Avgolemono

Avgolemono is the Greek equivalent of Chicken Noodle Soup. It's hearty, healthy, delicious and delivers all the same feel good feelings.

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A blue bowl of avglolemono soup with a cut lemon, spoon, salt and pepper.

What is Avgolemono Soup?

Avgolemono soup is a traditional Greek dish that is simple to make yet packed with flavor. The name “avgolemono” literally translates to “egg-lemon,” which are two of the key ingredients in this comforting soup. I first heard of Avgolemono when babysitting for my math teacher in high school, who happened to be Greek. She had two little girls at the time who used to beg for Avgolemono with sad little voices whenever they were sick. This soup was the remedy to anything that ailed them. I think they were on to something because it always makes me feel better too and I’ll choose this over Chicken Noodle Soup any day.

Ingredients on a cutting board - lemons, eggs, diced onion, rice, butter and chicken breasts.

Key Ingredients

The basic ingredients in avgolemono soup are chicken broth, rice, and the egg-lemon mixture. To add more depth of flavor while still keeping it simple, this recipe includes chicken that cooks right in the soup with the rice and a good dose of parsley and lemon zest at the end.

A measuring cup with chicken stock and a yellow and orange striped towel.

The Chicken Stock

The base of the soup is chicken broth, so it’s essential to use a good-quality stock. Homemade chicken stock is ideal, but store-bought stock can also work. If you use store-bought, look for a low-sodium option so you can control the seasoning of the soup.

Several ingredients on a cutting board - lemon juice with reamer and strainer, zested lemon with a zester and a bowl of beaten eggs with a whisk.

Lemon & Eggs

The lemon and eggs give the soup its signature tangy and creamy texture. It’s important to use fresh lemons for the best flavor. And when it comes to eggs, use the best quality eggs you can find. I always look for pasture-raised eggs, since they come from the most humanely cared for chickens. 

Two images showing how to temper the eggs into a pot of avglolemono soup. One whisking hot soup into the eggs in a bowl, the second showing whisking the eggs into the pot of soup.

Tempering the Eggs

When adding the eggs to the soup, it’s crucial to temper them first to prevent them from scrambling. To do this, slowly drizzle in a small amount of the hot broth into the beaten eggs while whisking constantly. Then, whisk the slightly warmed eggs back into the soup. This will raise the temperature of the eggs gradually, allowing them to cook gently and thicken the soup.

Hands shredding chicken breasts with two forks on a cutting board.

Shredding the Chicken

You can prepare the chicken in one of two ways. I like to shred the chicken with two forks, keeping the chicken pieces very rustic in the soup. You might prefer to dice the chicken into spoon-sized pieces. Either way works.

Looking down into a pot of Avglolemono soup.

Storing and Re-heating Avgolemono

Avgolemono soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. When reheating, make sure to do so gently to avoid curdling the eggs. Heat the soup over low heat and stir frequently until it’s at a low simmer and warmed through. Avgolemono soup is a delicious and comforting Greek classic that is easy to make at home. It only takes a few key ingredients and some simple technique. You can enjoy this flavorful soup any time of the year, but it’s especially comforting when you’re feeling blue or under the weather. 

Two bowls of avglolemono soup with a stockpot of soup, salt, pepper and extra lemon near by.

 

 

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Avglolemono – Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon (Stovetop Version)

  • Prep Time: 15 m
  • Cook Time: 30 m
  • Total Time: 45 m
  • Servings:
    4
    to 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • ¾ cup long-grain rice
  • 6 cups good-quality or homemade unsalted chicken stock
  • 2 chicken breasts on the bone, skin removed
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 eggs
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a 6-quart stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice, stir well, and cook for another minute or two. Add the chicken stock and submerge the chicken breasts in the liquid. Season the stock with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
  2. Remove the lid and skim any white foam off the top of the stock. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly.
  3. Whisk the eggs in a bowl until frothy. Whisk the lemon juice into the eggs and then, whisking constantly, add a ladle of the hot soup to temper the eggs. Then whisk the egg mixture back into the pot. Stir over low heat until the soup thickens.
  4. Shred the chicken with two forks or cut it into bite-sized pieces. Stir the chicken pieces back into the soup with half of the lemon zest and parsley. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and more lemon juice to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and more lemon zest.

Avglolemono Soup – Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon (Pressure Cooker Version)

  • Prep Time: 15 m
  • Cook Time: 10 m
  • Total Time: 25 m
  • Servings:
    4
    to 6 people

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • ¾ cup long-grain rice
  • 6 cups good-quality or homemade unsalted chicken stock
  • 2 chicken breasts on the bone, but skin removed
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 eggs
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the pressure cooker using the BROWN setting.
  2. Add the olive oil and butter, and sauté the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice, stir well, and cook for another minute or two. Add the chicken stock and submerge the chicken breasts in the liquid. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lock the lid in place.
  3. Pressure-cook on HIGH for 10 minutes.
  4. Reduce the pressure with QUICK-RELEASE method and carefully remove the lid. Remove the chicken to a side plate to cool.
  5. While the chicken cools, whisk the eggs in a bowl until frothy. Whisk in the lemon juice into the eggs and then, whisking constantly, add a ladle of the hot soup. Whisk the egg mixture back into the hot pressure cooker. The soup should thicken nicely.
  6. When the chicken is cool enough to touch, pull the meat from the bone with a fork and roughly chop into the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the chopped chicken back into the soup with half of the lemon zest and parsley. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and more lemon juice to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and more lemon zest.
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Comments (19)Post a Reply

    1. Sure. You can make the soup however you’d like. It will be just a lemon and rice soup without the chicken, of course. Just make sure you really like the vegetable stock you are using – that is going to carry the flavor.

  1. 5 stars
    I’m rating this even before making it! Sounds so good but I do have to ask one question. In the ingredients, parsley is listed at 1/4 chopped fresh parsley. One quarter what? Cup, I’m guessing? Thanks!

  2. Does this soup taste eggy? In many foods eggs give texture but not a really prominent flavor. Is this one of those?

    1. This soup does not taste like eggs. The tempered eggs just thicken and a richness to the broth. It will not have an egg-like texture.

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve made this a few times and it is one of my favorites. I love the chicken lemon flavor. Also love that you can customize this any way you want, sometimes I add in carrots and peas, other times leave as is in the recipe.

  4. question, ingredients say bone in chicken breast, but video shows boneless/skinless. If using bone in, does it need to cook longer than 20 min stated in video and directions? Love this, definitely going to make it! Thank you!

    1. Hi Jacqui. 20 minutes at a simmer is enough for the bone in chicken breasts as long as the chicken breasts are not huge. You can use either boneless or bone in, but the bone in will have more flavor and lend more flavor to the soup.
      ML

    1. Hi Tom,
      You can freeze this soup, but the texture won’t be the same when you defrost it and re-heat it. The eggs will most likely curdle a little. It will still taste the same, but it won’t be pretty. 🙂
      ML

  5. 5 stars
    This was delicious! Quick, lemony and pure comfort on a cool rainy day. I had a bunch of lemons to use up so Greek everything till they are gone.

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