I can’t believe that we just had snow a few days ago when we are well into April! Well, that means that it’s time for some soup and a bright, longing for spring, soup, an avgolemono soup! Avgolemono soup is a Greek style lemon chicken soup with rice that is thickened with eggs. The recipe could not be easier where you pretty much just cook the rice in a bunch of chicken broth before adding the chicken and lemon along with the egg thickener. The egg is added after tempering it first by slowly whisking some hot broth into the eggs and then whisking the mixture back into the soup. The eggs are added this way so that they do not ‘cook’, turn white and stringy, like an egg drop soup, when added to the broth. Given how simple this soup is, I like to use quality ingredients including a tasty homemade chicken broth or chicken stock but store bought also works. Here’s hoping for some warmer spring weather and until it arrives I will be enjoying some of this avgolemono Greek style lemon chicken soup!
Add some feta!
Avgolemono Soup (aka Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)
A light and bright Greek style lemon chicken soup with rice that is thickened with eggs.
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 6 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 2 lemons, juice and zest
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste (optional)
- salt to taste
directions
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and rice, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked, al-dente, about 15-20 minutes.
- Slowly pour 1 cup of the hot broth into the eggs while whisking and then slowly whisk the egg mixture into the soup.
- Add the chicken, lemon juice and zest and cook to warm, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, mix 1/4 cup of the hot broth with the miso paste and then mix the mixture back into the soup before seasoning with salt.
Option: Add garlic.
Option: Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill!
Note: The miso paste is not traditional but an amazing addition!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Avgolemono Sauce
Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup
Tom Yum Gai (Thai Hot and Sour Chicken Soup)
Spicy Roasted Corn and Jalapeno Avocado Soup
Colombian Chicken and Corn Soup (Ajiaco)
Chicken Fajita Soup
Creamy White Chicken Chili
Pozole Verde de Pollo (Green Mexican Hominy and Chicken Soup)
Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)
Egg Drop Soup
Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Neen says
March 6, 2008 at 12:36 amSo, do you think that the soup was better with the cooked chicken, veggies and orzo? It sounds great the way you made it, but kind of overwhelmingly sauce-y with fewer ingredients. What’s your thought?
Kevin says
March 6, 2008 at 12:50 amI really liked the avgolemono soup with all of the extra ingredients but I think that the version with fewer ingredients would also be tasty. Perhaps they each have their place. The lighter version as more of a side dish that is part of a larger meal. The heavier version might make for more of a lunch or a light meal.
Psychgrad says
March 6, 2008 at 12:55 amThis looks awesome. I just need to pick up some orzo.
I made your pasta with pancetta recipe – from the Presto Pasta Nights from a couple of weeks ago. it was really good!
RecipeGirl says
March 6, 2008 at 1:10 amI definitely love this kind of soup!!
Kalyn says
March 6, 2008 at 1:14 amThis is something I will nearly always order in a Greek restaurant; I just love it. I made my own too a few years ago, and it turned out to be much easier to make than I’d imagined. One of my Greek friends tells me that the soup should only have stock, rice, and the egg-lemon mixture, but I put chicken in mine too.
Gigi says
March 6, 2008 at 2:40 amI’ve never heard of this soup. It sounds yummy and something I would like to try very soon.
Peter M says
March 6, 2008 at 2:44 amBravo Kevinm the Avgolemeno looks superb.
You’re the honourary Greek of the week!
Mochachocolata Rita says
March 6, 2008 at 3:26 amoh gosh….very hearty, perfect for cold winter nights 🙂
although it’s getting warmer here in hong kong 🙂
Anonymous says
March 6, 2008 at 4:46 amI never tried to make Avgolemono soup but i must say, after looking at the picture i might give it a shot. Looks delicious! Nice job!
Anonymous says
March 6, 2008 at 5:02 amLooks good, Kev 🙂
AnticiPlate says
March 6, 2008 at 5:33 amThis looks delicious! I don’t think I have ever tried this soup at a greek restaurant. It seems easy enough! I will try it soon.
Emiline says
March 6, 2008 at 6:47 amI think it looks beautiful, and adding the extra ingredients sounds like a good idea to me. More filling. And dill! Brilliant!
