Name: Avgolemono Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 carrot, diced; 1 celery stalk, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 6 cups chicken broth (or homemade stock); 2 bay leaves; 1/2 cup rice (or orzo); 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded; 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons); 2 tbsp fresh herbs (dill or parsley), chopped; Salt and black pepper to taste

Description

This comforting Greek soup features a creamy, silky texture from the traditional egg-lemon (avgolemono) sauce, with tender chicken and rice in a fragrant broth. It’s light yet satisfying and perfect for chilly evenings.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth (or homemade stock)
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup rice (or orzo)
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)
2 tbsp fresh herbs (dill or parsley), chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour in the chicken broth and add bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
Add rice (or orzo), season with salt and pepper, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is tender, about 15–20 minutes.
Stir in the cooked, shredded chicken and let heat through.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice. While whisking constantly, slowly add 2–3 ladles of the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture to temper it.
Remove the pot from heat and gradually stir in the tempered egg-lemon mixture into the soup. Do not let the soup boil once the eggs are added.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley and serve hot.

Notes

Do not boil the soup after adding the egg-lemon mixture to avoid curdling.
Use orzo instead of rice for a variation in texture.
Leftover or rotisserie chicken works well in this recipe.
Add spinach or kale at the end for extra nutrients and color.
Not ideal for freezing due to the egg-lemon sauce.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Greek

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
Calories: 250
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 600mg
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 20g
Cholesterol: 100mg