Description
Avgolemono is a traditional Greek egg and lemon soup featuring tender chicken, orzo pasta, and a bright, creamy broth made from eggs and fresh lemon juice. This comforting soup is simmered to perfection, combining rich homemade chicken stock with a velvety, tangy egg-lemon mixture, garnished with fresh herbs and lemon slices for an authentic Mediterranean flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Stock
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 8 cups cold water
- 1 large unpeeled yellow onion, quartered
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Soup Base
- 1/2 cup dried orzo
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
For Serving
- 1/2 medium lemon, thinly sliced
- Fresh dill or oregano, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the chicken and make the stock: Place the chicken thighs, cold water, quartered onion, black peppercorns, and kosher salt in a large Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is fully cooked. Skim off any foam that appears on the surface to keep the stock clear.
- Strain the stock: Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large, heatproof bowl, discarding the solids. If the stock has excess fat, skim it off with a spoon or use a fat separator. Reserve 2 cups of the strained stock for the egg mixture and return the rest of the broth to the Dutch oven on low heat to keep warm.
- Shred the chicken: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones.
- Cook the orzo: Bring the reserved stock in the Dutch oven back to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the dried orzo and cook until al dente, about 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and reduce the heat to low to keep warm.
- Prepare the egg-lemon mixture (avgolemono): In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs vigorously until light and frothy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the freshly squeezed lemon juice while whisking continuously. Gradually temper the egg-lemon mixture by whisking in the reserved 2 cups of warm stock little by little, preventing the eggs from curdling.
- Finish the soup: Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot with the chicken and orzo, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the soup thickens slightly. Be careful not to bring the soup to a boil to avoid curdling the eggs.
- Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls. Garnish with thin lemon slices, freshly chopped dill or oregano, and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy the comforting flavors of this classic Greek dish.
Notes
- Tempering the eggs with warm broth is essential to prevent curdling and to achieve the soup’s signature creamy texture.
- For a richer flavor, you can use homemade chicken broth instead of water when making the stock.
- If you prefer, substitute orzo with rice or small pasta shapes; adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Fresh herbs like dill or oregano add a fragrant touch—feel free to experiment with your favorites.
- Do not boil the soup after adding the egg-lemon mixture to maintain a smooth and silky consistency.