Sylvia says
March 6, 2008 at 9:44 amI am not a big fan of soup, I just like a few,mostly creamy soup. But I must admit that soup looks divine and I like the ingredients specially dill that I think that combine very well with chicken
Bellini Valli says
March 6, 2008 at 11:48 amThis is Greek week for you with the chicken, the lemon potatoes and now avgolemono soup:D All have wonderful flavours. I love this simple and delcious soup with or without veggies:D
Elly says
March 6, 2008 at 1:19 pmNice additions to the classic soup, Kevin. Looks great! With the dill and the orzo are you sure you aren’t Greek? 🙂
giz says
March 6, 2008 at 1:50 pmAvgolemono is a soup I’ve wanted to try for ages and for some reason seemed so daunting. Yours looks beautiful and the picture is worthy of a frame.
C says
March 6, 2008 at 1:59 pmThis soup is probably my biggest kitchen disaster to date. I don’t know if my eggs curdled or if it was just the soup itself, but it tasted like the bottom of a cat’s foot. Or what I perceive to be the bottom of a cat’s foot. Yours looks delicious.
Megan says
March 6, 2008 at 1:59 pmI ve never even of Avgolemono soup but it looks like I’ve been missing out. And so easy with pantry products. Another recipe bookmarked!
Sarah C. says
March 6, 2008 at 4:23 pmIt has been so cold here lately and this soup goes perfectly with the weather. I will definitely be trying this soon. Great photo too!
Cakespy says
March 6, 2008 at 5:10 pmDo you remember that commercial with Sally Struthers where the orphan says “I never met you but I love you”? Well…that is how I feel about this soup. Excellent!
Helene says
March 6, 2008 at 5:44 pmI think I would like your recipe. I never make avgolemono soup before but I should give it a try.
Elle says
March 6, 2008 at 5:56 pmI always get avgolemono soup when we eat at a Greek restaurant in the area. They also put chicken in it. I like your idea of adding the vegetables, too–it looks like a bowl of wonderful comfort food.
Gloria says
March 6, 2008 at 6:05 pmKevin, Really I love this soup, but al you make is nice an looks delicious, I want make your french bread!!! When I se them Im hungry!!!xx Gloria
Deborah says
March 6, 2008 at 6:06 pmI have actually never even heard of this kind of soup. And I thought I had tried every kind of soup there was!!
Rosie says
March 6, 2008 at 6:37 pmPure comfort food in a bowl looks and sounds amazing!
Mike of Mike's Table says
March 6, 2008 at 7:03 pmI’ve also never had this before, but it looks like something I definitely need to try. Very nice work
maybahay says
March 6, 2008 at 10:34 pmanother winner kevin. this sounds mighty tasty.
Lisa says
March 6, 2008 at 11:26 pmKevin;
You should submit a spicy vegetarian soup to this month’s edition of No Croutons Required. You know, you almost won last month’s challenge!
~Madeline~ says
March 7, 2008 at 12:56 amThis soup looks fantastic! I can’t wait to make it.
Jaime says
March 10, 2008 at 5:11 aminteresting, i’ve never heard of this type of soup before…it sounds delicious though
Lexi says
July 23, 2008 at 11:37 pmI’ve been trying for several years now to mirror a favorite Greek restaurant’s Avegolemono Soup. Yours looks pretty close to what I’m looking for–more a hearty chicken soup MEAL, rather than an appetizer. I think my continued failures have been the fact that I let the soup simmer once the lemons have been added. Also, in years past I have been hesitant to add the eggs. I finally have faith in my cooking abilities not to botch it up.
birthright midwife says
February 21, 2009 at 12:53 amI have made avgolemono before, the simple way and it was great, but I didn’t get the ratios quite right. I think yours is absolutely delicious. Thank you.
This is my first visit to your blog, so I will be back to try more of your meals.
JadedOne says
June 13, 2009 at 11:11 pmI tried this out on Thursday. The flavors were really good 🙂 Thanks for posting it!
Shannon says
January 12, 2010 at 12:50 amThis was absolutely amazing! After some disappointing recipes at some restaurants, this was fantastic. Great quick, easy, delicious meal for the grad student on the go, I definitely think I'll be eating this all week. I added a little more chicken and orzo for heartiness. Thanks for posting!
Rookie Bebe says
January 14, 2010 at 5:44 amCould this be frozen since there's no cream or milk in it?
Kevin says
January 14, 2010 at 11:44 pmRookie Bebe: I have always finished this too quickly to freeze but I would imagine that it would freeze well.
adrian says
September 13, 2010 at 6:20 pmMy favorite soup to get from my grandmother when i was a little sick girl. Yours looks, and I bet tastes, beautiful.
yiayia says
January 17, 2014 at 1:04 pmYou could also make the avgolemeno in a blender. Mix the eggs first and beat then add the lemon then add as much of the hot chicken broth.that will fit into the blender. Add the avgolemeno sauce to the rest of the soup and stir so it does not curdle. As far as freezing it does not freeze well.
kevin says
January 17, 2014 at 1:17 pmyiayia: I will have to try it in the blender next time! Thanks!
