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A traditional Greek lemon chicken soup made by blending egg yolks and fresh lemon juice into a warm chicken broth with orzo pasta, creating a bright, silky, and comforting soup.

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 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 (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 egg yolks (room temperature)
  • A handful fresh dill
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces.
  2. Finely chop the garlic.
  3. Separate the egg yolks into a bowl and let them come to room temperature.
  4. Juice one lemon using freshly squeezed juice.
  5. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  6. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery, cover briefly, and cook 8–10 minutes until softened and slightly colored.
  7. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  8. Add the raw chicken breasts to the pot and pour in the chicken stock.
  9. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
  10. Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot.
  11. Add the orzo to the simmering broth and cook about 10 minutes until tender.
  12. Shred the chicken with two forks.
  13. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
  14. Whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together until smooth.
  15. Temper the egg-lemon mixture by slowly whisking in 1–2 cups of hot soup broth.
  16. Pour the tempered egg mixture into the pot and stir gently.
  17. Continue cooking on low for about 5 minutes without boiling to thicken the soup slightly.
  18. Stir in fresh dill and adjust salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Notes

Temper the eggs carefully to avoid curdling and achieve a silky broth., Optional: add 1-2 tablespoons butter with olive oil for a richer broth., Freshly cracked black pepper and extra dill on top add nice finishing flavors., Use leftover cooked or rotisserie chicken to save time if desired., Orzo can be swapped for rice or small pasta; adjust cooking times accordingly., Vegetarian version can be made by replacing chicken stock with vegetable broth and omitting chicken., Soup can be stored refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months; reheat gently without boiling to avoid curdling. Add broth if soup is too thick after storage.

Nutrition

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