Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe

Make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe: bright, comforting soup with shredded chicken and orzo in a silky lemon broth.

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time70 minutes
Total Time85 minutes
Yield6

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Simmer the chicken and aromatics

Place the chicken pieces in a large pot and cover with the 10 cups of water, add the whole peeled onion, the peeled and roughly chopped carrots, the chopped celery stalks, and a single bay leaf. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer and cook for about an hour, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth smells deeply savory and fragrant. This long, slow simmer is all about building a clear, golden, aromatic stock — don’t rush it.

Step 2: Cool and separate the meat from bones

Carefully lift the chicken pieces out of the hot broth and set them aside to cool enough to handle. While the chicken cools, fish out and discard the bay leaf. The cooled chicken will be easier to shred and will retain more tender texture when added back later.

Step 3: Clarify and return the clear broth

Strain the remaining broth through a fine sieve to remove the softened vegetables and any floating impurities, returning a clean, clear broth to the pot. This clarified liquid should be bright and translucent, a perfect stage for the lemon-egg emulsion to shine.

Step 4: Cook the orzo in the strained broth

Bring the clarified broth back to a boil and add the orzo pasta, stirring to separate the tiny grains. Cook until the orzo is tender, about 8–10 minutes; the pasta will release a little starch and begin to lend body to the broth, giving the final soup a gentle, silky lift.

Step 5: Shred the chicken and make the lemon-egg emulsion

While the orzo finishes, remove the meat from the cooled chicken pieces and shred it into bite-sized strands. In a medium bowl whisk the four large eggs together with the cup of fresh lemon juice until smooth and pale. Temper the egg-lemon mixture by slowly whisking in about 1 cup of the hot broth, a little at a time, until warmed through and glossy — this step keeps the eggs creamy instead of curdling.


Step 6: Finish the soup by combining and gently thickening

Slowly pour the tempered egg-and-lemon mixture back into the pot of simmering broth and orzo, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to very low and warm gently — do not let the soup boil — until it just thickens into a silky, slightly viscous texture. This is the defining transformation: a bright, velvety lemony broth that clings lightly to the orzo and chicken.

Step 7: Return the chicken and season

Fold the shredded chicken back into the thickened soup, warm through briefly, and taste to adjust salt and pepper. The chicken should be tender, dispersed in ribbons throughout the glossy, lemon-infused broth, with small cubes of softened carrot adding color and little textural pops.

Step 8: Serve hot with parsley and lemon

Ladle the finished Greek lemon chicken soup into shallow matte bowls, sprinkle generously with freshly chopped parsley, and serve immediately with bright lemon wedges and a rustic piece of crusty bread for dipping. The final presentation should be steaming, golden, dotted with orzo and shredded chicken, and garnished with vivid green parsley for contrast.

Notes