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Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

A silky, creamy, and dairy-free Greek soup made with chicken, rice, and a luxurious egg-lemon sauce. Perfect comfort food.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 bowls
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth low sodium preferred
  • 1 cup medium-grain rice or orzo
  • 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
Avgolemono Sauce
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice approx 2-3 lemons
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
Garnish
  • 0.25 cup fresh dill chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or soup pot
  • Whisk
  • Mixing bowls
  • Ladle

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender.
  3. Stir in the shredded chicken and let it warm through for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat entirely.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Slowly whisk in lemon juice and zest.
  5. Temper the eggs: Very slowly ladle 1-2 cups of hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to warm the eggs without scrambling them.
  6. Pour the warm egg mixture back into the soup pot. Stir well to combine.
  7. Return pot to very low heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Do not boil.
  8. Stir in fresh dill, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with lemon slices.

Notes

Ensure eggs are at room temperature before starting to prevent curdling. Reheat leftovers gently over low heat.