My absolute favorite chicken soup recipe, Avgolemono soup is a traditional Greek recipe that combines chicken, lemon, and dill and is thickened with egg yolks leading to a silky and super healthy broth with a vibrant lemon flavor.
Easy Avgolemono Soup Recipe (Greek Lemon & Egg Chicken Soup)
Super healthy, easy to make, and absolutely bursting with flavor, this Avgolemono Soup Recipe combines chicken, veggies, and orzo in a creamy egg yolk-thickened broth with lots of fresh lemon and dill.
PREP TIME
30 minutes
COOK TIME
90 minutes
TOTAL TIME
2 hours
No matter the time of year, this traditional Greek soup makes for a comforting and healthy dinner.
It’s a simple recipe that combines nutrient-rich ingredients like chicken breasts, veggies, and egg yolks with deliciously bright lemon, garlic, and dill.
While there are so many different versions of this Avgolemono recipe available, this updated take on a classic includes the addition of leeks and zucchini for an extra serving of veggies, plus preserved lemon and fresh garlic for an extra punch of vibrant flavor.
Unlike other creamy soups, this Greek lemon chicken soup gets its velvety texture from tempering egg yolks into the chicken broth so it’s dairy-free and packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
The Key Ingredients in this Avgolemono Soup Recipe
A super flavorful spin on a classic chicken and rice soup, this recipe features so many healthy and delicious ingredients:
- Shredded Chicken: To make the chicken broth, a whole chicken is simmered in water and aromatics for 1 hour. Then the chicken is shredded and added back into the soup making it a great high protein recipe.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and preserved lemons are all used to add a bright lemon flavor to the soup.
- Egg Yolks: Unlike other creamy soups, this recipe gets its velvety texture from tempered egg yolks which makes the soup dairy-free and packed with omega-3s.
- Rice or Orzo Pasta: Depending on your preference, you can add rice or orzo pasta to add a delicious and satisfying texture to the soup. If you decide to go with rice, arborio rice is your best option because it will hold it’s texture throughout the cooking process.
Where This Recipe Differs from Authentic Avgolemono Soup
Traditional Avgolemono Soup is often a simple combination of chicken broth, shredded chicken, and egg yolks. While it’s totally delicious, we’ve found a couple of ways to take the recipe to the next level in both health and flavor:
- Extra Veggies: We like to add leeks and zucchini to give this recipe extra fiber, vitamins, and texture.
- Preserved Lemon: Over here, there’s almost no such thing as too much lemon so we like to add some diced preserved lemon for an extra punch of flavor.
- Fresh Garlic: By adding a couple of crushed cloves of fresh garlic to the Avgolemono sauce, we add delicious garlicky spice which perfectly complements the chicken and lemon.
How to Make Greek Avgolemono Soup
It’s super easy to make this Avgolemono soup recipe. It just takes a couple of easy steps and some patience and you’ll be enjoying a super healthy and comforting bowl of this delicious Greek soup in no time.
We think this soup deserves the extra effort but we’ll also offer some easy shortcuts if you’re looking to save some time and effort.
How to Make the Chicken Broth
While using pre-made chicken broth is always an option, we prefer to make our own by slowly simmering a whole chicken. Not only does it fortify the broth with flavor and protein, but it’s also cost-effective and easy to do.
On top of that, it results in a protein-rich bone broth that’s nourishing for the gut and loaded with muscle-building goodness.
To make homemade chicken broth, add a whole rinsed chicken to a large stock pot and add enough water until just covered (about 10 to 12 cups.) Add in the aromatics such as onion, carrot, bay leaf, and peppercorns.
Don’t worry about adding every single ingredient, just make sure you have a couple of additions to add depth of flavor to the broth. Because you’ll be using leeks in the soup, you can add the green tops to the broth while it cooks.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce to a simmer for one hour. Then remove the chicken and put it in a large bowl to cool while you strain the broth. Discard the aromatics and return the chicken broth to the pot.
You’ll need about half of your chicken for the soup. You can decide whether you prefer to use the chicken breasts or the dark meat. Remove it from the carcass and shred it into fine pieces. Store the rest for another recipe.
How to Make the Soup
Slice the whites of the leeks into ½ inch pieces and dice the zucchini. Add them to the pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes before adding the orzo or rice.
