This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Made with shredded chicken, orzo, and fresh lemon juice, this Avgolemono Soup, aka Greek lemon chicken soup, is both bright and cozy. An egg-lemon emulsion adds a silky, almost creamy texture without the need for cream or thickener. The best part? It’s ready in under 40 minutes!
Avgolemono soup is the Greek version of cozy chicken noodle soup. It’s bright and lemony, and while some people make it with rice, I opted to use orzo. It reminds me a lot of lemon chicken orzo soup, but there’s one key difference – the egg-lemon emulsion in the broth.
Eggs and fresh lemon juice are whisked together and then slowly tempered into the hot broth. It gives it a silky, almost creamy texture while the lemon balances the richness of the stock and brightens the soup. It gives the soup a creamy feel and thicker texture that coats the orzo without the need for cream or thickener.
Why We Love This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Light but satisfying. With the shredded chicken and orzo, this soup is filling but not heavy. The lemon-egg mixture is what makes the broth so creamy, so there’s no cream or cheese or anything else typically found in soups.
- Bright herby lemon flavor. One of my favorite things about Greek cuisine is that they always incorporate fresh flavors and herbs. Lemon is the star of this soup, with a few herbs for garnish. It reminds me a lot of the lemon sauce in my Greek chicken meatballs!
- Easy to make. From start to finish, you’re looking at under 40 minutes to make this avgolemono soup, even less if you start with rotisserie chicken! That makes it easy enough for busy weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
This simple soup is made with just a handful of quality ingredients. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Chicken – I like to simmer chicken breasts in the stock at the beginning of the recipe, to give everything more flavor. But you can also skip that step and start with rotisserie chicken.
- Chicken stock – Homemade chicken stock is ideal here but any will work. Since this is a simple soup, the quality of the stock matters.
- Spices – Italian seasoning and salt.
- Orzo – Orzo is a tiny pasta that cooks quickly, making it ideal to cook in this soup. You can also use rice, though the cooking time will need to be adjusted.
- Eggs – Some people only use egg yolks in their avgolemono soup but I prefer to use the entire egg. This is what gives it the creamy texture.
- Lemon juice – FRESH lemon juice is absolutely required. Bottled lemon juice does not taste the same and will not make the soup as flavorful.
- Olive oil – Adds some richness right at the end.
- Fresh dill – Fresh herbs are key in Greek cuisine! I like to finish this soup with fresh dill, though parsley works as well.
How To Make Avgolemono Soup
This soup is so simple and easy to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the chicken. Simmer the chicken breasts in the stock for 15-20 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove and shred.
- Cook the orzo. Bring the stock to a simmer. Add the orzo and Italian seasoning. Cook for 8 minutes.
- Temper the eggs. Whisk the eggs until smooth and lightly airy. Gradually whisk in the lemon juice. Temper with 2 ladles of broth, whisking the entire time.
- Add the egg mixture. Turn the heat to low. Slowly stir in the egg mixture.
- Add the chicken. Add the shredded chicken to the pot. Heat gently until silky and lightly thickened.
- Enjoy. Whisk in the olive oil right before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.
Tips for the Best Soup
Though this avgolemono soup recipe is pretty simple, there are a few key things to keep in mind when preparing it.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Remove the chicken from the chicken stock as soon as it’s cooked through. Overcooked chicken shreds into dry, stringy pieces that sink to the bottom instead of mixing into the soup properly.
- Tempering is non-negotiable. Adding the egg-lemon mixture directly into boiling broth will scramble the eggs and ruin the texture. Ladle the hot broth into the eggs slowly, whisking constantly, before adding it back to the pot. Take your time with this step.
- Customize the amount of lemon. Start with ⅓ cup and taste before adding more. The brightness should complement the broth, not overpower it.
- Do not boil the egg mixture. When adding the egg-lemon mixture to the pan, make sure that the heat is turned to low and is no longer simmering or boiling. Keep the heat low even after the chicken is added to prevent scrambled eggs.
Serving Suggestions
A bowl of Greek lemon chicken soup garnished with fresh herbs is easily a full meal itself. Some crusty bread or pita bread on the side is great, or you can start the meal with a Greek salad.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover avgolemono soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that it will thicken as the orzo absorbs more liquid.
- Reheat: Warm it slowly over low heat, stirring gently. Add a splash of chicken stock to bring it back to the right consistency, if needed. Avoid bringing it to a boil, which can break the egg emulsion and make the soup grainy.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this soup as the egg-lemon emulsion separates when thawed and the silky texture is gone. You could freeze it before adding the egg-lemon mixture and then add it when you reheat it, but I think it’s easier to just make it from scratch at that point.
Add as Google Trusted SourceAvgolemono Soup
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, or ~2–3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 6 cups chicken stock, good-quality
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup orzo
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Fresh dill or parsley
Instructions
- Gently simmer chicken breasts in the stock for about 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked through.
- Remove from stock and shred. Don’t overcook, as dry chicken ruins the texture.
- Bring stock to a gentle simmer and add orzo and Italian seasoning. Cook for 8 minutes.
- Whisk eggs in a bowl until smooth and slightly airy. Add lemon juice gradually. Temper with 2 ladles of hot broth, whisking constantly.
- Then lower the heat to low (no boiling) and slowly stir the egg-lemon mixture into the pot.
- Add shredded chicken back to the pot and heat gently until the soup becomes silky and lightly thickened.
- Right before serving, whisk in 1 to 2 tbsp of good extra-virgin olive oil.
- Garnish with fresh dill, parsley and lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Leave a comment & rating below, or tag @kitchenfunwithmy3sons on social media!
