Avgolemono — Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
A tangy, comforting Greek soup with tender chicken, orzo, and a creamy avgolemono sauce. Lemon juice and egg yolks emulsify the broth for a custard-like finish, while fresh dill adds bright fragrance. Lightly spiced and deeply flavorful, it’s ready in 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: quick
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
2–3 celery stalks, diced
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 chicken breasts (12 oz / 350 g)
6 cups (1.5 liters) chicken stock
¾ cup (175 g) orzo
1 lemon — juice only
2 large egg yolks
Handful of fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat
Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook 8-10 minutes until softened
Add garlic and bay leaves, sauté 1 minute before adding chicken breasts
Pour in stock and gently bring to a simmer
After 15 minutes, remove chicken and shred the meat
Return chicken to broth and stir in orzo to cook
While orzo cooks, whisk lemon juice into a bowl of egg yolks
Slowly add hot soup to the eggs to temper them, then pour the mixture back into the pot
Add dill, salt, and pepper to taste; stir well before serving
Notes
Use an Instant Pot to reduce cooking time to 10 minutes after base preparation
For a vegan version, substitute egg yolks with ¼ cup blended tofu or chickpea flour slurry
Garnish with croutons or saffron-infused oil for a special touch
Chicken stock can be homemade to control sodium levels
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 1500mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 185mg