Avgolemono Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is the perfect easy chicken dinner recipe! This soup makes a light lunch or dinner and is also great for when you’re feeling under the weather.
This Avgolemono Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is warm and comforting but bright and spring-y all at the same time. The soup is creamy but doesn’t have any dairy in it.
Avgolemono is made with just 5 simple ingredients, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make. It’s a quick lunch or dinner recipe that’s so easy and so tasty! Just make sure that you whisk, whisk, whisk so that you don’t end up with scrambled egg soup!
How to make avgolemono
Step 1: In a large pot, bring chicken stock to a boil.
Step 2: Add orzo, and cook until al dente.
Step 3: While the orzo is cooking, whisk together lemon juice and eggs.
Step 4: When orzo is al dente, ladle out 1 cup of the chicken broth.
Step 5: Slowly add about 1 tablespoon of broth at a time to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Step 6: Once the broth has been whisked into the egg mixture, slowly stream the egg mixture back into the pot of broth, whisking constantly.
Step 7: Add the shredded chicken broth, and simmer until soup has thickened, whisking constantly, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 8: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Storage
Store any leftover avgolemono in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The soup will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
Tip >> The soup will continue to thicken as it sits. You may need to add additional chicken broth when reheating the soup.
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Avgolemono Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup orzo
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup cooked and shredded chicken breast
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring chicken stock to a boil.
- Add orzo, and cook until al dente.
- While the orzo is cooking, whisk together lemon juice and eggs.
- When orzo is al dente, ladle out 1 cup of the chicken broth.
- Slowly add about 1 tablespoon of broth at a time to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Once the broth has been whisked into the egg mixture, slowly stream the egg mixture back into the pot of broth, whisking constantly.
- Add the shredded chicken broth, and simmer until soup has thickened, whisking constantly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Chicken stock: I like to use reduced-sodium stock to better control the salt level. Chicken broth will also work.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Lightly adapted from Food.com.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Erika says
Fantastic
Kate says
Thank you!
Rae says
I’ve made this recipe repeatedly. I use slightly less lemon than is called for, but otherwise it’s amazing.
Kate says
Glad you like it! =)
Lynette Rivera says
THIS RECIPE IS AMAZING! I want to eat the entire batch myself and not share ONE drop. It’s perfect. Refreshing, light, but still filling. Keeping this one in my rotation! Thanks for the recipe.
Kate says
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad that you liked it. =) Thank you for taking the time to comment!
GreekGirl says
Excellent traditional recipe! (Carrots, celery and onions in the finished soup are such a NO!) This is one of my go to recipes. I always use rice rather than orzo, but similar final effect.
A few bay leaves in the simmering stock and rice, and a hint of garlic (one clove, lightly smashed and fished out at the end, or a small shake of garlic powder) works nicely, but isn’t crucial.
I also do a small dollop of olive oil at the end, well stirred while it is hot; it seems to incorporate into the tempered eggs and emulsify. Not a bunch, a tablespoon or less for the whole pot.
Oddly, I have found boxed (full sodium) chicken broth is so darn close to as good as the most amazing homemade broth, you might as well go with the boxed stuff and use the scratch-broth for other things. It may be that the eggs and lemon just win in terms of flavor, I don’t know. (Other soups benefit from scratch-broth, but not this one.)
Anyway. Delicious and quick, what isn’t to love? In a pinch, I’ve made it with just boxed stock, rice, lemon and egg and even that is delicious.
I do prefer just egg yolks and I separate the eggs, but that’s a personal preference. Tempering them at the end, and just gently heating the soup after you’ve finished incorporating the eggs is key. Sometimes it doesn’t need to go back on the heat at all.
Kate says
Thank you so much! And thank you for all of your notes; that’s very helpful! =)
Becky says
I left out the lemon, substituted shell macaroni for the orzo, and added a little condensed milk at the end, and my family loved it. It tasted just like my mom’s chicken and dumplings! The eggs separated a tiny bit, but no one seemed to mind. I’ll definitely go with this recipe again. Thanks!
Kate says
I’ve never thought to change it up, but that’s such a great idea! I’m glad that it came out well for you and that your family liked it. =)
Jessi says
Making this tomorrow with cauliflower rice instead of orzo. Might reduce the broth a bit since it won’t be absorbed the way it would with the pasta. Will let you know how it goes!!
Kate says
Yes, I’ll be interested to hear how that works. Good luck! =)
Jessica says
I definitely think that bringing the egg mix to temp is key! I did it slowly, and it turned out perfect!!! This soup will definitely be a staple!!
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad it came out well for you! =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Vicky says
Okay, I followed the recipe to the letter tempering the eggs. There has to be a better way to get the best possible result without scrambled eggs. When I make a cream pie, I add the yolks to the cold liquid and go from there with nary a piece of scrambled egg. What do you think about this method for the soup? The only problem I see is the long cooking time for the orzo, but maybe not a problem at all. I’m making this for one of my grandsons, and I hope he won’t beturned off by the egg. I tastes very good. Thanks. Please let me know what you think about the method I mentioned. Thanks.
Vicky
Kate says
It sounds like it might be worth a try! I don’t find this soup to be egg-y, and I hope you grandson doesn’t either! Good luck! =)
Vicky says
Thanks, Kate. He and his family enjoyed it, but he thought it could have more lemon. He’s 11. I used a bit less but my D-I-L thought it was just fine. By eggy, I was referring to the bits of cooked egg in the soup. I’ll try again by adding the eggs to the cold liquid, and when I do, I’ll let you know the results. :}
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
The weather is so cold here in Australia right now, so soups definitely are on the agenda. Thanks for this delicious and hearty recipe.. nothing beats a good chicken soup!
Kate says
So true! =)
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat says
This soup looks so nice and comforting! Plus I love how few ingredients it has!
Julia @ Swirls and Spice says
Wow this looks so creamy, but I see that it’s from the eggs! I’m eager to try this lemony spring soup!
Kate says
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!! =)