Description
This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, also known as Avgolemono, is a comforting and bright soup featuring shredded chicken, tender vegetables, Arborio rice, and a luscious lemon-egg sauce. It’s a traditional Greek favorite that combines creamy texture with fresh citrus notes, perfect for a light yet satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion, diced small
- 2 stalks celery, diced small
- 2 medium carrots, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Arborio rice
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 large bay leaf
- 2 (6 ounces each) chicken breasts, seasoned, cooked, and shredded
Finishing Ingredients
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Sauté vegetables: Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and the onion turns translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and seasonings: Stir in the minced garlic and sauté until it is slightly browned and fragrant, approximately 20 seconds. Season the mixture with kosher salt and pepper.
- Coat rice: Add the Arborio rice to the pan and stir it around to coat the rice grains in the oil and vegetable mixture.
- Simmer broth and rice: Pour in the low-sodium chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then let it cook until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add chicken and continue simmering: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken to the soup and maintain a gentle simmer to heat through.
- Prepare lemon-egg mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and eggs until the mixture is light and frothy.
- Temper the eggs: Remove the saucepan from heat. Slowly ladle about 2 cups of the hot broth into the lemon-egg mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. Then gradually pour the egg mixture back into the soup, stirring well to incorporate evenly.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the chopped fresh dill. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken stock to better control the salt content.
- Tempering the egg and lemon mixture is essential to prevent the eggs from scrambling in the hot soup.
- You can substitute Arborio rice with orzo or other short-grain rice if preferred.
- For added flavor, you can use homemade chicken broth.
- This soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
