Avgolemono Soup
This Greek lemon chicken soup is silky, bright, and comforting without using cream. Eggs and lemon are gently tempered into hot broth to make the classic avgolemono finish.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 15mCook 35mGreekSoup Recipes
Avgolemono soup is a Greek chicken soup finished with a mixture of eggs and lemon juice. The eggs thicken the broth and give it a creamy texture, while the lemon keeps every spoonful fresh and lively.
The only slightly careful part is tempering the eggs. That means slowly whisking hot broth into the egg mixture before adding it to the pot, so the eggs warm up gently instead of scrambling.
This version uses rice, shredded chicken, carrots, celery, and dill. It is cozy enough for a cold night but bright enough to eat year-round.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
14 items · 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 110 g
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced, about 122 g
- 2 celery stalks, diced, about 80 g
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, about 92 g, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast, about 280 g
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Soften the vegetables
Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion looks soft and clear around the edges.
2. Add the garlic
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Garlic burns quickly, so keep it moving and stop when it smells fragrant.
3. Simmer the rice
Pour in the chicken broth. Add the rinsed rice, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for 16 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
4. Stir in the chicken
Add the shredded chicken and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, just until heated through. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Turn the heat to low.
5. Whisk the eggs and lemon
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the fresh lemon juice. Set the bowl on a towel so it stays steady while you temper the mixture.
6. Temper the egg mixture
Slowly ladle about 1 cup of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture, whisking the whole time. Add another 1 cup of hot broth in the same slow way. This gentle warming helps prevent curdled eggs.
7. Finish the soup gently
Slowly pour the warmed egg mixture back into the pot while stirring. Keep the heat low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the soup looks slightly thicker and silky. Do not let it boil.
8. Add herbs and adjust
Stir in the chopped dill. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve warm with extra dill on top.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead tip: Cook the soup through the chicken step, then cool and refrigerate it. When ready to serve, reheat gently and add the egg-lemon mixture fresh. This gives the smoothest texture.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat, stirring often, and do not boil or the eggs may turn grainy.
- Freezing: Avgolemono can separate after freezing because of the eggs and rice. If you want to freeze it, freeze the broth, vegetables, chicken, and rice before adding the eggs and lemon. Add the avgolemono mixture after thawing and reheating.
- Rice swap: Orzo is a common substitute, but it contains wheat and is not gluten-free. Use 1/2 cup orzo and simmer until tender, usually 8 to 10 minutes.
- Chicken swap: Rotisserie chicken works well. If it is salty, start with less added salt and adjust at the end.
- For a thicker soup: Use 3/4 cup rice instead of 1/2 cup, or simmer the finished soup a few extra minutes over very low heat. Avoid boiling after the eggs go in.
Cook's note
Nutrition is estimated per serving using standard USDA values and assumes low-sodium chicken broth with about 140 mg sodium per cup, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, cooked skinless chicken breast, and the full amount of rice and eggs listed.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Why did my avgolemono soup curdle?
The soup likely got too hot after the eggs were added. Temper the eggs slowly with hot broth, then keep the pot on low heat. Once the egg-lemon mixture is in the soup, do not let it boil.
Can I make avgolemono soup without chicken?
Yes. Use vegetable broth and add chickpeas or white beans for protein. The flavor will be different, but the egg-lemon thickening method still works.
Can I use cooked rice instead of uncooked rice?
Yes. Add about 1 1/2 cups cooked rice after the vegetables and broth have simmered for 10 minutes. Warm it through with the chicken before tempering the eggs.
How lemony should avgolemono be?
It should taste bright but balanced. Start with the 1/3 cup lemon juice listed, then add more by the teaspoon at the end if you like a sharper flavor.
Is avgolemono soup gluten-free?
This rice version can be gluten-free if your chicken broth is certified gluten-free. Always check the broth label, since some brands may contain gluten-based flavorings.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat7 g
- 9%
- Saturated Fat2 g
- 10%
- Cholesterol133 mg
- 44%
- Sodium477 mg
- 21%
- Total Carbohydrate19 g
- 7%
- Dietary Fiber1 g
- 4%
- Total Sugars2 g
- Protein21 g
- 42%
- Vitamin D0.6 mcg
- 3%
- Calcium59 mg
- 5%
- Iron1.8 mg
- 10%
- Potassium388 mg
- 8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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