Avgolemono Soup (Greek Egg-Lemon Chicken Soup)
12 days ago
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A coworker introduced me to Avgolemono Soup and insisted that we have it on our blog. Also known as Greek Egg-Lemon Chicken Soup, it is extremely satisfying with bright, memorable flavor from the fresh lemon juice.
It really starts as a pretty basic recipe with onions, carrots, celery, chicken and chicken stock. What sets it apart from traditional chicken soup are the egg yolks, which act as a thickening agent, giving it a silky smooth texture without the use of cream or butter.
Prepping the Ingredients
Start by chopping the onions, carrots and celery using a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife.
In culinary circles these three ingredients are known as mirepoix and are the foundation of many dishes like soups and sauces.
To save some time, the recipe uses a precooked rotisserie chicken but, of course, if you want to cook your own chicken that’s fine. Shred it using two forks.
A full half-cup of lemon juice goes into the soup and you’ll need about two large lemons to get that amount. Cut them in half using Cutco’s Santoku-Style Trimmer before juicing them.
You may want to have an extra lemon on hand to slice for garnishing when the soup is done.
Sauté the vegetables, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the salt, pepper and orzo to cook until al dente, then add the chicken.
Tempering the Eggs
One of the key ingredients in Avgolemono Soup is the egg mixture. It requires egg yolks to be tempered before adding them to the pot with all the other ingredients.
In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon juice and egg yolks. Then, using a Ladle, slowly add two ladles full of the hot soup broth to warm the egg mixture, whisking as you go.
Once combined, slowly add the lemon and egg mixture back into the soup and stir.
The Flavor and Texture
What I love about Avgolemono Soup is how easy it is to make. I also like how rich and velvety it is, even without the use of cream or butter, making it a diet-friendly soup for anyone who is lactose intolerant.
Its unmistakable tangy lemon balances well with the chicken and the vegetables, and it’s easy to adjust the amount of lemon juice you use. However, lemon is really what makes this soup shine, so don’t skimp too much. Also, I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice over the bottled variety.
Serve it garnished with a lemon slice and a sprinkle of parsley alongside some crusty bread. If comfort had a soulmate, Avogolemono Soup would be it.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 6 cups chicken stock
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 egg yolks
- Lemon slices, for garnish
- Parsley, for garnish
Directions
- In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add oil. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken stock and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil and add salt, pepper and orzo. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente.
- Add chicken to stockpot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice and egg yolks. Once thoroughly combined, continue to whisk and add 2 ladles of the hot broth to warm the egg mixture (tempering the eggs). Once combined, slowly add the lemon and egg mixture back into the soup and stir.
- Remove from heat, garnish with lemon slices and parsley. Serve with thick bread.
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