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Traditional Greek Avgolemono Soup

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Brr!! There’s a chill in the air, and nothing is more comforting than a bowl of soup. Traditional Greek avgolemono soup is comfort food at its best. It’s rich, creamy, and non-dairy.

a dutch oven filled with chicken soup and sliced bread and two spoons in bowls on the right

This mouthwatering recipe comes from a family of egg and lemon sauces that are popular in many Greek dishes.

The sauce can be used for dolmas or drizzled on artichokes. In Middle Eastern cuisine, this egg and lemon sauce can be used on chicken, or fish.

a ladle filled with chicken soup with bowls and spoons on the right and bread in the background

Some food historian believe that avgolemono is closely tied to the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews of Spain. They called their sauce Agristada. The use of eggs as a thickener was necessary in order to abide by Kosher laws.

a dutch oven filled with chicken soup and a ladle on the left

This traditional Greek avgolemono soup has a heavenly creamy texture, and it’s non-dairy.  Its fabulous tangy flavor will wrap you up in comfort. If you eat it at night, you will sleep like a baby. Having said this, you might not want to pack it in your lunch or your boss might find you napping peacefully under your desk.

two white bowls of chicken soup and a red dutch oven in the back

 

Here are the step by step photos to make Greek avgolemono:

A collage of photos showing the ingredients and steps to make Greek avgolemono soup.

  1. Gather all your ingredients and have them measured, chopped and ready to go: chicken stock, chicken breast, lemon, eggs, onion, carrot, peppercorns, bay, parsley, nutmeg, and orzo pasta.
  2. In a braising pan place the chicken breast that has been cut lengthwise (butterfly), bay leaf, carrot, onion, peppercorns and water.
  3. Flip a couple times while cooking. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the pan, place on a cutting board and allow to cool. Shred into small threads about 1 inch long. Discard the solids left in the braising pan.
  4. In a Dutch oven or soup pot bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the orzo pasta and allow to cook for 8 minutes then turn off the heat.
  5. While the pasta is boiling beat the eggs, slowly add the lemon juice and whisk to combine until frothy.
  6. Remove 1 cup of the hot stock from the pot.
  7. Slowly whisk the hot both into the egg lemon mixture. You don’t want to cook or curdle the egg so whisk this vigorously while adding.
  8. Add the egg lemon mixture to the soup pot and continue to whisk while adding.
  9. Add the shredded chicken to the soup pot.
  10. Add the nutmeg to the soup pot and stir to combine. Serve with fresh chopped parsley.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • How long can I save Greek avgolemono soup? Once the soup has cooled, you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Can I freeze this soup? No, since this soup contains orzo pasta it is best not to freeze because the pasta will be mushy and have an unappealing texture when thawed.
  • Can I use chicken broth instead of chicken stock? Yes, there are subtle differences that I noted below but if you have broth on had feel free to use that as a substitute.
  • What is the difference between chicken broth and chicken stock that this recipe calls for? Chicken stock is made from boiling bones with cartilage and thus more collagen. Stock will have a richer texture with more collagen than broth. Broth is made from meat parts and is strained.

Want to try some other simple, ethnic homemade soups here are some you can bookmark for later or pin on Pinterest.   Middle Eastern lentil soup is a vegetarian soup with bold exotic flavors.  If you like Mexican flavors and a spicy soup try this chicken tortilla soup with a creamy and cheesy broth that is great for dipping tortilla chips into.  If you like a sweeter soup then Thai coconut chicken soup brings a nice balance of sweet and savory.  Your soup journey would not be complete without trying French onion soup and reading about the history of this dish that dates back to the Roman empire. Enjoy!

This is a very simple soup to try this winter. Traditional Greek avgolemono soup is a bowl of comfort food with a rich creamy broth and tender chunks of chicken. This soup contains no cream but has a creamy texture with the combination of eggs and lemon. You will love the tangy lemon flavor in this soup. | ethnicspoon.com
5 from 8 votes
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Traditional Greek Avgolemono Soup

A creamy, tangy and delicious recipe. Traditional Greek avgolemono soup is perfect on a cold day/night. Serve with crusty bread.

