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Avgolemono Soup is a traditional Greek lemon chicken and egg soup that combines chicken broth with whisked eggs and lemon juice. Silky, comforting, and absolutely delicious, this easy weeknight version includes shredded chicken, rice, and simple veggies for a perfectly balanced meal.
What is Avgolemono
Avgolemono, pronounced ah-vgo-le-mono, is derived from the Greek words “avgo” (egg) and “lemono” (lemon). It refers to a tangy, vibrant flavored sauce made from a mixture of lemon juice and eggs and is where this classic Greek chicken soup gets its name.
Avgolemono as a Sauce: In its sauce form, avgolemono is served with various dishes such as dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), roast meats (like lamb), or vegetables. It thickens and enriches dishes, offering a vibrant, tangy flavor.
Avgolemono Soup: The soup variation is more commonly known outside of Greece. It is typically made with chicken or vegetable broth and may include rice or orzo pasta. The egg and lemon mixture is tempered with hot broth and then added back to the soup, thickening it and giving it a creamy consistency without using cream or milk.
Ingredients
This recipe calls for pre-cooked shredded chicken breasts and pre-made chicken stock. These “shortcuts” significantly reduce the overall cooking time of the soup. If you’d like, learn how to make your own homemade chicken stock and use it to make this recipe.
- Vegetables: Some avgolemono recipes include veggies, while others do not. This version includes onions, celery, and carrots (aka mirepoix), a must-have flavor base for all chicken soup recipes.
- Fresh Garlic: Add more or less to suit your own personal tastes and preferences.
- Rice (or Orzo): Adding rice (or orzo) adds a pleasant, chewy texture while releasing some of the starch into the soup, enhancing its characteristic creamy consistency. The best rice used in avgolemono soup is medium or short-grain rice such as arborio rice, Calrose rice, or sushi rice.
- Chicken Broth: Traditionally, chicken broth is used as the base for this soup. Some recipes make chicken stock from scratch by simmering raw chicken pieces in water, while others (like this one) use premade chicken broth or stock.
- Chicken Meat: Use leftover chicken from a previous dinner, rotisserie chicken, or quickly poach chicken breasts in water if you don’t have precooked chicken available.
- Eggs: The eggs are key to avgolemono soup (along with fresh lemon juice). They are the ingredient that give the soup its creamy consistency. The yolks provide richness, while the whites give a slight thickening effect.
- Lemons: Fresh lemon juice is critical to the soup’s bright and tangy flavor. For a more intense, lemony flavor, feel free to add more lemon juice.
- Fresh Dill: All you need is some fresh dill to complete this Greek lemon and chicken soup.
How to Make Avgolemono Soup
1. Soften the Veggies: Cook the onions, carrots, and celery in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat until softened. In the last 30 seconds or so, stir in the minced garlic.
2. Add the Chicken Broth and Rice: Stir in the chicken broth (or chicken stock) and the uncooked white rice. Mix well.
3. Simmer: Increase the heat to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Cover with an offset lid and allow it to cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is soft and cooked through.
4. Prepare the Avgolemono Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the fresh lemon juice. This is your “avgolemono” or “avgolemono sauce.”
5. Temper the Eggs: Whisking continuously, temper the eggs by slowly drizzling three ladles full of hot soup broth into the whisked egg and lemon juice mixture.
Why do we need to temper eggs?
When adding eggs or an egg mixture to a hot liquid like soup and sauces, there’s a very high probability that the eggs will curdle if they are exposed to high heat too quickly. To prevent this, a small amount of the hot liquid (in this case, the chicken broth) is gradually whisked into the eggs, slowly raising their temperature. Once the egg mixture is warm, it can be added to the hot liquid, although it shouldn’t be boiled.
In other words, tempering ensures that sensitive ingredients combine smoothly without unwanted changes in texture or consistency. This method is especially useful when introducing ingredients sensitive to sudden temperature changes (such as eggs, chocolate, or certain dairy products).
6. Add the Avgolemono to the Soup: Mix the lemon and egg mixture into the gently simmering soup. Stir in the shredded cooked chicken and fresh dill and allow the soup to cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Do not boil, as it can cause the egg mixture to curdle.
7. Garnish and Serve: Fresh dill and parsley are the most popular.
What to Serve with Avgolemono Soup
This delicious soup pairs well with all of your favorite Greek recipes. Enjoy it with warm pita bread or a crusty baguette perfect for dipping into the creamy soup. Add a Greek salad or simple spinach and feta salad with red onions and light vinaigrette. Make it into a more complete meal with other tasty Meditteranean dishes:
Storage Options
To Store: All leftovers to cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and placing in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To Freeze: Transfer the soup to freezer-friendly ziplock bags or an airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to three months. Note: Due to the egg in the avgolemono sauce, the texture of the soup may turn from silky smooth to grainy upon thawing and reheating.
To Reheat: Allow frozen avgolemono soup to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating gently over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent the egg from curdling.
More Comforting Soups
- Ukrainian Borscht Soup Recipe (Beet Soup)
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- The Best Chicken Soup Recipe
- Chicken Barley Soup
- Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
If you try making this Avgolemono Soup Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
Avgolemono Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup white rice, uncooked
- 6 cups chicken , (or water)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 4 cups shredded chicken breast
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot set over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook the veggies for 6-8 minutes or until they start to soften.
- Stir in the minced garlic and season with salt. Continue to cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring continuously, then add the uncooked rice plus 6 cups of chicken broth (or water).
- Mix well, then increase the heat to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Cover with an offset lid and allow it to cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is soft and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the fresh lemon juice. Still whisking, slowly drizzle three ladles full of hot soup broth into the whisked egg and lemon juice mixture (It's crucial to pour slowly otherwise, you risk curdling the eggs).
- Mix the lemon and egg mixture into the gently simmering soup. Stir in the shredded chicken and fresh dill and allow the soup to cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Do not boil as it can cause the egg mixture to curdle.
- Garnish with fresh dill and serve with toasted bread if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
