Chicken Soup With Lime and Avocado

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated Nov. 18, 2022

Chicken Soup With Lime and Avocado
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
About 30 minutes
Rating
5(697)
Comments
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When I lived in France, in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, I hardly ever ate avocados. Those sold in the markets were smooth, thin-skinned varieties grown mostly in Israel. They were watery, not as creamy or nutty-tasting as Haas avocados, the dark, pebbly-skinned variety that we get in California. “Poor man’s butter,” they used to call avocados when my father was a child. (Now they would more aptly be described as “rich man’s butter.”) Simple Mexican soups like this one often include avocado, which is diced or sliced and added to the soup when it’s ladled into bowls.

Featured in: Avocados: ‘Poor Man’s Butter’ No More

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves four
  • 2quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade, or 1 quart commercial chicken broth and 1 quart water
  • 1medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1garlic clove, minced
  • 1serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded if desired and minced
  • 1pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced, or 1 (14-ounce) can, drained
  • 1cup shredded cooked chicken breast
  • ¼cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 to 2tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (to taste), plus thin slices of lime for garnish
  • 1avocado, cut in small dice or thinly sliced
  • Corn tortilla crisps for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

344 calories; 15 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 732 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring the chicken stock to a simmer, add the onion, garlic and chile, and simmer 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the tomatoes, and simmer for another five minutes. Taste and adjust salt, then stir in the chicken breast and chopped cilantro. Cover and let sit for five minutes. Add the lime juice.

  3. Step 3

    Divide the avocado between four soup bowls. Ladle in the soup, place a slice of lime on each bowl, and serve with crisp corn tortillas.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: You can make this through step 1 several hours or even a day ahead.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
697 user ratings
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Comments

Sheila

This is a go-to easy, healthy meal in my house. I lightly stir fry the onion, garlic, and jalapeno (sometimes add carrot) with salt, pepper, and a couple shakes of cumin and paprika to amp up the flavor before adding the broth. Will make it once a week this winter.

Lorena

I made this last night and it turned out well. I took other's advice and added carrots and celery before adding the broth. Tasty and satisfying!

L

A regular recipe for us. To make it a little more substantial, we add cooked brown rice or quinoa. Usually skip the pepper and even the cilantro and it turns out really well.

Joyce F.

I’ve made this both with chicken and with chickpeas. Both turn out really tasty. I use just 2 cups of broth since I prefer stews to soups.

bjk

Made this with peeled, fresh tomatoes and a full lime. Added the fried and salted corn tortilla strips at the end, and it was one of the best soups, we all agreed, we’d ever eaten. Simple and quick to prepare.

Amy S.

I didn't have a fresh chile so added some crushed red pepper and a bit of ancho chili powder instead. I also used the green part of a leek instead of onion. Delish.

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