Greek Avgolemono (Lemon): The Best Chicken Soup Recipe Ever

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Greek avgolemono chicken soup, you tasted it at your local Greek restaurant drooled after your first spoonful, and quickly googled the recipe when you got home…

At least that’s what I did when I had it for the first time! Oh my goodness this recipe is a zesty, mouthwatering, and savory bowl of comfort.

I served it to the pickiest of little guests, she ate it all and asked for more (which is not normal according to her dad).

It was a triumphant moment for me and that’s when I knew I had to share this yummy Greek chicken soup recipe with you.

Ingredient Profile

Let’s take a deep dive into some of the prominent ingredients in this Greek Avgolemono Chicken Soup Recipe.

Avgolemono Sauce: Egg-Lemon Sauce

Avgolemono is a Greek word that literally translates to “egg-lemon”.  The egg-lemon sauce, or avgolemono sauce, is what sets this chicken soup apart from all of the others!

It creates a silky, creamy, dreamy soup.

We will be cultivating a new technique in our home kitchen by tempering the eggs before we add them to the soup.

This means we will slowly combine the eggs with a hot liquid without scrambling or curdling them.

I promise the process is very quick and easy! This egg broth creates a velvety, rich soup, unlike an egg drop soup.

How to Temper Eggs for Avgolemono Sauce:

1. Add 2 whole eggs into a mixing bowl with 1/2 cup of lemon juice.

2. Whisk eggs and lemon together until completely combined.

3. Continue whisking and slowly add a ladle full of hot broth while whisking.

4. Keep whisking and slowly add another ladle full of hot broth while whisking.

5. Your eggs are now ready to add to the hot soup!

Broth

Good broth resurrects the dead.

South American Proverb

You can tailor this recipe to fit your needs, if cooking it from scratch is your jam, I have you covered!

If you need to get this soup hot and ready for a quick weeknight meal I have you covered as well! You can make your broth using chicken, chicken bouillon, or pre-made broth.

The broth has so many health benefits and is super easy to make ahead of time for quick weekday meals.

You can find my easy homemade chicken broth recipe here. Also, see the Recipe Variations section for different options to make the broth.

Rice

The traditional Greek lemon chicken soup is made with long-grain white rice instead of pasta.

This can be quickly cooked by starting the whole recipe by rinsing and soaking your rice in water.

Meanwhile, as you begin to chop, cook, and boil, your rice will be softening up in the water. It only takes about 15 minutes.

If you like to use orzo pasta, you can use that as well. Just remember that the orzo cooks in less time, about 7 minutes.

Chicken

There are so many options and variations to use for the chicken ingredient of the classic Greek soup.

The quickest and easiest way is to use a rotisserie chicken and boiling a whole chicken takes the longest time and requires a little planning.

Another common option is to use skinless-boneless chicken breasts and either bouillon or broth or skin and bone-in chicken pieces.

You would cook this in the same way as a whole chicken, see the Recipe Variations section for instructions on the different cooking methods for the chicken.

Greek Avgolemono Chicken Soup Recipe

This comforting soup recipe is perfect for warming your bones during those long winter nights and is one for the books!

You can’t go wrong with this easy Greek lemon chicken soup, even the little ones will love it!

Ingredients

• 2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breats
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp Turmeric (optional)
• 12 cups of water or Chicken Broth
• 2 tbs of Chicken Bouillon (Omit if using broth)
• 2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Large Carrots (finely chopped)
• 2 Celery Stalks (finely chopped)
• 1 Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 Garlic Cloves (finely minced)
• Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 cup Rice

Lemon-Egg Sauce

• Lemon-Egg Sauce
• 1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 whole eggs

Instructions

1. In a heavy large pot or large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery on medium heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper, and add the garlic and bay leaves, saute for 1 minute.

2. Add the water, chicken bouillon, turmeric (optional) and chicken. Bring to a boil, once boiling, add the rice, and set the timer for 15 minutes.

3. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts with a slotted spoon and add them to a mixing bowl. Shred the chicken and discard the bay leaves. After shredding the chicken, use kitchen shears to further cut the chicken into small cubes. Add the cubed chicken back into the pot.