Heather Christo says
April 13, 2016 at 3:07 pmThis is my Greek husbands favorite soup- I will have to make it for him!
Cookbook Queen says
April 13, 2016 at 6:21 pmI am so excited to try this — the pretty yellow color feels so Summery!! xo
Unknown says
April 13, 2016 at 9:18 pmThis should actually be more white than yellow.. Our family recipe (from Karpathos) didn't have onion or dill or anything. Any when you stir the lemon/egg mixture back in, do as the Greeks do, and stir in an X pattern to keep from curdling.
Sarah Bleier says
April 13, 2016 at 11:41 pmI can't wait to try this. A gyro place near my house used to make a great version of this. They've closed down, and I've wanted to find a version to make at home. Thanks!!
Sue Stevenson says
April 14, 2016 at 6:57 amKevin to the rescue, yet again! I found out the hard way that were onions in the soup after a reaction, while still at the restaurant. Onion allergy makes eating difficult. I found a packaged mix "Cugino's Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup," without onions, that I have been using. I can adapt your recipe with onion powder, and make my own. I am so excited!!! Thanks, Kev…hugs
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says
April 14, 2016 at 7:58 amMmmm, I'm totally digging this chicken soup Kevin!
sophia jhon says
April 14, 2016 at 9:22 amwow, i like chicken soup but its recipe is different i will make then i will share the taste.
Julie @ Table for Two says
April 14, 2016 at 10:57 amOhhh I've never had this before! It looks so good!
Maria says
April 14, 2016 at 2:57 pmI love adding lemon to soup!
Viola says
April 14, 2016 at 4:38 pmGreat looking soup
Anonymous says
April 17, 2016 at 2:18 amMy husband loves this stuff, from tbe late-night Greek restaurants in Chicago. This would be a fantastic dinner at home…a warm baguette & we would be set! Thanks!
Lynn says
April 18, 2016 at 2:03 amI made this today, it was very good.
James Starritt says
May 8, 2016 at 1:02 amCooked this tonight, It was lovely, although my lemons were pretty big and packed a hell of a punch. Wondering if there is a quantity of lemon juice you intend to go into this rather than the juice of two lemons — obviously that will vary …
I did add carrots, they need to go in before the eggs during the last few minutes while the rice is cooking.
Sarah says
August 24, 2016 at 8:38 pmDo you think this would work with lentils in place of rice?
kevin says
August 25, 2016 at 3:16 pmSarah: Replacing the rice with lentils would be different but it should be good! Enjoy!
M Eriksson says
January 15, 2017 at 12:42 amIt looks like the eggs weren't tempered because they look curdled and the broth shouldn't separate like that.
Anonymous says
January 23, 2017 at 11:30 pmI wish I had checked to see if I had lemons before starting this. Didn't realize my husband had just used them all 🙁 I ended up with just chicken and rice soup. I tried adding the dill as suggested and that just made it worse. I also had a problem with some of my eggs scrambling even though I tempered them. I will try again since this looks delicious, but I will make sure I have lemons next time.
Stella Melo says
April 25, 2017 at 7:25 pmI´ve just cooked this .This is a wonderful soup.Tasty and very nutritious.Thank you from Brasil.
WWCook says
January 26, 2018 at 8:16 pmIt has been very cold here lately (not as cold as Toronto:))but this soup is perfect for this weather. I love your additions from the traditional recipe. I have made this delicious soup with orzo and other times I've used Angel Hair. Always delicious, filling and healthy. Great photo too!
Goldie says
February 13, 2018 at 12:17 amDid anyone else try to freeze the soup? Sounds like mixed results in the comments above. Is it the egg that causes the problem? Or the rice? I was thinking that I could wait to add the rice until I defrost and reheat?
Audrey says
May 20, 2019 at 7:13 pmTried this today and it turned out AMAZING! Super lemony and authentic tasting- just like at my favorite restaurant. My adjustments: I used 5 cups of chicken stock instead of 6. Rice needed 15 minutes-I just white jasmine. I sautéed 3 cloves of minced garlic with the onion, and added some celery and carrots for a little crunch. Super easy!