If you’ve never tried Avgolemono Soup, you’re in for a treat! This Greek lemon chicken soup features tender chicken, rice, fresh dill, and a creamy egg-lemon broth that’s bright, comforting, and full of flavor. The best part? You can have this cozy Greek classic on the table in just 45 minutes.
As a Greek, I love the simple, comforting flavors of Greek cooking, and avgolemono is a perfect example. It’s proof that you don’t need a long list of fancy ingredients to make something absolutely delicious.
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
Why You’ll Love Avgolemono Soup
- Comforting: Tender chicken, rice, and a creamy lemony broth make this the ultimate cozy bowl of soup.
- Full of Flavor: Fresh lemon and dill bring brightness to every spoonful.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with everyday ingredients that come together into something amazing.
- Ready in 45 Minutes: A satisfying homemade soup that doesn’t need to simmer all day.
What Is Avgolemono
Avgolemono (pronounced ah-vgo-LEH-mo-no) is a Greek egg-lemon mixture used in soups and sauces. In this Greek lemon chicken soup, eggs and fresh lemon juice are combined with warm broth to create that signature creamy texture and tangy flavor.
What’s so special about avgolemono is that you don’t need heavy cream to get that velvety consistency. The eggs do the work!
There are different ways to prepare avgolemono, but for this recipe, I use a method that involves separating the eggs, whisking the whites, and gradually incorporating warm broth before adding the mixture to the soup.
It’s a little extra attention at the end that helps bring everything together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This avgolemono soup recipe uses simple ingredients that work together to create a comforting, flavorful dish.
Chicken Breasts: The protein in this soup! Chicken breasts cook in the flavorful broth and are perfect for shredding into tender pieces.
Rice: I use jasmine rice in this recipe, but basmati or short-grain rice are great options. Keep in mind that different varieties can cook differently and may change the final texture of your soup.
Chicken Broth: The base of this delicious soup. My recipe uses a stock-paste broth for that rich, savory flavor.
Lemons: Fresh lemon juice is essential for avgolemono. This recipe uses three lemons for that bright, tangy flavor I love.
Eggs: The magic ingredient! Eggs combine with lemon juice and broth to give avgolemono its signature creamy consistency without adding cream.
Fresh Dill: I love the fresh, herby flavor dill adds to this soup. It complements the lemon beautifully.
How to Make Avgolemono Soup
This Greek lemon chicken soup comes together in a few simple stages.
1. Prepare the Chicken and Rice
Start by preparing your flavorful broth and cooking the chicken and rice according to the recipe card.
One important tip: Make sure your rice is properly cooked before adding the egg-lemon mixture. The final stage of this recipe uses gentle heat, so you don’t want to rely on boiling the finished soup to cook underdone rice.
2. Prepare the Egg-Lemon Mixture
This is where the avgolemono magic happens!
For my version, I separate the eggs and whisk the whites as directed in the recipe card before incorporating the remaining egg ingredients and lemon.
The goal is to create a mixture that can be gradually combined with warm broth before going into the soup.
3. Temper the Eggs
Don’t let the word temper intimidate you! Tempering simply means gradually introducing warm liquid into the egg mixture rather than adding the eggs directly to a pot of hot soup.
Slowly incorporate the warm broth while whisking continuously, following the sequence in the recipe card.
This helps the egg mixture warm more gradually and reduces the risk of the eggs scrambling.
4. Finish the Soup
Once your egg-lemon mixture is ready, remove the soup from the heat and incorporate it according to the recipe instructions.
Avoid bringing the finished soup to a boil, which can cause the egg mixture to separate or curdle.
Finish with fresh dill, and get ready to enjoy a bowl of lemony Greek comfort food!
Tips for Making the Best Avgolemono Soup
Don’t Rush the Egg-Lemon Mixture: This is the part of the recipe that deserves a little patience. Whisking and gradually incorporating the broth helps the mixture come together smoothly.
Check Your Rice First: If the rice is still firm, continue cooking it according to the recipe before adding the egg mixture. Trying to fix undercooked rice after finishing the soup can affect the texture.
Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemon is one of the main flavors in avgolemono, so fresh lemon juice really shines here.
Adjust the Lemon to Your Taste: I love a lemon-forward avgolemono, which is why this recipe uses three lemons. If you prefer a milder lemon flavor, you can start with two and adjust to taste. Just remember that three lemons are the base recipe.
Be Gentle With the Heat: Once the eggs have been incorporated, avoid boiling the soup. Gentle heat is your friend when it comes to preserving that creamy texture.
Storage and Reheating
Avgolemono is especially delicious freshly made, when the broth has that perfect creamy consistency.
Reheating: Warm the soup gently over low heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling it, since high heat can affect the egg-lemon mixture and cause it to separate.
Refrigerating and Freezing: Keep the soup in the fridge for up to 3 days. This soup is best not frozen.
