Classic Greek Avgolemono Soup
A comforting, silky Greek chicken soup featuring tender orzo pasta, shredded chicken, and a vibrant, creamy broth thickened naturally with a classic egg and lemon emulsion.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Ladle
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 cup yellow onion — finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic — minced
- 6 cups chicken broth — low-sodium preferred
- 0.75 cup orzo pasta — uncooked
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast — shredded (rotisserie works well)
Avgolemono (Egg-Lemon Emulsion)
- 3 whole large eggs — room temperature
- 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice — about 2-3 lemons
Seasoning & Garnish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt — to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper — freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (optional) — chopped
- 4 pieces lemon wedges (optional) — for serving
Soup Base
| 1 tablespoon | extra virgin olive oil | |
| 0.5 cup | yellow onion | finely chopped |
| 2 cloves | garlic | minced |
| 6 cups | chicken broth | low-sodium preferred |
| 0.75 cup | orzo pasta | uncooked |
| 2 cups | cooked chicken breast | shredded (rotisserie works well) |
Avgolemono (Egg-Lemon Emulsion)
| 3 whole | large eggs | room temperature |
| 0.33 cup | fresh lemon juice | about 2-3 lemons |
Seasoning & Garnish
| 1 teaspoon | kosher salt | to taste |
| 0.5 teaspoon | black pepper | freshly ground |
| 2 tablespoons | fresh dill (opt.) | chopped |
| 4 pieces | lemon wedges (opt.) | for serving |
Instructions
-
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
~6 minDo not let the onion or garlic brown; you want a light, clean flavor base for the broth. -
Pour the chicken broth into the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the uncooked orzo pasta.
~5 min -
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and let the orzo cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
~10 min -
Stir the shredded chicken into the soup and let it warm through for 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting or turn it off completely.
~2 minThe broth must be hot but not boiling when you add the egg mixture later. -
In a medium mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs until they are very frothy and pale. Slowly stream in the fresh lemon juice while continuing to whisk continuously.
~3 minRoom temperature eggs froth better and are less likely to curdle when tempered. -
Temper the eggs: Take a ladle full of the hot soup broth (about 1/2 cup) and very slowly drizzle it into the egg-lemon mixture while whisking vigorously. Repeat this process with 2 more ladles of broth. This slowly raises the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them.
~2 minCrucial step! Do not rush the tempering. Whisk constantly while adding the hot broth. -
Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot of soup, stirring continuously. Let the soup heat gently for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. Do NOT let the soup boil, or the eggs will curdle.
~2 minIf the soup looks too thin, just keep it on very low heat for a couple more minutes. -
Season the soup with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Let it rest for 5 minutes off the heat to thicken slightly more before serving.
~5 min -
Ladle the warm soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped dill and a sprinkle of black pepper. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side.
Tips & Storage
- Always remove the pot from direct high heat before adding the egg-lemon mixture to prevent scrambled eggs in your soup.
- If reheating leftovers, do so very gently over low heat on the stove, stirring frequently. Microwaving on high can cause the emulsion to break and curdle.
- For a thicker soup, use 1 cup of orzo or substitute with arborio rice.
- Using homemade chicken stock elevates this soup significantly, as the broth is the star ingredient.
- Storage: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat very gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring constantly, to prevent the eggs from curdling. Do not freeze, as the emulsion will break.