Classic Greek Avgolemono Soup

I can’t think of a more appropriate recipe to share with you as the first one of the year than this classic Greek avgolemono soup! This heartwarming soup of chicken broth, rice, and lemon is pure comfort in a bowl and is one of the most beloved soups among kids and adults alike in Greece.

This is probably the first recipe that my mom made sure I knew how to make when I left my hometown in Northern Greece to go to Athens for university. The reason is simple: This soup is considered to be the cure for everything! If you have a cold or just feel under the weather, this soup is sure to cure it. If you feel weak and in need of an energy boost, a bowl of this soup will take care of it. If you feel homesick, the comfort of a warm bowl of avgolemono soup will definitely help!

The Ingredients

To make this soup you will need:

1. Chicken (for extra protein), or just good chicken broth
2. Rice — a popular variation is substituting orzo (κριθαράκι) for rice
3. Lemon
4. Eggs

What is great about this relatively easy soup is that you can make it as simple as your time permits: If you have some time, simmer a piece of chicken to make a delicious and flavorful broth. If you are short on time, use some of your homemade chicken stock instead, or just purchase some very good quality store-bought stock.

Helpful Tips for the Classic Greek Avgolemono Soup

What really transforms this simple chicken soup is the traditional egg and lemon mixture called avgolemono, that is carefully stirred into the cooking liquid just before serving.  Within minutes, the whole dish is transformed into a frothy, delicious, and very satisfying soup.

1. The best rice to use for this soup is a short grain rice, or a medium grain rice like Arborio. The extra starch in this rice will ensure a rich and creamy consistency.
2. Use only fresh lemon juice (bottled juice is diluted).  Adjust the acidity based on your taste.
3. Use the freshest eggs you can find.
4. Prevent the eggs from curdling by slowly tempering the eggs; Do not add them directly to the hot broth!
5. The addition of chicken to the soup is optional. Once you cook the chicken to make the broth, you can remove it and save the cooked chicken for another dish.
6. Avgolemono soup is best to enjoy as soon as it is ready. If you need to reheat it, do it very gently and make sure it does not come to a boil.

I can not think of a more comforting soup to have on a cold winter day!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Classic Greek Avgolemono Soup

 

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Cook time

50 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

A heartwarming chicken and rice soup that everybody will like.

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Traditional Greek Cuisine

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 1 lb. skinless chicken thighs, or breasts (see note)
• ½ cup of rice or orzo
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 lrg. egg, at room temperature
• 2 lrg. egg yolks at room temperature
• 3-4 TBSP. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Add the water and the chicken to a pot and bring to a boil. Cook under medium heat for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and falls off the bones. While the chicken cooks, skim off the foam as it forms, and discard.
2. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and allow it to cool slightly. Cut it up in small, bite-size pieces, cover and set it aside.
3. Meanwhile, bring the pot with the chicken broth to a boil again, stir in the rice (or orzo), add the salt and the pepper and simmer until the rice is cooked (or until the orzo is tender). Remove the pot from the heat. Pour about 1½ cups of the broth into a liquid measure from and set aside. It is ok if there is some rice or orzo in it.
4. In a medium bowl, with a handheld mixer, whisk together the egg and egg yolks until frothy; then, add the lemon juice and whisk again until the egg and lemon mixture is well combined.
5. Temper the egg mixture by gradually adding some of the reserved hot broth to the egg and lemon mixture, while you keep whisking with your other hand. Do this slowly so the eggs do not curdle. Then, stir in the whole mixture back to the pot, always off the heat.
6. Add the chicken to the pot. Bring the soup to a very low simmer, whisking occasionally. Make sure you do not allow the soup to boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
7. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

-- If you want to make this soup without the chicken, use only 6 cups of homemade stock or good quality store-bought chicken stock.


-- In general, the amount of liquid you need for a soup depends on how big is the pot you are using. Larger pots tend to have bigger evaporation and require more liquid than medium size ones. With that in mind, adjust the liquid as needed by adding some hot water.


-- If you use boneless chicken, then ¾ of a pound will be enough. Bone-in thighs are more flavorful and more tender than breasts. They also cook faster. If you use large chicken breasts, cut them in half so they cook faster.

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