More Greek Recipes You’ll Love
If you love this avgolemono soup, here are a few others I think you’ll enjoy:
- Greek Lemon Rice Soup: A great option when you’re craving lemony Greek comfort food without the egg.
- Youvarlakia: Greek meatball soup that can be finished with avgolemono for a delicious, comforting meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Avgolemono comes from the Greek words for egg (avgo) and lemon (lemono). It refers to the egg-lemon mixture used in Greek cooking to give soups and sauces their characteristic flavor and texture.
I use jasmine rice in this recipe. Basmati and short-grain rice are also listed as options in the recipe card. Different rice varieties can absorb liquid and cook at different rates, so pay attention to the texture of your rice before adding the egg-lemon mixture.
Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that’s used in many Greek soups, but it isn’t the same as rice. This particular recipe is written for rice, and I haven’t included an orzo substitution with specific amounts or cooking times. For the recipe, I recommend sticking with one of the rice options listed in the recipe card.
Eggs can curdle when exposed to too much heat too quickly. That’s why it’s important to gradually incorporate warm broth into the egg-lemon mixture while whisking and to remove the soup from the heat before adding the mixture. If your soup has already curdled, avoid boiling it further in an attempt to fix the texture.
Nope! The creamy consistency comes from the eggs combined with lemon juice and broth. It’s one of my favorite things about this Greek soup.
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Ingredients
For the avgolemono
- 3 eggs, separate egg yolks and whites
- juice of 3 lemons
- 1 cup soup broth
Garnish
- fresh dill
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
Instructions
Start Cooking- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and set aside. Into a large stock pot add olive oil and turn to medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear, 2 minutes per side, then remove to a bowl or plate.
- Turn the heat to medium and add the chopped onion. Cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken stock paste and bay leaf. Then, add the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, once simmering add the chicken breasts (along with any juices) and the rice. Stir and then keep at a simmer at medium-low heat with the lid mostly on the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken breasts and rice are cooked.
- Once the chicken breasts and rice are cooked, turn the heat off and remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Leave the lid on the pot to keep the soup warm and use two forks to shred the chicken. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup along with the fresh dill.
- Remove the soup pot from the heat completely. Scoop out 1 cup of stock into a measuring cup and set aside (try to scoop out just the liquid stock).
- Make the avgolemono: Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two separate bowls. Whisk the egg whites vigorously until they develop a foamy consistency on top. Gradually add egg yolks to the egg whites and continue to whisk to combine. Keep whisking and gradually pour in the lemon juice until combined. Slowly pour the 1 cup of stock into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to combine.
- Add the egg mixture into the pot of soup, constantly stirring until combined. Taste and adjust seasong with salt and pepper, a big pinch of each if desired! Serve in bowls topped with fresh dill, pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- If you love this soup but are looking for a vegan version, try our Creamy Vegan Greek Lemon Rice Soup (Avgolemono)
- Don’t have chicken stock paste? You can use chicken broth then instead of water but be sure to adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
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The whole family loved it. Thank you! We’ve been cooking out of your cookbook too! All wonderful!
Thank you so much sweetie! This makes me so happy!!!!
You must have had a Website update because i was Struggling to find the recipe! This has been a go to and now that i used this recipe for at least the 6th time, i wanted to leave a review. Such a tasty and nourishing soup with minimal ingredients. I love that you have us brown the chicken first to give additional flavor. Thanks!
We did!! Glad you found it!!
This was delicious! Iam already looking forward to LEFTOVERS for breakfast!
this makes me so happy, nicole!
I left a post yesterday. The soup was so lemony. After letting it sit overnight it was much better. I think the flavors needed to blend better. I will make this soup again but definitely use white rice.. My granddaughter is already asking me to make it for her.
Thanks for the love Connie! Lemon Rice Soup can be very lemony but next time, if needed, you can adjust to your needs!! I am so glad you loved it in the end.
I love the vegan version so much but the link no longer works – please can you repost it? I really want to make it again. Thank you!
Hi Jill! Its right here https://www.foodbymaria.com/vegan-greek-lemon-rice-soup/
Thanks so much!
I made this and it was delicious! The only change is that I added diced carrots and celery at the same time as the chopped onion. Brilliant recipe – many thanks!
I love this addition! Thank you so much, Lisa!
My Yai Yai used to make this recipe, but she used orzo and I subsituted the rice from out for homemade orzo. I made the orzo with fresh milled duram from my mock mill and then formed it with my philips pasta machine. Total Ratatouille reminiscing moment! Thank you for sharing all these recipes!
Thank you so much sweettie!!!!!
So tasty, great recipe I will be making again.
Thank you so much!!!
If you prep everything first it goes smoothly. It seems like a lot but it’s actually easy. SO yummy!
EXACTLY!!! love this for you so much!!!
My husband’s mother was from Kefalonia & often made this soup. He raved about this Avgolemono…the taste of memories. It was simply delicious and THE perfect thing to enjoy on a chilly Monday night (first snowfall). This is going in rotation.
Oh this makes me SO happy! Thank you so much, Anne!