Description
Home cooks adore Avgolemono soup, a classic Greek lemon chicken soup with silky egg-enriched broth. Mediterranean comfort shines through tender chicken, fragrant herbs, and tangy citrus that welcome diners to Greece’s culinary warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 chicken breasts (12 oz / 350 g)
- 2 egg yolks
- 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock
- ¾ cup (175 g) orzo
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1–2 medium carrots, diced
- 2–3 celery stalks, diced
- 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 1 handful fresh dill
- 2 bay leaves
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a spacious pot over medium heat, combine olive oil with diced onions, carrots, and celery, transforming them into a tender, translucent flavor base while releasing their aromatic essence.
- Build Flavor Foundation: Incorporate minced garlic and whole chicken pieces into the vegetable mixture, then pour in chicken stock and add bay leaves, creating a robust soup foundation, and bring to a vigorous boil before reducing to a gentle simmer.
- Poach and Prepare: Cover the pot and allow chicken to poach tenderly for 15 minutes, then remove chicken pieces and bay leaves, and sprinkle orzo into the simmering broth to cook and absorb the delicate flavors.
- Create Creamy Texture: Whisk egg yolks with lemon juice in a separate bowl, then carefully temper the mixture by gradually adding warm soup liquid while whisking continuously to prevent curdling, and gently fold the tempered eggs back into the soup to create a luxurious, silky consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Shred the cooked chicken into rustic pieces, return to the pot, stir in freshly chopped dill, and season with salt and pepper, then ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish with additional dill sprigs for a vibrant, aromatic presentation.
Notes
- Protect Egg Mixture: Slowly add hot broth to eggs while whisking to prevent scrambling and maintain a smooth, creamy texture.
- Chicken Poaching Timing: Cook chicken exactly 15 minutes to ensure tender, juicy meat without becoming dry or tough.
- Flavor Building Technique: Sauté vegetables at medium heat to develop deep, rich foundational flavors before adding other ingredients.
- Herb Freshness Matters: Add fresh dill at the end to preserve its bright, aromatic qualities and maximize its delicate flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg