Avgolemono Recipe
Greek · Soup · 55 min total
A classic Greek soup made with chicken, rice, and a creamy egg-lemon sauce that warms the soul.
10
min prep
min prep
45
min cook
min cook
6
servings
servings
320
kcal/serving
kcal/serving
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs), cut into pieces
- 8 cups water
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 carrots, peeled and halved
- 2 celery stalks, halved
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- Fresh dill or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine chicken pieces, water, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming foam as needed.
- Remove chicken pieces to a plate and let cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot; discard vegetables and seasonings. Shred the chicken meat, discarding skin and bones.
- Bring the strained broth to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- While rice cooks, prepare the avgolemono sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Gradually whisk in lemon juice until smooth.
- Slowly ladle about 1 cup of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then slowly pour the tempered mixture back into the pot with the remaining broth, whisking continuously.
- Add shredded chicken to the pot and stir gently. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until soup thickens slightly. Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle.
- Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh dill or parsley if desired.
Tips
- For a smoother texture, you can blend the soup with an immersion blender before adding the chicken.
- Avgolemono can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, do not boil.
- To make it gluten-free, ensure the chicken broth is gluten-free and use rice instead of orzo.
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