Avgolemono Soup with Orzo (Lemon Greek Chicken Soup)

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Avgolemono soup is a classic Greek lemon-egg soup that’s both creamy and comforting.

Shredded chicken, orzo and a few veggies combine with a silky lemon and egg broth for a hearty, cozy soup that’s ready in 30 minutes.

What is Avgolemono Soup?

Avgolemono soup is the most popular soup in Greek cuisine. It’s zesty, comforting and creamy without having cream in it.

It is made at all times of the year in many different variations and varieties. Traditionally it is made with chicken and rice, but sometimes other meats are used. We’ve used orzo in this recipe instead, which cooks quicker.

The key is the avgolemono, or the egg-lemon sauce. This is what makes it stand out compared to other chicken soups.

Ingredients like chicken, onions, pasta and broth are common in soups, but the egg-lemon sauce adds extra tangy flavors that raise the bar.

Why You Should Try This Avgolemono Soup with Orzo

There are plenty of reasons to give this avgolemono soup a try:

• Heartening soup that’s perfect for the winter
• Uses lots of ingredients you likely have on hand
• Contains over 30g of protein with just 420 calories
• Ready in less than 30 minutes (many avgolemono soup recipes take over an hour)

This recipe uses a few ‘cheats’ to get you those delicious flavors, such as using cooked shredded chicken instead of cooking some from scratch and using orzo, which cooks quicker than rice.

Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with great comfort soups. If you have time, definitely try our Mediterranean Lentil Soup or this Ground Beef Vegetable Soup.

Substitutions for Avgolemono Soup with Orzo

If you don’t have all the ingredients on hand, here are some of the easiest swaps to make in the recipe:

• Scallions / Spring Onions / Onions – all young onions have a similar taste, so it doesn’t make too much difference in the recipe.
• Bay Leaves / Thyme Leaves – even though they have very different appearances, both leaves have a minty flavor and can be substituted accordingly.
• Rice / Orzo – Orzo is often a better alternative to Rice since it is softer and creamer than rice, contains more than double the protein of rice and cooks more quickly than orzo. Orzo typically cooks in 8-10 minutes, white rice typically is 15-20 and brown rice can take up to 45 minutes. However, rice is traditionally the carbohydrate served in Greek avgolemono soups.
• Raw Chicken / Cooked Shredded Chicken – using shredded chicken that is already cooked saves you the hassle of cooking the chicken beforehand. If you don’t have cooked or leftover chicken, store-bought rotisserie chicken or poached chicken breasts are a great alternative. If you want to use raw chicken, then slice the chicken up into small chunks, bring water to a boil and let the chicken simmer for 10 minutes. Check the chicken has cooked through and if not, repeat every few minutes. Don’t overcook or they will be rubbery.
• Vegetable Broth / Chicken Broth – chicken broth has a richer flavor than vegetable stock, but vegetable broth can be used instead if necessary. Since a lot of chicken stock is used within this recipe, be sure to get a low-sodium chicken broth, as this can reduce sodium per soup by as much as 20%.

Cooking Tips For the Avgolemono Mixture

The avgolemono mixture (lemon-egg mixture) is what separates this from other chicken soups, providing extra zing and a silky thick consistency. However, this is the trickiest part of the cooking process, so be sure to follow these tips below:

1. Ensure you temper the lemon-egg mixture. The tempering process in this recipe involves whisking the egg-lemon mixture vigorously whilst adding the hot stock. This brings up the temperature of the mixture so that when you add it back into the soup, the eggs don’t curdle and scramble.
2. Add the avgolemono mixture to the soup at the end and remove from heat straight away. This is the last thing you’ll do. You need to take the soup off the heat immediately so that the eggs don’t cook and separate from the soup.

How to Store and Reheat Avgolemono Soup

• To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a maximum 4 days.
• To Freeze: Keep the soup in a freezer-safe container and keep it for up to 3 months.
• For Reheating: Reheat the soup at medium-low heat, regardless of whether it has been stored in the fridge or freezer. Reheat on the stovetop for larger quantities, or use a microwave for smaller quantities. Add more broth or water to thin the soup when reheating.

Ingredients for Avgolemono Soup with Orzo

To make this avgolemono soup with orzo, you’ll need the following ingredients for 4 people.

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 2 medium (1 cup/150g) carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups (2L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup (200g) orzo
• 1 cup (200g) cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken is good)
• 2 eggs
• 4 medium lemons, juiced (or ½ cup lemon juice)
• Freshly chopped dill, to serve

How to Make This Avgolemono Soup with Orzo

Step 1 – Add the olive oil to a large pot or saucepan and cook on low-medium heat.

Step 2 – Meanwhile, dice the onions, carrots and celery. One the oil is hot, add them to the pan and saute for 5 minutes.

Step 3 – Crush the garlic and add the garlic, oregano and thyme leaves. Cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 4 – Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, season with salt and pepper, then bring the heat down and simmer the broth. Cook the orzo for 10 minutes. 

Step 5 – Once the orzo is finished cooking, add the cooked shredded chicken and stir through.

Step 6  – Next, prepare the avgolemono sauce (egg-lemon mixture). To do this, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl.

Step 7 – Whilst whisking with one hand, add two ladles of the hot chicken broth from the soup. This tempers the sauce. Stir the avgolemono mixture into the broth and immediately remove from the heat so the eggs don’t cook.

Step 8 – Serve with fresh dill and your favorite bread.

Extra Hearty Soups

This Avgolemono soup makes for an excellent midweek staple, but if you’re looking for some other hearty, yet healthy soups, then check these out below!

• Butternut Squash Bell Pepper Soup
• Mediterranean White Bean Soup
• Greek Meatball Soup
• Poached Chicken and Vegetable Soup
• Lentil Soup

Yield: 4

Avgolemono Soup with Orzo

Print

This hearty avgolemono soup is a staple within Greek cuisine. It's zest flavors and healthy ingredients make for a perfect midweek meal, ready within 30 minutes.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium (1 cup/150g) carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups (2L) chicken broth
• 1 tsp bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup (200g) orzo
• 1 cups (200g) cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken is good)
• 2 eggs
• 4 medium lemons, juiced (or ½ cup lemon juice)
• Freshly chopped dill, to serve

Instructions

1. Add the olive oil to a large pot or saucepan and cook on a low-medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots and celery and saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, oregano and thyme leaves. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, season with salt and pepper, then bring the heat down and simmer the broth. Cook the orzo for 10 minutes.  Once the orzo is finished cooking, add the cooked shredded chicken and stir through.
4. Prepare the avgolemono sauce (egg-lemon mixture). To do this, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl. Whilst whisking with one hand, add two ladles of the hot chicken broth from the soup. This tempers the sauce.
5. Stir the avgolemono mixture into the broth and immediately remove from the heat so the eggs don’t cook.
6. Serve with fresh dill and your favorite bread.

Notes

Ensure you temper the lemon-egg mixture. The tempering process in this recipe involves whisking the egg-lemon mixture vigorously whilst adding the hot stock. This brings up the temperature of the mixture so that when you add it back into the soup, the eggs don't curdle and scramble.

Add the avgolemono mixture to the soup at the end and remove from heat straight away. This is the last thing you'll do. You need to take the soup off the heat immediately so that the eggs don't cook and separate from the soup.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

4
Amount Per Serving Calories 421Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 129mgSodium 1243mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 3gSugar 5.5gProtein 30.5g

Want More Delicious, Mediterranean Style Recipes?

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