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.

5 from 8 votes

Course: Main dish

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: authentic, egg, homemade, lemon, noodles, pasta, soup

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: people

Calories: 186kcal

Author: Analida Braeger

In a braising pan place chicken, bay leaf, carrot, onion, ½ 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.
Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove from pan, place on a cutting board, and allow it to cook slightly. Discard the solids left in the pan.
Shred chicken into very small threads, about 1 inch long.

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. If using rice, boil for 20 minutes or until the rice is soft.
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 pot.
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.
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.

Tips:

If you are in a hurry to make this soup, get a roaster chicken from the grocery store. These are a great shortcut.
Temper the eggs and lemon into the broth. After you turn off the heat, allow the broth to cool for a few minutes after boiling. Take 1 cup of the broth and slowly whisk it into the egg-lemon mixture.
Don't boil the finished soup. If you reheat the soup don't bring it to a boil or the egg will curdle and it will loose its smooth texture. It will still be edible but the texture will be different.

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?
Once the soup has cooled you can freeze it in airtight containers. It will keep nicely for 3 months. The pasta will be quote a bit softer when thawed but still tasty so rice is a better option if you plan to freeze this soup.
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.