Avgolemono Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Print)

Comforting Greek soup with tender chicken, rice, and silky lemon-egg broth for a nourishing Mediterranean meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry & Broth

01 - 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Vegetables & Grains

03 - 1 small onion finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic minced
05 - 1/2 cup uncooked white rice short or medium-grain
06 - 1 medium carrot peeled and sliced optional

→ Avgolemono Mixture

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 2 lemons

→ Seasoning & Garnish

09 - 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
10 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or parsley for garnish

# How To Make:

01 - Combine chicken, broth, onion, garlic, carrot if using, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
02 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
03 - Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Add rice to the simmering broth. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes until rice is tender. While rice cooks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces using two forks.
04 - Whisk together eggs and lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth.
05 - Gradually ladle 1 cup of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
06 - Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot, stirring gently. Return shredded chicken to the soup. Heat over low do not boil for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened and creamy.
07 - Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh dill or parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon-egg technique creates an incredibly velvety texture without any cream
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day
  • Perfect for when you need comfort food that still feels light and fresh
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil after adding the egg-lemon mixture or it will separate and become grainy
  • Tempering the eggs slowly with hot broth is the critical step that prevents scrambling
  • The soup will continue thickening slightly as it stands, so don't panic if it looks thin at first
03 -
  • Use room temperature eggs to help them incorporate more smoothly
  • Whisk the avgolemono base vigorously until slightly frothy for the silkiest texture

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