This authentic Greek lemon chicken soup (Kotosoupa Avgolemono) brings Mediterranean comfort to your table in just 90 minutes. The velvety broth, enriched with tender chicken and bright citrus notes, delivers a satisfying 31.5g of protein per bowl.
Perfect for chilly evenings, this classic Greek recipe combines simple ingredients into a restaurant-worthy soup that’s both nourishing and delicious. At only 277 calories per serving, it’s a wholesome choice that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
Ingredients for Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Whole Chicken: 1-1.2 kg, fresh or thawed
- Red Onion: 1 whole, peeled
- Water: 5 cups, preferably filtered
- Short-grain Rice: 150-200g Arborio rice, well rinsed
- Eggs: 2 large ones, at room temperature for best results
- Lemon: Juice from 1 fresh lemon
- Carrots: 2 medium-sized (optional but adds nice flavor)
- Seasonings: Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Broth: Place chicken in a deep pot with onion and carrots. Cover with water and season well.
- Cook the Chicken: Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove any white foam that surfaces.
- Rice Preparation: Soak rice in water for 30 minutes, then drain through a fine colander.
- Strain and Continue: Remove chicken, strain broth (you should have about 1 liter), and cook rice in the hot broth.
- Prepare Chicken: Shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and bones.
- Make Avgolemono Sauce: Whisk eggs until foamy, add lemon juice, then gradually incorporate hot broth to temper.
- Final Assembly: Pour egg mixture back into soup while stirring constantly. Let rest 3-4 minutes.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, top with shredded chicken and fresh pepper or paprika.
The Art of Avgolemono (Egg-Lemon Sauce)
The magic of this Greek soup lies in its silky, creamy egg-lemon sauce. The key is to warm up the eggs slowly – this stops them from curdling. If you’re new to this technique, go nice and slow when adding the hot broth to your egg mixture. Keep whisking constantly, and you’ll end up with a perfectly smooth, velvety soup that’s a joy to eat!
Storage Tips
This soup will stay fresh in your fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. When you reheat it, warm it gently over low heat while stirring – this helps keep that lovely creamy texture. Just a friendly tip: the rice might soak up more broth as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of warm chicken broth when reheating. I don’t recommend freezing this soup because the egg-lemon sauce can separate when thawed.
Serving Suggestions
In Greece, we love serving this cozy soup with chunks of crusty bread for dunking. A simple Greek salad on the side makes it a complete meal. For extra zing, put some lemon wedges on the table – some folks love an extra squeeze! During winter months, I love sprinkling a bit of extra paprika on top – it adds a lovely warm color and gentle spice that works beautifully with the lemony flavors.
Simple Variations
While this is a classic recipe, you can make it your own! Try orzo pasta instead of rice – it’s just as tasty. For a lighter version, use only egg whites in your avgolemono sauce. Love herbs? Add some fresh dill or parsley at the end. You can also make this with turkey instead of chicken, which is what many Greek families do with leftover holiday birds!
Greek lemon Chicken Soup (Kotosoupa Avgolemono)
Equipment
- Deep pot
- Fine colander
- Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 1-1.2 kg/ 35-40 ounces
- 1 whole red onion peeled
- 5 cups water 1.2 L
- 150-200 g short-grain rice like Arborio (6-7 ounces)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 whole lemon juiced
- 2 whole carrots optional
- to taste salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- To prepare this traditional Greek lemon chicken soup, place your chicken in a deep pot. Push the chicken with your hands down to the bottom of the pan, add the whole onion, the carrot, pour in the water and season. The water should be enough to cover the chicken. Place on high heat, put the lid on and bring to the boil.
- When the chicken starts to boil, turn the heat down and boil the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The chicken is ready when the meat can be removed easily from the bones. While the chicken boils, some white foam will probably surface on the water. Remove the foam with a slotted spoon.
- Proceed to pre soak your rice. While the chicken is cooking, rinse your rice and add it in a bowl and cover it with some water. Let it stand for 30 minutes. Using a fine colander, drain the water and set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and strain the broth. You should have about 1 litre of broth left. If it has reduced a lot, add some water. Add the hot broth in another pot, add the rice and season with salt and pepper and boil, until done.
- While the rice is being cooked, prepare your chicken. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and discard the skin. Shred the meat into bite sized chunks.
- To prepare the egg lemon sauce for this Greek lemon chicken soup, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk, until foamy; add the lemon juice and whisk again. Add into the bowl a ladle of hot soup and whisk quickly. Add one more ladle and whisk again, so that the eggs gradually warm up and cook gently. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, whilst constantly stirring so your eggs do not curdle. Then put the lid on and set it aside for 3-4 minutes.
- To assemble and serve your chicken soup, ladle the soup into your bowls, top with the diced chicken and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper or paprika. Enjoy!