Greek & Mediterranean · Free
Avgolemono Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
A silky, comforting soup of chicken and rice thickened with a bright lemon and egg mixture -- no cream needed. Cozy, tangy, and deeply soothing in every spoonful.
****+
Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the chopped onion and diced carrots for about 5 minutes until softened.
Pour in the chicken broth, add the whole chicken pieces, the salt, and pepper, then bring to a gentle boil.
Once boiling, reduce to a steady simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Remove the chicken to a plate with tongs and set it aside to cool slightly while you cook the rice.
Add the uncooked rice to the simmering broth and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the rice is tender.
While the rice cooks, use two forks to shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Now prepare the avgolemono, the lemon-egg mixture: crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them vigorously for about a minute until pale and frothy.
While still whisking, slowly pour in the lemon juice and keep whisking until fully combined.
The critical step to avoid scrambled eggs is tempering: ladle about one cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly, which gently warms the eggs.
Add a second ladle of hot broth the same way, whisking the whole time, so the egg mixture is now warm and loosened.
Turn the heat under the pot down to low, then slowly pour the warmed egg mixture back into the pot while stirring gently; do not let the soup boil after this or the eggs will curdle.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stir, and let the soup warm through over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns silky and slightly thickened.
Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice, then ladle into bowls and finish each with a sprinkle of fresh dill.
Chef's tips
- Room-temperature eggs blend into the hot soup far more smoothly than cold ones, so take them out of the fridge before you start.
- Never let the soup boil once the egg mixture is added; keep the heat low and gentle to keep the texture velvety instead of curdled.
- For a heartier soup use orzo pasta instead of rice, cooking it for about the same amount of time until tender.
Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.
