Avgolemono — Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
Make Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe: simmer a whole chicken, temper eggs with lemon, and serve warm.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 3-4 pounds
- 10 cups water
- 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
- Salt, to taste
- Peppercorns, 10-12
- 3 large eggs
- 4 lemons, juiced (about 1/2 cup lemon juice)
- 1/2 cup orzo or rice (optional, for thickened soup)
Instructions
Step 1: Set the chicken to simmer
Place the whole chicken into a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water up to a lively simmer, skimming any pale foam that rises to the surface so the broth stays clear; this gentle skimming early on makes the final broth bright and clean-tasting.
Step 2: Skim and clarify
As the pot reaches a boil then settles, continue skimming off scum and excess fat with a spoon or small sieve until the surface is relatively clear. This quiet attention gives you a transparent, silky foundation for the soup.
Step 3: Add the aromatics and seasonings
Tuck the peeled quartered onion, carrot chunks, celery pieces, a pinch of salt, and whole peppercorns into the simmering pot. Reduce the heat so the liquid barely moves and let the aromatics gently perfume the broth.
Step 4: Slow-simmer until tender
Maintain a low simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half, until the chicken is fully cooked through and the meat pulls easily from the bones. The long, slow heat develops a nourishing, gelatinous body in the broth that becomes the backbone of the avgolemono.
Step 5: Remove and cool the chicken
Lift the cooked chicken out of the broth and set it aside on a platter to cool just enough to handle. Allowing it to cool briefly makes it simple to shred into tender, bite-sized pieces later.
Step 6: Strain the broth
Pour the cooking liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot, discarding the spent vegetables and peppercorns. What you keep is a clear, golden chicken broth that will be the stage for the lemon-egg emulsion.
Step 7: Cook the orzo or rice (optional) and prepare to temper
If you’re using orzo or rice, add it now to the clear broth and simmer until al dente; the grains will thicken and add body. While the pasta or rice cooks, crack the eggs into a separate bowl and beat them until frothy, then gradually whisk in the fresh lemon juice to form the avgolemono mixture.
Step 8: Temper the egg-lemon mixture
To avoid scrambling, slowly ladle about a cup of the hot broth into the egg-and-lemon bowl in a thin stream while whisking constantly; this tames the eggs and brings the temperatures closer together in a creamy bridge.
Step 9: Emulsify the soup
Pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot with the remaining hot broth in a steady stream while stirring gently. This careful return is what creates the silky, glossy emulsion that defines avgolemono.
Step 10: Gently thicken without boiling
Warm the soup on very low heat, stirring, until it just warms through and thickens slightly — do not let it reach a boil or the emulsion can break. The finished broth should be a pale, custard-like yellow with a satiny sheen.
Step 11: Shred the chicken
Shred the cooled chicken into irregular, tender bite-sized pieces, keeping some bits slightly larger for pleasing texture contrasts. Reserve a few small shreds for garnish if you like.
Step 12: Return the chicken to the soup
Fold the shredded chicken into the warmed, lemony broth so the meat absorbs the citrus-scented silk. Taste and add salt as needed; the broth should taste bright and balanced, not overly lemony.
Step 13: Final seasoning and textural checks
Adjust seasoning with a little more salt or a squeeze of fresh lemon if it needs lift, and check the rice/orzo for doneness and texture. For a final touch, consider stirring in a few small carrot dice or a sprinkle of freshly chopped dill for color and aromatic lift.
Step 14: Serve warm and garnish
Ladle the creamy, glossy avgolemono into serving bowls, top with a few tender chicken shreds, al dente orzo grains, a sprig of fresh dill, and a thin slice of lemon on the side if desired. Serve warm with rustic bread for dipping and enjoy the comforting, lemon-bright finish.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs for the smoothest emulsion.
- Taste and add lemon gradually; fresh lemons vary in acidity.
- Store pasta or rice separately if you plan on reheating leftovers.
- Do not boil the soup after adding the egg-lemon mixture.
- Skim the broth early for a clear, bright final soup.