October 3, 2017
By Joanna
To me this recipe is the ultimate comfort food...
How are you guys today? With the change of seasons, I’ve been feeling the need for a big, hot bowl of soup which is my favorite comfort food. Cue this recipe from my (very) Greek grandmother: authenticAvgolemono Soup! To me this recipe is the ultimate comfort food… to the point where when I’m sick now I crave it more than any other remedy. It’s so easy to make and incredibly satisfying, especially on a chilly winter night. I hope you love it!
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The Best Authentic Greek Avgolemono Soup Recipe (Lemon Egg Chicken Soup)
I don’t have an exact recipe for Yia yia’sAvgolemono Soup because, to her, it’s like second nature. I remember watching her put a little bit of this, a little bit of that into a pot and then in an hour or so, the most delicious, comforting soup imaginable would be put in front of me. She still makes it every time I go back to the east coast to visit! A few years ago, she gave me the pot and the wooden spoon she uses to make the soup, so I always use those pieces when I make this recipe. They feel like family heirlooms and are essential to the flavor of the recipe.
What is avgolemono soup?
Simply defined, authentic Greek avgolemono soup is a soup made with beaten eggs, lemon juice, and chicken broth made from scratch. The key is whisking and slowly adding hot broth into the egg so that they don’t curdle. The result is a rich, silky soup that has the brightness of lemon and the comfort of a traditional chicken noodle soup.
What kind of rice is used in avgolemono?
For my family’s recipe, we use orzo instead of rice. It’s just always the way we’ve done it! You can also use a long grain rice like basmati or jasmine. I’ve also seen people use brown rice for a heartier soup and arborio rice to make the soup even thicker.
Greek Avgolemono Soup Recipe (Lemon Egg Chicken Soup)
My grandmother'sGreek Avgolemono soup recipe is the ultimate comfort food and perfect for a chilly winter day! Plus, it's so easy to make.
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
Course Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6 servings
Calories 564 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 3 pounds chicken breasts and/or thighs skin removed
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1.5 cup carrots shredded
- 1 cup orzo
- 5 eggs
- 5 lemons juice only
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Wash the chicken and set aside. Prepare veggies by chopping them and shredding the carrots.
In a large soup pot, combine chicken stock, chicken, onion, celery, and carrots. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover, simmering for about 45 minutes.
Turn off the heat and remove the chicken with tongs. If you used chicken with bones, debone and then shred the meat.
Put the chicken back into the pot and bring back to a boil, adding the orzo. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice until the mixture is frothy, then add 3 cups of the hot soup broth 1 cup at a time to the egg mixture while whisking. Whisking during this entire step is essential because it will prevent the egg from curdling.
Once all combined, pour the egg mixture into the soup pot and stir well.
Serve with a side of saltine crackers like my Yia yia or some crusty bread (if you’re local to Seattle, definitely check outChess Bakerydelivery for the best fresh bread I’ve everrrr tasted).
Notes
My grandmother makes her version of this recipe with a whole chicken, but I usually don’t have that on hand. If you do use a whole chicken, be sure to skim the fat off the top as it boils.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 65gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 291mgSodium: 793mgPotassium: 1534mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5648IUVitamin C: 54mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 3mg
Keyword chicken, greek food, soup
Tried this recipe?Tag @jojotastic on Instagram & tag #jojotastic!
The simple action of sitting at our dining table and eating this lemony, starchy soup helps me to feel more grounded and is perfect for cold winter days.I hope this recipes helps to soothe your soul just a little bit, too.
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Photography & styling by Jojotastic, recipe adapted from my grandma’s notes. Get more recipeshere!
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Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.
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