Avgolemono Chicken Lemon Soup

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Avgolemono is the soul of Greek home cooking – a silken, citrus-bright chicken soup thickened with a tempered egg-lemon mixture. This version pairs a deeply simmered chicken broth with orzo and fresh dill for a comforting bowl that's light yet satisfying. It's the ultimate restorative meal, served at every Greek taverna and family table.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 18 gFat
• 5 gSaturated Fat
• 19 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 2 gSugar
• 38 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 520 mgPotassium
• 80 mgCalcium
• 2.5 mgIron
• 22 mgVitamin C
• 280 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chicken broth

• 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lb), cut into 8 pieces
• 10 cups cold water
• 1 large yellow onion, quartered (skin on)
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

For the soup base

• 3/4 cup orzo or arborio rice
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine chicken pieces, water, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until the chicken pulls easily from the bone.
2. Remove chicken pieces with tongs and set aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the solids. You should have about 8 cups of rich golden broth; skim off excess fat if desired.
3. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
4. Bring the strained broth back to a gentle simmer and stir in the orzo. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just tender.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together until completely smooth and slightly frothy. Slowly ladle 2 cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
6. Reduce the soup heat to low. Pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot in a slow, steady stream, stirring gently with a wooden spoon in one direction. Warm for 2-3 minutes until the soup is slightly thickened and silky – never let it boil.
7. Stir in the shredded chicken, lemon zest, and chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let the soup warm through for 1 more minute.
8. Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with extra fresh dill and a lemon wedge, and serve immediately while hot.

Cook’s Notes

• Always temper the eggs slowly with hot broth – adding them directly to the pot will scramble them and ruin the silky texture.
• Never let the soup boil after the egg-lemon mixture is added; keep it just below a simmer to preserve the velvety consistency.
• Use only freshly squeezed lemon juice – bottled juice lacks the bright, floral aroma essential to authentic avgolemono.
• Arborio rice gives a slightly creamier result than orzo and won't turn mushy if the soup sits for a few minutes.
• For a deeper golden color and richer flavor, leave the onion skin on when making the broth – it tints the soup beautifully.

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