This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, Kotosoupa Avgolemono, is a warm, comforting dish with a bright lemony twist. Made with tender chicken, rice, and a silky egg-lemon sauce, it’s the ultimate Greek comfort food. Whether you’re fighting off a cold, craving something nourishing, or looking for a traditional Greek recipe to add to your table, this soup delivers cozy flavors and a rich, creamy texture without any cream.
If you love this Greek Lemon Chicken Soup-Kotosoupa Avgolemono, you will also love this Fasolada-White Bean Soup, Chickpea Soup or Lentil Spinach Lemon Soup!
Why you will love Greek lemon chicken soup
Here is what you need
For the broth
- A whole chicken, or thighs and/or drumsticks with the bone in
- Carrots, celery, and a red onion
- Bay leaves, sea salt, and peppercorns
For the soup
- Diced carrots, celery, and onion
- Sticky rice
- Sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried oregano
For the egg and lemon sauce
- Egg yolks
- Lemons juiced and zested
Step by step
Make the broth
I make my broth in a 7-quart Dutch oven. This recipe yields about 10 cups of broth.
- Place the chicken in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Skim the foam and reduce the heat to low. Add the onion, carrots, bay leaves, fresh herbs sprigs, two tablespoons of sea salt and about ten peppercorns. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter. Let it cool a little.
- Discard the skin and bones, then cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Cover the chicken and set it aside.
- Pour the broth through a sieve into a bowl. Discard the vegetables, wash the pot, and add back the stock.
Start the soup
Add the diced onions, carrots, celery and rice into the broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and turn off the heat. While the rice cooks, zest and juice the lemons.
Make the avgolemono
Step 1: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks very well.
Step 2: Gradually add the lemon zest and juice while whisking until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.
Step 3: Slowly add 1/2 cup of the soup broth to the bowl while whisking vigorously. Add another 1/2 cup in the same way.
Step 4: Add the lemon-egg mixture to the pot and stir. Add salt, freshly ground pepper and extra lemon juice to taste.
Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and chili flakes.
Pro tips
- Temper the eggs slowly: To avoid curdling, whisk hot broth into the eggs gradually before adding them back to the soup.
- Use fresh lemons: Freshly squeezed juice gives the soup its signature brightness.
- Choose the rice wisely: Medium-grain or arborio rice creates a silky texture.
- Shred chicken finely: Bite-sized pieces blend seamlessly into the broth.
Suggestions & substitutions
- The trickiest part of making avgolemono soup is pouring the chicken broth slowly into the egg mixture. If you need to, ask someone to pour the broth slowly while you whisk.
- Instead of making the broth, you can use free-range organic broth.
- Substitute rice with orzo, ditalini, or pastina. Some add couscous or quinoa. You also have the option to leave rice and pasta out altogether.
- Instead of rice or pasta, you can add diced potatoes. Ensure the pieces are diced small enough to cook evenly with the rest of the vegetables.
- You can add 1 cup of grated ripe tomatoes to the broth when you add the rice. It makes a delightful pink soup!
Serving ideas
- Pair with a chunk of crusty horiatiko psomi-peasant bread or toasted Greek flat bread for dipping.
- Add a side of Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta for freshness.
- Serve as a starter before classic Greek main dishes like roasted leg of lamb or spanakopita pie.
- Finish with a light Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts for dessert.
Greek chicken soup FAQ
Yes! You can prepare the broth and chicken ahead of time, then add the egg-lemon mixture right before serving for the best texture.
Don’t worry—while the texture may change, the flavor is still delicious. Next time, add the broth to the eggs even more slowly.
Absolutely! Orzo is a popular variation and gives the soup a slightly different texture.
Storage and reheating
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often. Avoid boiling; high heat can cause the egg-lemon mixture to separate.
- Freezing: Not recommended, as the egg mixture can split after thawing.
More Greek-style soups
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup – Kotosoupa Avgolemono
Ingredients
For the broth
- 4 lbs whole chicken or thighs and/or drumstikcs, bone in
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into 1/3 inch slices
- 2 stalk celery diced
- 2 bay leaf
- fresh thyme leaves
- fresh sage sprigs
- fresh rosemary
- 1 red onion halved
- 10 peppercorns
For the soup
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 celery stick diced
- 1 red onion diced
- 1 cup sticky rice
- dry oregano
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
For the egg and lemon sauce
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 lemons juiced and zested
For serving
- fresh thyme leaves optional
- chili flakes optional
- freshly ground pepper optional
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Skim the foam and reduce the heat to low. Add the onion, carrots, the bay leaves, fresh herbs sprigs, 2 tablespoons of sea salt and about 10 peppercorns. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
- Wash the pot and add back the stock. Add the diced onions, carrots, celery and rice. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the chicken, stir, and turn off the heat.
- While the rice cooks zest and juice the lemons.
Prepare the egg-lemon sauce.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks very well.
- Gradually add the lemon zest and lemon juice while continuously whisking until the mixture thickens a little and becomes creamy.
- Slowly add 1/2 cup of the soup broth to the bowl while whisking vigorously. Add about another 1/2 cup in the same way.
- Keep whisking. Pour the lemon-egg mixture into the pot. Stir thoroughly.Add sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and extra lemon juice to taste.
- Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and chili flakes.
Notes
- The trickiest part when making avgolemono soup is pouring the chicken broth slowly into the egg mixture. If you need to, ask someone to pour the broth slowly while you whisk.
- Chicken broth can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- Instead of making the broth, you can use free-range organic broth.
- You can substitute rice with orzo, ditalini, or pastina. Some add couscous or quinoa. You also have the option to leave rice and pasta out altogether.
- Instead of rice or pasta, you can add diced potatoes. Ensure the pieces are diced small enough to cook evenly with the rest of the vegetables.
- You can add 1 cup grated ripe tomatoes in the broth when you add the rice. It makes a delightful pink soup!
Nutrition