Course Main dish
Cuisine Greek
Keyword authentic, egg, homemade, lemon, noodles, pasta, soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: Change to adjust-> 6 people
Calories 186 kcal
Author Analida Braeger

Ingredients

  • 6 oz chicken breast shredded fine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 5 peppercorns
  • ½ cup water
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • ¼ cup orzo
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 2 lemons juiced
  • 1 dash nutmeg
  • 2 Tbsp parsley chopped

Instructions

To prepare chicken:

  1. In a braising pan place chicken, bay leaf, carrot, onion, 1/2 cup water and peppercorns. Tip: Cut the breast in half (butterfly) lengthwise before placing in the pan speed the cook time. Flip the chicken over a few times while cooking.

  2. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

  3. Remove from pan, place on a cutting board, and allow it to cook slightly. Discard the solids left in the pan. 

  4. Shred chicken into very small threads, about 1 inch long.

To prepare broth:

  1. In a Dutch oven or soup pot, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for about 8 minutes, then turn off heat. 

  2. While the orzo is cooking beat eggs in a large bowl, and slowly add in the lemon juice. Continue beating until frothy. Remove 1 cup of hot stock from the boiling stock pot.

  3. Very slowly add the cup of hot stock to the egg mixture while whisking. Whisk this quickly, you don't want to cook or curdle the egg.

  4. Pour egg and stock mixture back into the pot slowly, whisking as you go along. Add in the nutmeg. When all the egg mixture has been added, toss in the shredded chicken. Sprinkle in the parsley and stir.

Recipe Notes

Here's a useful tip

  • When you temper the egg/lemon mixture with the warm broth, do it slowly to prevent the eggs from curdling.
  • Serve this simple dish with a nice piece of crusty bread.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • How long can I save Greek avgolemono soup? Once the soup has cooled, you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Can I freeze this soup? No, since this soup contains pasta it is best not to freeze because the pasta will be mushy and have an unappealing texture when thawed.
  • Can I use chicken broth instead of chicken stock? Yes, there are subtle differences that I noted below but if you have broth on had feel free to use that as a substitute.
  • What is the difference between chicken broth and chicken stock that this recipe calls for? Chicken stock is made from boiling bones with cartilage and thus more collagen. Stock will have a richer texture with more collagen than broth. Broth is made from meat parts and is strained.

 

Nutrition Facts
Traditional Greek Avgolemono Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 186 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 79mg26%
Sodium 406mg18%
Potassium 507mg14%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 1895IU38%
Vitamin C 23.5mg28%
Calcium 34mg3%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Analida

      Sarah, we have about the same amount of snow on the ground. I could have made this soup tonight, but I am exhausted. I asked my husband to take me out to dinner, LOL! Yes, avgolemono is so creamy without the cream, a huge plus! 🙂 A delivery service, now there’s an idea. 🙂

      Reply

  6. Amanda

    I’ve heard of this soup and have always wanted to make it because it sounds absolutely delicious! I’m a fan of anything with lemon, and it must add such a brightness to the dish. It looks so convenient to make, too!

    Reply

  11. Christine

    This looks so yummy! I love greek food, but I’ve actually never had this. I’ll definitely have to save this recipe!

    Reply

  12. lauren

    Self proclaimed soup lady right here! Can’t believe I’ve never had this before. It sounds so perfect for the chilly weather or if there’s a little cold going through the house. Will definitely have to put this on our next soup rotation.

    Reply

    • Analida

      Lauren, you will love avgolemono. It is comfort food at its best. If there is a cold going through the house, then this soup is perfect. Let me know how you like it.

      Reply

  14. Dan Huang

    This looks great! I love avgolemono soup! Can I ask if you can cook this in an instant pot? If so, any ideas on how long to cook it for and what setting?

    Reply

  15. Tracey Posner

    I’m using leftover Greek whole roasted chicken from last night.
    My question is are the veggies and bay leaf strained out before you put it all together ? I used all of those things in the stock I used to make last night’s dish. The nutmeg was not used last night so I will be grating this into the soup.
    My assumption, since I have never seen vegetables in this soup any where I’ve ever had it is, in fact removed from the broth But.. You know what they say about assuming! 😉😉

    Reply

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