Weeknight Greek Avgolemono Soup Recipe
Greek Avgolemono Soup, aka Chicken Lemon Soup, made with rice (or ozo). Thickened with the classic egg-and-lemon juice sauce, this one-pot 30-minute version of the authentic avgolemono recipe is just as creamy and silky without a drop of heavy cream.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts (fat removed)
- ¾ cup white short grain rice such as Arborio, rinsed and drained - or an equal amount of orzo
- 2 whole large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed - plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill or parsley - chopped
- Drizzle of olive oil optional
Instructions
- In a large pot with a lid (I used a 5-qt Dutch oven), heat the chicken stock over medium-high heat until it comes to a gentle boil, about 12-15 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the chicken and rice. Stir well to combine.
- Cook at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Carefully take out the chicken from the simmering stock onto a large platter. Shred the chicken with two forks and add it back to the pot.
- To make the avgolemono sauce, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together until smooth.
- Take out 1 to 2 ladlefuls of the hot liquid and slowly pour it into the egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly to temper it.
- Pour the egg mixture into the pot, turn the heat off and stir well to combine. It should be thickened and creamy.
- When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh herbs and a light drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy with lemon wedges on the side.
Video
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes about 8-10 cups of avgolemono soup, ideal for serving 6 adults. The nutritional values below are per serving and do not include the calories coming from the (optional) drizzle of oil.
- White rice: While the traditional recipe uses short white rice, I have made this soup with the inexpensive long white rice many times, so you can use that if that's all you have. Additionally, you can use orzo in place of rice, if you prefer.
- Storing and reheating leftovers: Bring the soup to room temperature, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, transfer to a small saucepan with a splash of stock or water and warm at medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Freezing: While you can technically freeze this soup, I do not recommend it, as the rice (or orzo) becomes mushy when thawed and reheated. Still, if you prefer to freeze, bring it to room temperature and store it in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 935mg | Potassium: 592mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
