Greek Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice
Greek lemon chicken soup (avgolemono) with rice: silky, bright and creamy without any cream, thanks to eggs and lemon whisked into the broth.
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- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 40 min
- Serves
- 6
- Calories
- 310
- Protein
- 35 g
- Per serving
- $2.56
Why this recipe works
Avgolemono is Greek chicken soup made creamy and bright with a mix of eggs and lemon juice. It's comforting like chicken noodle soup but tastes lighter and fresher, and it comes together in about an hour in one pot.
- Whisking hot broth into the eggs a ladle at a time warms them gently, so they thicken the soup into a silky, creamy texture instead of scrambling.
- The soup comes off the heat before the eggs go back in and is never boiled again. That's the main reason avgolemono curdles.
- Simmering whole chicken breasts in the broth flavors it and keeps the chicken tender; it's shredded and added back at the end.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Ladle
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Soften the vegetables
Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots and celery until soft, about 6 minutes.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Poach the chicken
Add the broth and chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F, 15 to 18 minutes. Lift it out onto a board and shred it with two forks.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Cook the rice
Add the rice, salt and pepper to the simmering broth and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Take the pot off the heat.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Temper the egg and lemon
Whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl until frothy. Whisking constantly, add hot broth one ladle at a time until you've added about 2 cups and the bowl feels warm.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Thicken the soup
Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, stirring. Return the chicken and set the pot over low heat, stirring gently, until the soup turns silky and slightly thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let it boil.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Season and serve
Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon. Serve topped with dill.
AI-generated illustration of this step.
Techniques in this recipe
- Chicken and turkey165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guide1. Halve through the root 2. Slice toward the root 3. Cut across Dice an onion
Halve through the root, slice toward it without cutting through, then cut across. The root holds it together, so the pieces come out even.
Read the full guideRolling boil: too hard for most sauces Simmer: small, gentle bubbles Simmer, don't boil
A boil has big, rolling bubbles; a simmer has small bubbles that break gently. Most sauces, soups and stews want a simmer.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Room-temperature eggs blend more easily into hot broth. Set them out while the chicken simmers.
- Reheat leftovers gently over low heat and stir often. Boiling will curdle the eggs.
- The rice keeps absorbing broth as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Nutrition per serving
310 calories
$2.56 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 46% of calories | 35 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 30% of calories | 23 g |
| Fat | 24% of calories | 8 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 1050 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
How do you keep avgolemono from curdling?
Temper the eggs by slowly whisking in hot broth before adding them to the pot, take the soup off the heat first, and never let it boil once the eggs are in.
Can I use orzo instead of rice?
Yes. Orzo is a popular version and cooks in about 8 to 10 minutes. It makes the soup no longer gluten-free.
Can I freeze Greek lemon chicken soup?
It's best fresh, because the egg-thickened broth can separate when frozen and thawed. If you plan to freeze it, freeze the soup before adding the egg and lemon, and finish it when you reheat.
