Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Calories: 320 per serving

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 celery ribs, diced

• 2 medium carrots, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 bay leaves

• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 cup uncooked rice, rinsed (or orzo pasta)

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

• 4 large egg yolks

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Fresh dill or parsley, for garnish

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Instructions:

1. Cook vegetables: Warm olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Stir frequently until softened, about 8–10 minutes.

2. Add garlic & bay leaves: Stir in minced garlic and bay leaves, cooking for 30 seconds. Slowly pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.

3. Add rice: Stir in the rice (or orzo), reduce heat, and simmer for 20–30 minutes, stirring often, until rice is tender. Mix in shredded cooked chicken.

4. Temper eggs: In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until light and frothy. Gradually add lemon juice, whisking to combine.

5. Temper broth: Slowly ladle about 2 cups of hot broth from the pot into the egg-lemon mix, whisking continuously.

6. Combine egg mixture: Remove bay leaves from the pot, then turn off the heat. Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture into the soup, stirring gently to combine. Stir until the soup is slightly thickened.

7. Season & serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill or parsley.

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Notes:

• Rinse the rice: To remove excess starch, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.

• Cook rice separately: If you're planning on leftovers, cook the rice separately to prevent it from absorbing too much broth and becoming mushy. Stir it in before serving.

• Adjust orzo cooking time: If using orzo pasta, reduce cooking time to about 7–10 minutes.

• Cook the chicken: You can cook raw chicken breasts directly in the soup. Add them with the rice, and shred them after about 20 minutes.

• Slowly temper the eggs: Tempering the eggs by slowly adding hot broth prevents them from curdling or scrambling when combined with the soup.