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.