4. Temper the egg-lemon sauce by placing 2 eggs in the same mixing bowl you used to shred the chicken and add 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Whisk until the egg yolks and egg whites are well combined with the lemon juice. Continue mixing while you slowly add a ladle full of warm broth. Keep whisking and add another ladle of warm broth. 

5. Turn off the heat, add the tempered egg-lemon mixture into the pot, and give it a good stir. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Recipe Variations

In this section, explore different ways to cook your Greek Avgolemono Chicken soup.

How to make Simple Homemade Chicken Stock

Ingredients

• 2lbs Whole Chicken (or chicken pieces with bone and skin)
• 12 cups Water
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 tbs Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, add all of the ingredients and set to medium-high heat. 

2. Bring to a boil and remove the scum that rises to the surface.

3. Boil for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove the chicken, and strain the broth into jars, and containers or use it right away for the recipe.

Easy Chicken Avgolemono Soup Instant Pot/ Pressure Cooker Recipe

If you want to get quick and easy results, use your Instant Pot to make the best chicken soup!

Ingredients

• 2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breats
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp Turmeric (optional)
• 10 cups of water or Chicken Broth
• 2 tbs of Chicken Bouillon (Omit if using broth)
• 2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Large Carrots (finely chopped)
• 2 Celery Stalks (finely chopped)
• 1 Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 Garlic Cloves (finely minced)
• Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 cup Rice

Lemon-Egg Sauce

• 1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 whole eggs

Instructions

1. Press the “Saute” button and heat the olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery on normal heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper, and add the garlic and bay leaves, saute for 1 minute.

2. Add the water, chicken bouillon, turmeric (optional), rice and chicken. Press “Cancel”, set it to “Pressure Cook” for 6 minutes, secure the lid, and set the valve to “sealing”.

3. Once the cooking time is done and the pressure is completely released, open the lid, remove the chicken breasts, and add them to a mixing bowl. Shred the chicken and discard the bay leaf. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot.

4. Temper the egg-lemon sauce by placing 2 eggs in the same mixing bowl you used to shred the chicken and add 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Next, whisk until the egg yolks and egg whites are well combined with the lemon juice. Continue mixing while you slowly add a ladle full of hot broth. Keep whisking and add another ladle of hot soup. 

5. Add the tempered lemon-egg mixture into the pot, and give it a good stir. Serve and enjoy!

Crock Pot/ Slow Cooker: Easy Greek Avgolemono Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breats
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp Turmeric (optional)
• 10 cups of water or Chicken Broth
• 2 tbs of Chicken Bouillon (Omit if using broth)
• 2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Large Carrots (finely chopped)
• 2 Celery Stalks (finely chopped)
• 1 Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 Garlic Cloves (finely minced)
• Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 cup Rice

Lemon-Egg Sauce

• 1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 whole eggs

Instructions

1. Add chicken, bay leaves, turmeric (optional), water, bouillon, olive oil, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, rice, salt and pepper into your crockpot.

2. Cook on low for 6 hours or cook on high for 4 hours.

3. Once everything is cooked, remove the chicken breasts with a slotted spoon and add them to a mixing bowl. Shred the chicken and discard the bay leaves. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot.

4. Temper the egg-lemon sauce by placing 2 eggs in the same mixing bowl you used to shred the chicken and add 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Whisk until the egg yolks and egg whites are well combined with the lemon juice. Continue mixing while you slowly add a ladle full of warm broth. Keep whisking and add another ladle of warm broth. 

5. Turn off the heat, add the tempered egg-lemon mixture into the pot, and give it a good stir. Serve and enjoy!

Conclusion

This authentic Greek avgolemono soup recipe will take your average chicken soup to a whole new level because of the velvety, zesty lemon sauce.

It is the best comfort food for the cold season and the creamy texture will have everyone coming back for more, it’s every parent’s dream… 

Be sure to check out the recipe variations when making this delicious soup to suit your meal planning for the week.

I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know which variation you chose in the comments below. 

¡Buen Provecho!