Avgolemono Soup

Name: Avgolemono Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 small onions (or one large onion); 2 medium carrots; 2 stalks of celery; 4 cloves garlic; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 3 lemons (juice and zest); 1/3 cup white wine; 2 cups shredded chicken; 2/3 cup orzo pasta or 1/2 cup arborio rice (washed); 12 cups chicken stock; 3 eggs; salt and fresh pepper; fresh parsley and lemon slices (for serving)

This Avgolemono Soup recipe is a classic Greek lemon chicken soup made with orzo pasta or rice. Made with no dairy, this lemon chicken orzo soup is thickened with eggs and made with poached chicken and fresh veggies!

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

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Avgolemono Soup Recipe

If you’ve been a reader of The Busy Baker for any length of time you’ll already know how much we love a good soup recipe. Especially one that’s as fresh and delicious as this Avgolemono soup made with shredded poached chicken, fresh lemons, and chopped veggies. We love this creamy soup that’s completely dairy-free, thanks to a secret ingredient!

What is Avgolemono Soup?

Avgolemono Soup is a traditional Greek soup made with chicken, chicken broth, rice or orzo, eggs, and lemon juice. It’s known for its creamy, velvety texture and tangy flavour, thanks to the lemons.

Avgolemono Soup: An Iconic Greek Recipe

Avgolemono soup is a unique recipe that’s warm and comforting but at the same time fresh and invigorating, thanks to the blend of tangy flavour of lemon and hearty chicken broth. The name “Avgolemono” itself is a combination of the Greek words for “egg” (avgo) and “lemon” (lemono).

Greece’s agricultural traditions run deep and traditional Greek food reflects the healthy principles of the Mediterranean diet and the rustic, natural flavours of locally grown ingredients. Greek food emphasizes freshness and authentic Greek Avgolemono soup is SO fresh. It creates the perfect balance between the tartness of the lemon and the richness of the broth with the egg mixture, giving it a distinctive, creamy texture without the use of dairy.

Traditional Greek Avgolemono soup is thickened by the addition of rice or orzo pasta, shredded chicken, and chopped veggies, making it a hearty, filling and healthy dish.

More Delicious Mediterranean-Style Recipes

If you’re looking for more fresh and delicious Mediterranean-style dishes, here’s a few we suggest:

Pro Tips and Tricks for Making the BEST Avgolemono Soup Recipe

Here are all our best pro tips and tricks for making the most of this Avgolemono soup recipe!

Choose a Good Stock

The foundation of a good soup is the stock, so use a homemade chicken stock for the best flavour. If you’re using store-bought, choose a low-sodium option so you can control the salt level.

Temper the Eggs Properly

To ensure your soup has a smooth and creamy texture without curdling, temper the eggs by slowly whisking in some of the hot broth to the beaten eggs before adding everything back into the pot. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs, preventing them from scrambling.

Use Fresh Lemon Juice

The bright, tangy flavour of this soup comes from the lemon juice, so use fresh lemons rather than bottled lemon juice. Adjust the quantity according to how tangy you like your soup. The lemon zest adds more flavour than tang so feel free to adjust that as well if you’d like a more lemony, but not a tangier taste.

Use Low Heat

Once you’ve added the egg mixture back into the pot and when reheating the soup, do so on on low heat. Avoid boiling after adding the eggs as high heat can cause the eggs to curdle, resulting in a grainy texture.

Season Well

Taste and season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper towards the end of cooking. The acidity from the lemon juice can affect the way salt tastes, so it’s better to adjust the seasoning after the lemon juice has been added.

Serve Immediately for Best Results

This Avgolemono soup recipe is best served fresh. Over time, the rice or orzo can absorb the broth and thicken the soup considerably. If you need to reheat leftovers, do so gently, and you might need to add a bit more stock or water to achieve the desired consistency.

Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need to Make Avgolemono Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Here’s a list of the kitchen equipment you’ll need to make this delicious Avgolemono soup recipe (paid links):

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Avgolemono Soup

Here’s the list of ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious Greek lemon chicken orzo soup (paid links):

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions
2 medium carrots
2 sticks of celery
4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 lemons juice and zest
1/3 cup white wine
2 cups shredded chicken
2/3 cup orzo pasta or 1/2 cup arborio rice
12 cups chicken stock
3 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley and lemon slices for serving

Greek lemon chicken soup in blue and white bowl

Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe Variations

Kale or Spinach: Add in a handful or two of kale leaves or fresh baby spinach leaves right at the end of the cooking process for some added veggies.
Vegetarian: Omit the chicken and use vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock for a meat-free option. You can also add additional veggies like chopped zucchini.
Seafood: Add shrimp instead of the chicken for a seafood twist on the classic recipe.
Lemon Dill: Add fresh dill to the soup for some added freshness.
Turkey and Wild Rice: Replace the chicken with shredded turkey and add wild rice instead of the orzo or rice.
Egg-Free: Add a cornstarch slurry instead of the eggs to thicken the soup to keep it egg-free.

a serving of creamy lemon chicken orzo soup

What to Serve with Avgolemono Soup

Here are some dishes we suggest serving with this delicious lemon chicken orzo soup!

How to Make Avgolemono Soup

Time needed: 30 minutes

Follow these steps to make the best Greek lemon chicken soup recipe!

Prepare your veggies.
Wash, peel and chop your carrots, celery sticks and onions. Peel your garlic cloves, then mince.
Saute the veggies.
Add the olive oil to the bottom of your pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, Italian seasoning and minced garlic and sauté until the onions become translucent.
Add the lemon and wine.
Add the lemon zest and juice and sauté for a couple more minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot well.
Cook the orzo or rice.
Add the orzo or rice and the stock and let it boil. When the orzo is almost done, add the shredded chicken.
Temper the eggs.
In a large measuring cup, whisk the eggs well. While still mixing, slowly add some hot soup to temper the eggs. Turn off the heat and, once your mixture is as hot as the soup, add it back in the pot.
Season to taste.
Taste the soup and add more salt (if needed) and some fresh cracked black pepper, remove the bay leaves and serve.

How to Temper Eggs into Hot Soup

When it comes to adding eggs to hot liquid it’s important to use a process called tempering instead of adding the eggs directly to the hot liquid. Tempering involves heating the beaten eggs slowly by adding hot liquid to them until they reach the temperature of the liquid you want to add them to.

By whisking the eggs together in a liquid measuring cup and then adding some of the hot soup liquid little by little, mixing as you go, you’re able to cook the eggs with the hot liquid while at the same time keeping them smooth and preventing them from curdling. As you continue adding the hot soup liquid to the eggs they’ll eventually reach the same temperature as the hot soup. You’ll then be able to add the egg mixture you’ve created to the pot with the soup and combine them together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Avgolemono soup?

Avgolemono soup is a traditional Greek soup made from chicken, chicken broth, lemon juice, eggs, and rice or orzo pasta. It’s known for its creamy texture and tangy flavour, thanks to the addition of lemon juice and eggs into the broth.

Is Avgolemono soup gluten-free?

Avgolemono can be made gluten-free by ensuring that the broth is gluten-free and substituting the orzo with gluten-free orzo or rice that’s gluten-free.

Can I use something other than orzo in this soup?

Yes, rice can be used instead of the orzo.

How do I prevent the eggs from curdling when I add them to the hot soup?

To prevent the eggs from curdling, temper them by slowly whisking in some of the hot broth to the beaten eggs before adding it back into the pot. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs, preventing them from cooking too quickly and curdling.

Can Avgolemono soup be made vegetarian?

Yes, you can make a vegetarian version of Avgolemono by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and omitting the chicken. You can add more vegetables if you wish.

How do I store Avgolemono soup?

We recommend storing this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze Avgolemono soup?

Yes, you can freeze this soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

We hope you love this Avgolemono soup recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite creamy soup recipe? We’d love to know!

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Avgolemono Soup Recipe Video

Watch the video below to see exactly how we make this recipe. You can find many more deliciously simple recipe videos on our YouTube channel!