soup & stew
Lemony Greek Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)
Silky chicken-and-rice soup thickened with eggs and lemon, somehow light and deeply comforting at the same time.
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Join the waitlistAvgolemono is one of those soups that feels like a magic trick. You whisk eggs and lemon, temper them into hot broth, and the whole pot turns velvety.
It's a classic 'I'm getting sick' recipe in Greece. It's also, honestly, just a great soup.
Ingredients
- 6 cups (1.4 L) chicken stock
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ⅔ cup (130 g) long-grain or jasmine rice
- 3 large eggs
- Juice of 2 lemons (about ½ cup / 120 ml)
- Kosher salt and white or black pepper
- Fresh dill, chopped, to serve
Steps
- 1In a heavy pot, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the chicken and cook gently until cooked through, 12–14 minutes. Lift the chicken out, shred with two forks, and set aside.
- 2Add the rice to the simmering broth and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.
- 3In a bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.
- 4Temper the eggs: while whisking constantly, slowly ladle in 1 cup of hot broth in a thin stream. This is the key step, go slow or the eggs will curdle.
- 5Reduce the soup to the lowest heat (no bubbles). Pour the tempered egg mixture in, stirring constantly. The soup will turn pale and silky.
- 6Return the shredded chicken. Season aggressively with salt and pepper. Serve with dill.
Notes
Don't boil the soup after the eggs go in or it will scramble. If it looks grainy, blend a cup of it smooth and stir it back in.
Updated May 2026
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