This is easily one of my favorite soups to make! Rich, silky, fragrant, and incredibly comforting, Avgolemono is a traditional Greek lemon soup that gets its beautiful creamy texture from eggs and fresh lemon juice instead of cream. The lemon adds the perfect brightness, making every spoonful feel both nourishing and soothing.
I’ve also made this with chickpeas instead of chicken for a delicious vegetarian version!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (rotisserie chicken works great, too!)
- 2–3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- ¾ cup orzo
- A handful of spinach, chopped
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh dill or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the chicken with your favorite herbs and spices until tender, then shred it. I love using bone-in, skin-on chicken because it adds so much flavor to the broth! You can also use leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and sauté until softened.
- Add the carrots and celery and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and water, then bring to a boil. Add the orzo, stir well, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until the orzo is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and chopped spinach. Let everything warm through.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth. Slowly drizzle in one ladle of hot broth while whisking continuously to temper the eggs and prevent them from scrambling. Gradually pour the egg-lemon mixture into the soup, stirring gently to combine.
- Remove the pot from the heat immediately after adding the Avgolemono mixture. Avoid bringing the soup back to a boil to keep it silky and smooth. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
Finish with fresh dill or parsley and serve alongside warm, crispy crostini.
A little tip: The secret to a beautiful Avgolemono is tempering the eggs slowly and adding the lemon mixture at the end. That’s what gives this soup its signature velvety texture without a drop of cream!
Save this one for your next cozy soup day. 🍋