Avgolemono Soup Recipe

Soups

Chicken Avgolemono Soup Recipe

Last Updated:
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

30 minutes

Yield

4 -5

This delicious chicken Avgolemono Soup Recipe is the perfect comfort food. It's creamy, lemony, and hearty. 🍋

Avgolemono soup recipe is a hearty, comforting Greek soup that is really lemony, creamy, and honestly so dang good. It’s great for when you’re sick, for a chilly day, or when you need something to warm you from the inside out.

Avgolemono soup in a white bowl

❤️ Why You’ll Love Avgolemono Soup Recipe

  • Comforting: Nothing says comfort food more than a big, warming bowl of soup
  • Flavorful: I LOVE the combination of flavors in this traditional Greek soup. The lemon is so tasty
  • Versatile: You can make this soup vegan too to fit your dietary needs

🍲 Ingredients

Chicken Breasts: You can also use chicken thighs here if you prefer darker meat, or you only have thighs on hand.

Advertisements

Lemon Juice: You’ll want to use freshly squeezed lemon juice here. It’ll produce the best, authentic flavor vs. the stuff bought in a bottle at the store.

Avgolemono soup in a white bowl with a spoon in it

👩‍🍳 How to Make Avgolemono Soup

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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).
  6. 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.
  7. 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.


🗒 Substitutions

  • Vegan Version: If you love this soup but are looking for a vegan version, try our Creamy Vegan Greek Lemon Rice Soup (Avgolemono)
  • 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.


🗒 Best served with

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This can be a great soup to meal prep.

🤔 Common Questions

What is avgolemono made of?

Avgolemono is a Greek soup that is creamy, and lemony, and contains both chicken and rice to make it a hearty, well-rounded dish.

What is avgolemono in Greek to English?

The translation is egg-lemon which perfectly describes two of the main ingredients in this creamy soup.

Is avgolemono good for colds?

For Greeks (like me), this soup has gotten me through so many illnesses. It’s hearty, comforting, and perfect for when you are sick as it’s packed with nutrients to help get you better quickly.

Is avgolemono good for you?

Definitely. Avgolemono soup is made with whole, hearty ingredients. It can make a great, well-rounded dish.

Avgolemono soup in a white bowl

Chicken Avgolemono Soup Recipe

4.95 from 52 votes
This delicious chicken Avgolemono Soup Recipe is the perfect comfort food. It's creamy, lemony, and hearty. 🍋
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Greek-Inspired
Servings 4 -5
Calories 373 kcal
I’m Your Mommy Now

Your Greek mommy that is. 😍 Step into my kitchen to learn how to make yummy Greek food. 🍽️💃

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tbsp chicken stock paste
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup uncooked jasmine rice or other rice of your choice (i.e. basmati)
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill

For the avgolemeno

  • 4 eggs, separate egg yolks and whites
  • juice of 3 lemons
  • 1 cup soup stock

Garnish

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions
 

  • 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.

Video

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.4g | Protein: 39.2g | Fat: 15.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.9g | Cholesterol: 285.6mg | Sodium: 766.6mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 4.1g
Review This Recipe Let us know how it was!
Kristin Basch

5 stars
I made this tonight and it was incredible! It was so fresh and lemony and the dill was amazing. I couldn’t find stock paste so I used broth instead of the paste/water and it still came out great! You NEED to make this! So comforting and really simple to make!

Maria Koutsogiannis

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LOVE, KRISTIN!!!!

Ashley S

5 stars
Can’t get enough of this soup, had my first taste many years ago and have been craving it ever since. I’ve tried other recipes but nothing compares. Bonus, the whole family LOVED it!

Maria Koutsogiannis

THANK YOU so much, Ashley! This makes me so happy!!!

Raquel Vigueras

5 stars
Brings me back to my childhood 🥹❤️ I made this with homemade turkey stock and leftover turkey from thanksgiving, and it worked PERFECTLY 👌

Maria Koutsogiannis

I love this for you so much! This soup is so damn good!!!!

Maria Koutsogiannis

thank you so much, Taylor!

Kira

5 stars
This soup was creamy (without dairy) and delicious!! I made it for my extended family in bulk and everyone loved it. One thing I didn’t realize (until I read the instructions) is that the cup of stock listed in the ingredients list comes form what you’ve already made using the paste, so no need to purchase additional stock. Maria’s instructions for tempering the eggs worked really well!

Maria Koutsogiannis

thank you so much, kira!!!

Kira Dunn

5 stars
This soup was creamy (without dairy) and delicious!! I made it for my extended family in bulk and everyone loved it. One thing I didn’t realize (until I read the instructions) is that the cup of stock listed in the ingredients list comes form what you’ve already made using the paste, so no need to purchase additional stock. Maria’s instructions for tempering the eggs worked really well!

Alix Lindblom

5 stars
Thank you, Kira, for this pot of lemony goodness! I think the lemons I had were extra juicy so I might add more cooked rice tomorrow to even it out. Was a household hit and will be made on rotation now. Absolutely loved the creaminess without a drop of cream. 💛 Look forward to trying more recipes!

Maria Koutsogiannis

Thank you for the love, Alix!

Melissa Socia

5 stars
This is our new ‘go to’ recipe. Possibly the best soup I’ve ever had. Definitely the best lemon rice soup I’ve had. Everything in the recipe was spot on. My only complaint is that I wish we would have double it for even MORE leftovers. Yum!

Maria Koutsogiannis

hahah this makes me so happy, Melissa! Thank you! Make sure you make double next time!!!

tamar ianuzzi

5 stars
this is such a beautiful recipe. I can taste the love in every bite

Maria Koutsogiannis

thank you so much!

Candice

saw this on tiktok and i’m so glad i did. a delicious recipe that was easy to follow. will definitely be making this again! a new favorite.

Maria Koutsogiannis

thank you do much for the love!

Angie

This is my new favorite comfort food! The lemon and egg adds so much dimension. I will be making this weekly! Thanks for this amazing recipe!

Maria Koutsogiannis

thank you so much, angie!

4.95 from 52 votes (22 ratings without comment)

Post A Comment

Recipe Rating




Share to...