Description
Avgolemono Soup is a classic Greek lemon chicken soup that combines tender shredded chicken, fragrant jasmine rice, and a bright, tangy lemon-egg mixture to create a creamy and comforting broth. Perfect for a nourishing weeknight meal or when you’re feeling under the weather, this soup is both flavorful and soothing.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving if desired
- 1 cup chopped green onions (preferably white and light green portions)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more to thin if desired
- 3/4 cup jasmine rice or white rice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Protein and Flavor
- 3 cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
Avgolemono Egg-Lemon Mixture
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Garnish
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley and/or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped green onions and minced garlic, sautéing for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant without browning to build the soup’s flavor base.
- Bring Broth to Boil: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat to prepare for cooking the rice.
- Cook Rice and Simmer: Stir in the jasmine rice, dried oregano, bay leaves, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer gently. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking. Cook until the rice is tender—about 15 minutes for jasmine rice or 20 minutes for regular white rice.
- Prepare Avgolemono Mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and fresh lemon juice vigorously until the mixture is frothy, about one minute. This creates the creamy base for the soup.
- Temper Egg Mixture: Gradually add 1 cup of the hot broth from the soup into the egg-lemon mixture while continuously whisking to temper the eggs and avoid curdling.
- Add Chicken and Lemon Zest: Stir the shredded rotisserie chicken and fresh lemon zest into the simmering soup, ensuring they are well combined.
- Combine and Thicken Soup: Remove the pot from the heat. While stirring the soup constantly, slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the soup. Return the pot to low heat and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously until the soup thickens slightly and becomes creamy.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and/or dill. Adjust the thickness by adding more chicken broth if desired, as the soup will thicken further upon standing.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- Temper the egg mixture slowly with hot broth to prevent curdling and achieve a smooth texture.
- Jasmine rice yields a slightly fragrant soup, but regular white rice works well too.
- For a richer flavor, use fresh herbs rather than dried ones for garnish.
- If the soup thickens too much as it cools, simply thin it with additional broth when reheating.