How to Make the Avgolemono Sauce
While the veggies and orzo cook, you’ll make the egg-lemon mixture.
In a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, preserved lemon, and crushed garlic. Whisk until evenly combined.
Turn the soup to low heat and add the broth ladle by ladle in a steady stream to the lemon egg mixture to temper the eggs. Go slow and whisk continuously to avoid cooking the egg which will lead to a chunky texture.
You’ll notice the egg-lemon sauce turns into a super creamy texture almost immediately.
Once you’ve added a few ladles and you have a bowl of warm broth and egg mixture, you can add it back to the pot, whisking as you pour it in. At this time, also add your shredded chicken.
At this point, taste your soup and season with salt and pepper as desired.
The Best Toppings
For me, most soups are all about the toppings and this Greek lemon chicken soup is no exception. Here are some of my favorites:
- Fresh Herbs: If you’re a dill lover, fresh dill makes the perfect healthy topping for this soup. We also love Parsely!
- Lots of Lemon: If you want a little extra lemon kick, add an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
- Olive Oil: In theme with this Mediterranean recipe, you can add a little drizzle of fresh olive oil for delish flavor and healthy fats.
- Fresh Black Pepper: A crack of fresh black pepper makes for a great final touch.
Substitutions
To make this traditional Greek lemon chicken soup your own there are lots of easy substitutions to save you time and effort.
- Chicken Broth: Instead of making your chicken broth from scratch, you can easily use store-bought chicken broth. Just skip the first few steps of the recipe.
- Rotisserie Chicken: You can also substitute the fresh cooked chicken for shredded rotisserie chicken. This saves you some time and effort.
- Pre-Cooked Rice: If you have leftover rice lying around, you totally use it in the soup. Just add it in at the end when you add the chicken to avoid mushy rice.
What Makes This Soup So Healthy
We’ve all heard the hype about Mediterranean and blue zone diets. They are heralded for their clean, nutritious ingredients and healthy fat content.
Well, this soup falls right into this category. One serving is about 400 calories and has 56+ grams of protein which makes it a great high-protein meal idea for lunch, dinner, or for meal prep!
How to Store This Classic Greek Chicken Soup
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
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Easy Avgolemono Soup Recipe (Greek Lemon & Egg Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
Chicken Broth & Shredded Chicken
- 1 whole chicken
- 10-12 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 1 carrot (cut into 2 inch pieces)
- 1 celery rib (cut into 2 inch pieces)
Soup Ingredients
- 2 leeks
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 cup orzo or rice
- 2 fresh lemons
- 1 preserved lemon
- 4 egg yolks
- 6 crushed garlic cloves
Toppings (optional)
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- 1 lemon (just into quarters)
- 1 fresh red chili (thinly sliced)
- olive oil
- black pepper
Instructions
Making the Chicken Broth
- Rinse your whole chicken and place it into a large pot. Add enough water until just covered (about 10-12 cups). Add in aromatics such as carrot, celery, bay leaf, and peppercorns.Don't worry about adding in every single ingredient if you don't have it on hand. Just make sure you have a couple of additions to add depth of flavor to the broth. Because you'll be using the white parts of the leeks in the soup, you can add the green tops to the broth.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to a simmer for one hour.
- Remove the chicken and place it in a large bowl to cool while you strain the broth. Discard the aromatics and return the chicken broth to the pot.
- You’ll need about half of your chicken for the soup. You can decide whether you prefer to use the chicken breasts or the dark meat. Remove it from the carcass and shred into fine pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Store the rest for another recipe.
Making the Soup
- Slice the whites of the leeks into ½ inch pieces and dice the zucchini. Add them to the pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes before adding the orzo or rice.
- While the veggies and orzo cook, you’ll make the egg-lemon mixture.In a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, preserved lemon, and crushed garlic. Whisk until evenly combined.
- Add the boiling soup ladle by ladle in a steady stream to the lemon egg mixture to temper the eggs. Go slowly and whisk continuously to avoid cooking the egg which will lead to a chunky texture.
- Once you’ve added a few ladles and the mixture is warm, you can add it back to the pot, whisking as you pour it in. At this time, also add your shredded chicken. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- At this point, taste your soup and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Add toppings of your choice and enjoy!
More ideas you’ll love
- Strawberry Glaze High Protein Overnight Oats
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga (Guisado’s Copycat Recipe)
- Slow Cooker Bone Broth
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