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Greek Avgolemono Lemon Chicken Soup (Creamy Traditional Greek Recipe) Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.3 from 72 reviews
  • Author: Elina
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Greek

Description

Experience the comforting flavors of traditional Greek Avgolemono Lemon Chicken Soup, a silky and fragrant chicken broth enriched with a creamy lemon-egg sauce. This authentic recipe combines tender chicken, aromatic vegetables, and rice simmered to perfection, finished with a bright, tangy avgolemono sauce that brings warmth and zest to every spoonful. Ideal for a quick weeknight meal, this soup takes just over 30 minutes to prepare and serves six generously.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Base

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (Private Reserve Greek olive oil recommended)
  • 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped carrots
  • 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped green onions
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup rice (rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes if possible)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 cooked boneless chicken breast pieces, shredded (or 6 to 8 oz store-bought rotisserie chicken)

Avgolemono Sauce

  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 large eggs

Garnish

  • Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Sauté Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped carrots, celery, and green onions, and toss them together to sauté briefly. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Simmer Soup Base: Pour in 8 cups of low-sodium chicken broth and add 2 bay leaves. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a rolling boil. Add the rinsed rice, along with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for approximately 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  3. Add Shredded Chicken: Once the rice is cooked, stir in the shredded cooked chicken breasts, heating through in the broth.
  4. Prepare Avgolemono Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice until well combined. Gradually temper this mixture by whisking in two ladlefuls of the hot broth from the cooking pot, slowly bringing the egg mixture up to temperature to avoid curdling.
  5. Incorporate Sauce and Finish: Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon sauce back into the soup pot, stirring continuously to integrate it smoothly into the soup. Remove the pot from heat immediately to prevent the eggs from cooking too fast and curdling the soup.
  6. Garnish and Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot, ideally alongside your favorite crusty bread for a complete meal. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Cook’s Tip for Rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly to remove excess starch. For best results, soak the rice in water for about 15 minutes or until individual grains can be broken easily. This ensures quicker and more even cooking.
  • Be careful when adding the avgolemono sauce to the hot broth; tempering the eggs with warm broth is essential to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  • This soup is best served immediately but can be refrigerated and gently reheated; avoid boiling after adding the egg-lemon sauce.
  • Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the salt level in the soup.

Find it online: https://recipes.mbeams.com/greek-avgolemono-lemon-chicken-soup-creamy-traditional-greek-recipe-recipe/