Print

Print Recipe

A comforting and vibrant Greek chicken soup thickened with silky egg yolks and bright fresh lemon juice, enriched with aromatic vegetables, orzo pasta, and fresh dill.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 2–3 celery stalks, diced
  • 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 chicken breasts (about 12 oz / 350 g total)
  • 6 cups (1.5 liter) chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup (175 g) orzo
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 egg yolks
  • A handful fresh dill
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion, carrot, and celery.
  2. Finely chop the garlic.
  3. Separate 2 egg yolks into a small bowl and squeeze juice from 1 lemon; set aside.
  4. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  5. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook covered 8-10 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  6. Add garlic, chicken breasts, bay leaves, and chicken stock, bring to a boil.
  7. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  8. Remove chicken breasts and bay leaves from pot.
  9. Add orzo to pot and cook 10 minutes until tender.
  10. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot.
  11. Whisk egg yolks with lemon juice until smooth.
  12. Gradually whisk 1-2 cups hot broth into egg-lemon mixture to temper the eggs.
  13. Stir tempered egg-lemon mixture back into pot and cook on low 5 minutes, avoiding boiling.
  14. Stir in chopped fresh dill and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Notes

Do not skip tempering the egg yolk and lemon mixture to keep broth silky and prevent curdling., Butter can be added with olive oil when cooking veggies for richer broth., Extra dill and cracked black pepper make excellent garnish., Orzo can be swapped with short-grain or jasmine rice or gluten-free pasta for dietary preferences., Chicken can be substituted with shredded rotisserie or leftover roast chicken; dark meat thighs enrich broth., Whole eggs can be used instead of yolks with careful tempering but yield a slightly different texture., Herbs like flat-leaf parsley, chives, or mint can be substituted for dill., Vegetarian version can be made with vegetable broth and additions like mushrooms, white beans, or chickpeas., Slow cooker adaptation involves cooking chicken, veggies, and stock slowly, adding orzo later, finishing with egg-lemon mixture., Store leftovers in refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently without boiling., Soup can be frozen up to 3 months without orzo; cook fresh orzo upon reheating.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerygood.com/avgolemono-greek-lemon-chicken-soup-2/