Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup (Avgolemono)

Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup (Avgolemono)

A bright, comforting soup inspired by the Greek classic Avgolemono, made with shredded chicken, orzo pasta, and a silky lemon-egg broth. Ready in under 40 minutes — perfect for those chilly Sydney spring evenings.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: Avgolemono, Egg and Lemon Soup, Greek Soup

Cook Time: 40

Servings: people

Calories: 311kcal

Equipment

Large pot or Dutch oven
small mixing bowl
whisk
Ladle
Wooden spoon
Tongs or two forks

Ingredients

2 small chicken breasts about 500g
2 litres 8 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup orzo pasta
2 –3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 small brown onion finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
2 eggs
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Sauté the aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Poach the chicken

Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaf.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower in the chicken breasts.
Poach uncovered for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken and set aside to cool slightly. Discard the bay leaf.

Cook the orzo

Add the orzo to the simmering broth and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy.

Shred the chicken

While the orzo cooks, shred the chicken with two forks.

Make the egg-lemon mixture

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.
Gradually ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper it.

Combine and finish

Reduce the soup heat to low.
Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture into the soup, stirring continuously.
Do not let it boil — the soup will turn silky and lightly thickened.

Add the chicken and final touches

Stir in the shredded chicken, lemon zest, and half the parsley.
Season with salt and pepper, and add an optional final squeeze of lemon juice (taste broth before adding extra lemon).

Serve

Ladle into bowls, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and top with the remaining parsley.

Video

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