Go Back
A close-up shot of a spoonful of creamy avgolemono soup, showing the tender shredded chicken and orzo pasta.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Authentic Avgolemono)

This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono) recipe is the ultimate guide to achieving a silky, creamy, and vibrant soup. It's an authentic, dairy-free, and comforting meal perfect for any night of the week. Learn the foolproof method today!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups chicken broth low-sodium
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 medium onion peeled and halved
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and halved
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice from 2-3 lemons
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 0.25 cup fresh dill or parsley chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Mixing Bowl

Method
 

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine chicken broth, onion, and carrots. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken and cook for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
  2. Remove chicken to a cutting board. Discard onion and carrots. Shred the chicken using two forks.
  3. Return broth to a simmer and add orzo. Cook according to package directions until al dente.
  4. While orzo cooks, whisk eggs in a medium bowl until pale and frothy. Slowly whisk in the fresh lemon juice.
  5. Crucial step: Whisking constantly, very slowly ladle about 2 cups of hot broth into the egg mixture to gently raise its temperature.
  6. Reduce pot heat to low. Slowly pour the tempered avgolemono mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly. Add shredded chicken. Stir gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Do not boil.
  7. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh dill or parsley.

Notes

Use Room Temperature Eggs: This makes the tempering process smoother and less likely to curdle.
Fresh Lemon Juice is Essential: Do not substitute with bottled juice; the flavor will not be the same.
Do Not Boil: Once the avgolemono is added, keep the soup at a gentle heat to prevent the eggs from curdling.