to a , skim foam thoroughly, then reduce heat and for 45 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked and the broth is richly flavored.
Remove the chicken from the broth. Allow to cool enough to handle, then shred the meat, discarding skin and bones. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Reserve 8 cups of clear broth.
In a medium skillet, char the tomato and a slice of onion directly on the comal or dry pan until blackened. Finely chop and add to the strained broth.
Return the broth to medium heat. Squeeze the juice of the limes into the broth and add the squeezed lime halves as well - the oils in the peel add significant aroma. for 10 minutes . Remove the lime halves.
Cut the corn tortillas into thin strips. in a centimeter of hot oil until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and salt immediately.
Add the shredded chicken back to the warm lime broth. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls over the crispy tortilla strips. Garnish with thinly sliced raw onion and fresh lime wedges.
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