Bright lemon, tender chicken, and a silky broth make this Avgolemono Soup the ultimate comfort food with a Greek twist.
A little lemon, a little comfort, and plenty of Greek flavor, this Avgolemono Soup brings it all to the table. Tender chicken and rice are combined with a silky egg-and-lemon broth that tastes creamy even though there’s no cream in the recipe. Fresh dill adds another layer of brightness and balances the richness of the chicken and eggs.
It is finally soup season and I am so excited. For more heart warming soup recipes you have to check out my Italian Minestrone Soup, African Peanut Soup, and Santa Fe Soup.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Avgolemono Soup
- This recipe contains a pound of chicken making it a great protein packed dish that feels light.
- The lemon flavor is balanced. I found that â…“ cup of fresh lemon juice gives the soup a noticeable lemon flavor without overpowering the chicken, vegetables, and dill.
- Dill is used in the soup as well as having it for a garnish allowing that bright flavor that pairs perfectly with the lemon.
- By using rotisserie chicken this recipe cuts down on cooking time making it easy to throw together on a busy weeknight.
Recipe Ingredients
Vegetables – Add a colorful flair and contribute to the fiber in this dish alongside the rice.
Lemons – Add that bright zesty fresh flavor to this soup that everyone loves.
Dill – A bright grassy herb that pairs beautifully alongside lemon.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts see the full recipe below.
Variations
Chicken – If you want to cook chicken yourself you can use chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or even a whole chicken if you prefer.
Vegetables – You can add any additional vegetable you like. Some I would recommend would be zucchini, spinach, or even peas.
Rice – If you want to substitute the rice you can also use orzo pasta in place of it.
Chicken Stock – You can substitute this for vegetable stock or even chicken broth. Note if you use broth you will not get as bold of flavor for this soup.
How to Make Avgolemono Soup
Step #1: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Step #2: Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.
Step #3: Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Step #4: Add the chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil.
Step #5: Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir in the rice and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
Step #6: Next, discard the bay leaves and stir in the shredded chicken.
Step #7: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth and frothy.
Step #8: Very slowly ladle about 1½ cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture, one ladleful at a time, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. This process, called tempering, helps create the soup’s signature silky texture.
Step #9: Continue whisking until fully combined and warmed.
Step #10: Next, reduce the heat to low and pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the soup while stirring gently.
Step #11: Cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat until slightly thickened stirring occasionally. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding the eggs.
Step #12: Stir in the fresh dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step #13: Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh dill and lemon zest on top.
Expert Tips
Temper the eggs slowly – This is the most important step in the recipe. Add the hot broth to the egg-and-lemon mixture one ladleful at a time while whisking constantly. Bringing the eggs up to temperature gradually helps prevent them from scrambling.
Use fresh lemon juice – Bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch, but fresh lemon juice gives this soup a noticeably brighter flavor.
Taste before adding more lemon – Avgolemono should have a distinct lemon flavor, but you can easily adjust it to your preference. Taste the finished soup before adding any extra lemon juice.
FAQs
Avgolemono means “egg-lemon†in Greek and refers to the mixture that gives this soup its silky texture and bright flavor.
Slowly whisk hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture to gradually warm the eggs before adding them to the pot. Keep the heat low and never let the soup boil after adding the eggs.
I like serving crusty bread and a fresh salad alongside this hearty soup.
Storage Information
You can store any leftovers of this Greek Lemon Chicken Soup in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. For longer storage you can freeze this soup in your freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat be sure to thaw overnight in the fridge then you can do so on the stovetop over medium low heat or in the microwave until everything has warmed through. Add additional stock or water if needed.
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Avgolemono Soup Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion about 1 medium onion
- 1 cup diced carrots about 2 medium carrots
- ¾ cup diced celery about 2 stalks
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb cooked chicken breast shredded (about 2 rotisserie chicken breasts)
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- â…“ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice about 2-3 lemons
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
- 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir in the rice and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- Next, discard the bay leaves and stir in the shredded chicken.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth and frothy.
- Very slowly ladle about 1½ cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture, one ladleful at a time, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. This process, called tempering, helps create the soup’s signature silky texture.
- Continue whisking until fully combined and warmed.
- Next, reduce the heat to low and pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the soup while stirring gently.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat until slightly thickened stirring occasionally. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding the eggs.
- Stir in the fresh dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh dill and lemon zest on top.
Notes
To reheat be sure to thaw overnight in the fridge then you can do so on the stovetop over medium high heat or in the microwave until everything has warmed through.