Description
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, or Avgolemono, is a classic Greek dish renowned for its creamy texture and refreshing, tangy flavor. This comforting soup blends lean chicken, Arborio rice, fresh lemon, and a lemon-egg mixture to create a velvety broth with a unique Mediterranean flair.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion , diced small
2 stalks celery , diced small
2 medium carrots , diced small
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (not table salt)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Arborio rice
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 large bay leaf
2 (6 ounces each) chicken breasts seasoned, cooked, and shredded
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 & 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion, celery, and carrots; saute until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until slightly browned and fragrant, 20 seconds. Season with the salt and pepper.
Add in the rice and stir to coat in the oil.
Add in the chicken stock and bay leaf; bring to a simmer. Simmer until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes.
Add in the shredded chicken and maintain a gentle simmer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and eggs until light and frothy.
Remove the saucepan from the heat (see note below) and slowly whisk 2 cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture, then slowly pour the egg mixture back into the soup; stir and incorporate. (This process equalizes the temperature between the two mixtures to avoid curdling the eggs.)
Stir in the dill. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.