Description
This authentic Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono) features tender chicken, fluffy rice, and a silky egg-lemon finish that’s both comforting and bright. The creamy texture comes from properly tempered eggs—no cream needed. Perfect for cold days, sick days, or any time you crave Mediterranean comfort food. This one-pot recipe is naturally gluten-free, protein-rich, and ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or breasts
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium yellow onions, quartered
3 large carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
3 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
6 fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup long-grain white rice
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3–4 lemons)
Zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (plus more for garnish)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil (for searing, optional)
Instructions
1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden, then flip and sear 3 minutes more. Remove and set aside. (Optional but adds flavor.)
3. Add chicken broth, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon salt to pot. Return chicken to pot.
4. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to gentle simmer. Skim any foam from surface.
5. Simmer uncovered 25-30 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
6. Remove chicken to cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred or dice meat, discarding bones and skin.
7. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, pressing vegetables to extract liquid. Discard solids. Wipe pot clean and return broth to pot.
8. Bring strained broth to simmer. Add rice and cook 15-18 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
9. While rice cooks, whisk eggs vigorously in large bowl for 1 minute until frothy. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and cold water. Whisk until combined.
10. When rice is tender, remove pot from heat completely.
11. Ladle 1 cup hot broth into egg mixture while whisking constantly. Add second cup, whisking continuously. Add third cup, still whisking. This tempers the eggs.
12. Slowly pour tempered egg mixture back into soup pot in steady stream while stirring soup constantly.
13. Return pot to very low heat. Stir constantly 2-3 minutes until soup thickens slightly and coats back of spoon. Do not boil.
14. Add shredded chicken, fresh dill, parsley, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine.
15. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice if needed. Let rest 5 minutes off heat.
16. Serve hot, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and garnished with fresh dill.
Notes
Bring eggs to room temperature by placing in warm water for 10 minutes before using—prevents curdling.
The key to smooth, creamy texture is gradual tempering. Never rush this step or add eggs to boiling liquid.
Always remove pot from heat before adding tempered egg mixture, then return to very low heat.
Soup thickens as it sits. Add hot broth when reheating to reach desired consistency.
For freezing, freeze broth and chicken before adding eggs. Thaw, reheat, then add fresh egg-lemon mixture.
Never boil soup after adding eggs or they will curdle into scrambled-egg texture.
Start with less lemon juice (1/3 cup), taste, then add more gradually to your preference.
Use low-sodium broth so you can control salt level—different brands vary widely.
Rice continues absorbing liquid over time. Leftovers will be thicker; thin with broth when reheating.
For quicker version, use rotisserie chicken and skip steps 1-6. Simmer carcass in broth for 20 minutes for flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup, Main Course
- Method: Simmering, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
Keywords: Greek lemon chicken soup, avgolemono, egg lemon soup, chicken rice soup, Greek soup, Mediterranean soup, comfort food