Avgolemono Soup

This Avgolemono Soup, also known as Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, is fresh vegetables combined with Arborio Rice and chicken in a smooth lemon chicken broth that has been thickened with eggs and seasoned with fresh dill. Although it is an unusual combination, the flavors play well together like a fine-tuned instrument. Serve with a simple Greek salad and toasted pita bread.

What does Avgolemono mean in Greek?

It translates to egg-lemon, and it refers to a sauce with a creamy texture made by combining eggs with lemon and tempering it with warm broth. This avgolemono sauce is used as a thickening agent in soups, in dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), or as a sauce over roasted chicken and vegetable dishes.

How to Make Avgolemono Soup

First, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch Oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until the onions and celery are tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Stir in the chicken broth and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Then, stir in the rice and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the rice is tender or about 15-20 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and simmer for a few minutes to warm it.

Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice and eggs together in a medium bowl. Pour one ladle of the hot broth into the mixture and whisk to combine. Add one more ladle of hot broth mixture to the egg-lemon mixture and whisk to combine. This is known as tempering the eggs. This warms the eggs so they incorporate into the hot mixture without cooking little bits of scrambled eggs. Now remove the pot from the heat and stir in the tempered egg mixture and the fresh dill. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Recipe Tips

• Any cooked, diced or shredded chicken will work with this recipe, including rotisserie chicken, poached chicken, or baked chicken.
• Warm the eggs to room temperature.
• For optimal flavor, use fresh lemon juice.
• Season with fresh herbs like dill, parsley, thyme, or oregano.
• Arborio rice is a high-starch, short-grain rice. It helps give this soup its creamy texture.
• Don’t skip the step of tempering the egg and lemon juice mixture. This warms the eggs so they incorporate into the hot mixture without cooking into little bits of egg.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.

How to Freeze Avgolemono Soup

Because the soup does not contain milk or cream it freezes quite well. To freeze, first cool completely. Then, ladle into freezer-safe containers or freezer bags and freeze flat on a baking sheet. Once frozen, stack the bags on their side. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave at reduced power.

Try these Soups Next

Potato Leek Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

Chicken Dumpling Soup

French Onion Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Carrot Soup

Beef Vegetable Soup

Meatball Soup

Avgolemono Soup Recipe

This Avgolemono Soup, also known as Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup, brings chicken, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and Arborio Rice together in a creamy lemon chicken broth seasoned with fresh dill. 

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal soup

Cuisine: Greek

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 bowls

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• ¾ cup arborio rice see notes
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast diced or shredded
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch Oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until the onions and celery are tender, 7-10 minutes. 
• Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
• Stir in the chicken broth and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Stir in the rice and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the rice is tender or about 15-20 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and simmer for a few minutes to warm it.  
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together in a medium bowl. Pour one ladle of the hot broth to the mixture and whisk to combine. Add one more ladle of hot broth mixture to the lemon mixture and whisk to combine.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the tempered egg mixture and the fresh dill. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. For best results serve promptly. 

Notes

• Any cooked chicken will work with this recipe, including rotisserie chicken, poached chicken, or baked chicken.
• Warm the eggs to room temperature.
• For optimal flavor, use fresh lemon juice.
• Season with fresh herbs like dill, parsley, thyme, or oregano.
• Don't skip the step of tempering the egg and lemon juice mixture. This warms the eggs so they incorporate into the hot mixture without cooking.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3505IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

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