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Greek Chicken Lemon Soup with Orzo "Avgolemono"

Of all the soups in the Greek cuisine this is the number one most popular soup! Better the next day!
Course Soup
Cuisine Greek
Keyword avgolemono, chicken, Greek, lemon, soup
Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stock
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 lemon for juice before serving

Egg-Lemon Sauce

  • 3 eggs
  • Juice of 2-3 lemons, strained strained
  • 1 cup broth from chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Wash chicken and remove the inside parts. Rinse with cold water. Add whole chicken to a large pot. Place enough cold water in the pot to cover the chicken and 2 more inches of water. Add 1/2 of an onion, and one carrot cut in thirds, plus one celery stalk.
  2. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer and cover. Skim off any foam as it appears. Simmer for 2 hours. Remove chicken and place in a bowl.
  3. Strain broth and return to the pot. If serving with the egg-lemon sauce, remove 1 cup broth and set aside.
  4. Add 2 teaspoons salt to the broth and bring to a boil.
  5. Add the orzo, and cook on medium-high for twenty minutes or until orzo is ready.
  6. Peel and clean the chicken. Cut 1/2 the chicken in small pieces and add to the broth.
  7. Remove broth from the heat. Make the sauce.
  8. Gently add the sauce to your broth, and serve.
  9. Serve with a dash of pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
  10. Place remaining chicken on a platter and serve with the soup.

Egg-Lemon Sauce

  1. Beat eggs until thick and light yellow, at least 5 minutes. ( I put mine in the blender, or a hand-mixer, or food-processor)
  2. Continue to blend and slowly add lemon juice.
  3. Continue and slowly add broth.
  4. Add to soup. Do not re-boil soup.

Recipe Notes

Note: This soup can be made a day ahead, and reheated. Add a little water if needed.