Hello and welcome to Kelly’s Kitchen! This week’s frigid temperatures around the country mean one thing to me: Chicken Soup, stat! I have been pining for Avgolemono Soup for a while now, and this week, the time was right! Avgolemono Soup is a Greek Lemon and Chicken Soup with rice, carrots, celery, and onion. It’s creamy thanks to a silky beaten egg, lemon juice, and broth mixture (the avgolemono sauce), which makes this dairy-free recipe so very comforting.
Avgolemono Soup Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Chicken Thighs, pan-seared then shredded or chopped
- 1 cup Carrots, chopped
- 1 cup Celery, chopped
- 1 cup Green Onions, sliced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
- 8 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 cup Rice
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- ½ cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 2 Large Eggs
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
How to Prepare Avgolemono Soup
Step 1
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot and add seasoned chicken thighs. Brown well on both sides, about 6-7 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken thighs to a separate plate.
Step 2
Adjust the heat to medium and if needed, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, celery, and onions. Sauté for a couple minutes and add the garlic. Cook for another minute.
Step 3
Add the broth and bay leaves to the pot, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the rice and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Shred the cooked chicken thighs while the soup is simmering.
Step 4
When the rice is tender, add the shredded chicken to the soup and let simmer while you prepare the avgolemono sauce.
Step 5 Avgolemono Sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk the two eggs very well and add the lemon juice, whisk to combine.
Step 6
Scoop 1 ladle full of broth from the simmering soup and while whisking with one hand, slowly stream the hot broth into the eggs and lemon juice mixture, continuously whisking. Repeat with one more ladle full of hot broth.
Step 7
Remove the simmering soup from the heat and stir in the avgolemono sauce. Stir well to fully incorporate the avgolemono sauce.
Finishing Touches
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and more green onions, if you like.
This soup is lemony and bright. With silky richness, it’s flavorful and hearty without being heavy. If you saved your crispy chicken skin, slice it up thin and sprinkle it on top of individual bowls. Thank you all so much for spending some of your Sunday with me! Give this soup a try and let me know what you think, it really hits the spot on these cold days. But I also think because of its fresh lemon flavor, this soup would be a hit any time of year. For another Mediterranean dish, try my Mediterranean-Style Meatballs Take care and be well, everyone! xo Kelly
Key Equipment
Avgolemono Soup (Greek Chicken and Lemon Soup)
Ingredients:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Chicken Thighs pan-seared then shredded or chopped
- 1 cup Carrots chopped
- 1 cup Celery chopped
- 1 cup Green Onions sliced
- 2 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
- 8 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 cup Rice
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste
- ½ cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 2 Large Eggs
- Fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions:
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot and add seasoned chicken thighs. Brown well on both sides, about 6-7 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken thighs to a separate plate.
- Adjust the heat to medium and if needed, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, celery, and onions. Sauté for a couple minutes and add the garlic. Cook for another minute.
- Add the broth and bay leaves to the pot, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the rice and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Shred the cooked chicken thighs while the soup is simmering.
- When the rice is tender, add the shredded chicken to the soup and let simmer while you prepare the avgolemono sauce.
Avgolemono Sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk the two eggs very well and add the lemon juice, whisk to combine.
- Scoop 1 ladle full of broth from the simmering soup and while whisking with one hand, slowly stream the hot broth into the eggs and lemon juice mixture, continuously whisking. Repeat with one more ladle full of hot broth.
- Remove the simmering soup from the heat and stir in the avgolemono sauce. Stir well to fully incorporate the avgolemono sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and more green onions, if you like.
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