Description
Avgolemono is a traditional Greek lemon chicken soup known for its rich, creamy texture achieved without cream, using a unique combination of eggs and lemon juice. This comforting soup features tender shredded chicken, aromatic vegetables, and rice simmered in flavorful chicken broth, finished with a bright and tangy avgolemono sauce that is tempered to create a silky consistency. Perfect for a cozy meal, it is garnished with fresh parsley and best served hot with your favorite bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (Private Reserve Greek olive oil preferred)
- 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped green onions
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup rice (rinsed and optionally soaked for 15 minutes)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cooked boneless chicken breast pieces, shredded (about 6 to 8 oz, store-bought rotisserie chicken works well)
Avgolemono Sauce
- 1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped carrots, celery, and green onions. Toss together and sauté briefly until they start to soften. Then, stir in the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 more minute to release its aroma.
- Add Broth and Rice: Pour in the 8 cups of low-sodium chicken broth and add the 2 bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring the broth to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add the rinsed rice along with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer the Soup: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the shredded cooked chicken pieces.
- Prepare Avgolemono Sauce (Egg-Lemon Mixture): In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice until fully blended. While continuously whisking with one hand, slowly add 2 ladlefuls of hot chicken broth from the soup to the egg-lemon mixture to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. This step is crucial to achieve a smooth sauce.
- Combine Sauce and Soup: Gradually stir the tempered egg-lemon sauce back into the hot soup pot. Once fully combined, immediately remove the pot from the heat to avoid cooking the eggs further and causing the soup to separate. Stir gently to incorporate the sauce evenly.
- Garnish and Serve: Optionally, garnish the soup with freshly chopped parsley. Serve the avgolemono hot with your favorite bread. Enjoy this classic Greek comfort soup!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip for Rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly and soak it for about 15 minutes or until you can break a grain easily. This helps the rice cook evenly and quickly.
- Substitute for Rice: Orzo can be used instead of rice. Use 1 cup of orzo and reduce cooking time to about 7 minutes as orzo cooks faster.
- Tempering Sauce: Tempering the egg-lemon sauce is critical to avoid scrambling the eggs. Whisk eggs and lemon juice together, then slowly add hot broth while whisking before adding to the soup.
- Final Step: Add the avgolemono sauce at the very end and immediately remove from heat to prevent the soup from separating or thickening too much.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
