Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, also known as Avgolemono, is a refreshing and comforting recipe idea that can be served as a meal or as a tasty appetizer.

Made with shredded chicken lemon juice, and orzo pasta, this soup is creamy, savory, and satisfying.

What is Avgolemono?

Avgolemono, or Greek Lemon Soup, is a hearty soup that is made with chicken, lemon and eggs.

I like that this soup is hearty enough to be served as a meal in itself.

Have you tried my Mediterranean Diet Olive Oil Crackers?

Those crunchy crackers taste nutty and savory with a touch of salt (which can be omitted). Both those crackers and this soup would go nicely when served together for a filling and delicious meal idea.

To make this recipe you will need orzo. You can find Orzo Pasta here.

Why we love Greek Lemon Chicken Soup.

This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, or Avgolemono, is a creamy and comforting soup. It pleasantly surprised us with a burst of fresh lemon flavor.

Here is what else we like about this recipe.

• The creamy broth is made with tempered eggs, for a soup that is rich and luscious without being thick or heavy.
• This soup is a warm and cozy dish for winter, but bright and fresh enough for summer.
• Lemon chicken soup is a simple recipe that is perfect for a family meal.
• There is no added dairy other than the egg yolks.
• Personalizing this recipe is as easy as adding Greek seasoning or using shredded turkey instead of chicken.
• Leftovers taste great the next day as is or used in another recipe such as a homemade pot pie.

Ingredients needed to make Avgolemono Soup.

• Olive Oil. Extra virgin olive oil was used to make my soup.
• Onion. Your onion should be diced.
• Celery. The celery stalks should be chopped small.
• Carrots. Carrots should be peeled and chopped small.
• Kosher Salt. This can be adjusted or omitted.
• Pepper. Freshly ground pepper is recommended.
• Basil. Used dried basil.
• Garlic. Minced or diced very small.
• Orzo. Rice (not instant) can alternatively be used.
• Chicken. Your chicken should be precooked and then shredded.
• Chicken Stock. Homemade or store bought.
• Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed rather than bottles.
• Egg Yolks. The yolks add the creamy texture to this soup since we are not adding cream or milk.
• Baby Spinach. Your spinach should be rinsed and dried.

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Tips for making the best Greek lemon chicken soup

Chicken breast is most commonly used in this recipe. The chicken breasts should not include skin or bones when added to this soup.

More helpful tips for you.

 

1. Tempering the eggs is the key to making this recipe. This is done by adding the hot broth to the eggs in a slow and controlled manner, making the soup thick and creamy. If you skip tempering the eggs and just add them straight to the soup, they will most likely heat up too quickly and scramble.
2. You can substitute a cup of rice in place of the orzo in this soup. The rice will take longer to cook, so you will need to let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes, instead of 10-12 minutes used for the orzo.
3. If you are using already cooked orzo or rice (leftovers from something else for example) add them just before tempering the eggs.
4. Feel free to adjust the seasonings added to this soup if you are using chicken broth that has already been seasoned.
5. The easiest way to make this recipe can be to use a store bought rotisserie chicken that you can shred and remove the skin from.
6. Feel free to add additional ingredients such as peas, corn, or beans.

How to make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono).

Prep Time : 10 minutes .
Cook Time : 20-25 minutes .
Servings: 6 servings .

1. Sauté In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil for one minutes. Then add the diced onion and sauté until softened and translucent (three to four minutes). Add the celery and carrots and sauté for three more minute.
2. Season. Stir in the salt, pepper, basil and minced garlic.
3. Simmer. Add the orzo, shredded chicken, and broth to the pot and bring the soup to a low simmer until the orzo is cooked al dente (about 10-12 minutes).
4. Temper. While your soup is simmering, whisk together the egg yolks and lemon juice until combined. Then, when the broth is hot, carefully remove a ladleful of broth from the soup and very slowly drizzle the hot broth into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Repeat this process with a second ladleful of soup.
5. Combine. Slowly add the tempered egg mixture from the last step into the pot with the warm soup. Then continually stir the soup until the ingredients are fully combined and the soup is creamy. You can then remove your soup from the heat.
6. Finish. Lastly, stir in your spinach until it has softened. You can taste the soup and make adjustments in seasonings as needed before serving.

Expert Tip 👉 Some folks think that this soup is best served warm as the flavors are fresh and the texture is creamy. However, if you serve this soup as leftovers, make sure that you reheat it gently over low heat to avoid curdling the eggs.

How to store Avgolemono soup.

Once the soup has fully cooled i can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When properly stored, this soup should keep for up to four days refrigerated. Because your pasta may soak up more of the broth during storage, you may need to add up to a few tablespoons more of chicken broth when reheating to reconstitute the soup.

You may also be interested in these Mediterranean Diet Recipes.

• Mediterranean Diet Cilantro Lime Chicken Breasts
• Mediterranean Diet Chicken Breast Provencal
• Orange Olive Oil Cake Recipe (Mediterranean Diet, Vegan).
• 5 Ingredient Citrus Salad (Mediterranean Diet, Vegan)
• Easy Olive Tapenade Recipe
• Mediterranean Diet Chicken Meatballs

Print the recipe for Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono), a simple and delicious creamy soup recipe made with shredded chicken and orzo pasta.

Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.