Description
A comforting Greek chicken, rice, and lemon soup known as Avgolemono, featuring tender shredded chicken in a creamy, tangy broth enriched with eggs and fresh lemon juice. This traditional stovetop soup balances savory and citrus flavors, perfect for a nourishing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1.6kg whole chicken
- 6 black peppercorns
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
Soup and Garnish
- 300g medium or long-grain rice
- 4 eggs
- 2 lemons, juiced, plus pared zest to serve (optional)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon, plus an extra pinch to serve
- Salt, to taste
- Generous pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken Stock: Place the whole chicken in a large saucepan with the black peppercorns, roughly chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender and falling apart. Remove from heat and allow to cool, covered, for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Shred Chicken and Strain Stock: Transfer the cooled chicken to a board and shred the meat from the bones. Discard the carcass. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, discarding the vegetables and aromatics. Measure about 2.5 liters of the broth and return it to the saucepan.
- Cook the Rice: Season the stock with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Prepare Egg and Lemon Mixture: In a stand mixer bowl or a large bowl with an electric whisk, crack the eggs and add the juice of 1½ lemons, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Whisk together until combined.
- Temper the Eggs: With the mixer running on low speed, slowly ladle some hot stock (without rice) into the egg mixture, whisking continuously to slowly raise the temperature. Repeat this process three more times to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- Combine and Thicken the Soup: Pour the tempered egg and stock mixture into the rice soup. Add the shredded chicken and simmer gently over low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously to create a thick, creamy texture without curdling.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the juice of the remaining ½ lemon to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with a pinch of extra cinnamon and lemon zest if desired. Alternatively, let the soup stand for 10 minutes to thicken further before serving.
Notes
- Use medium or long-grain rice for best texture; avoid quick-cooking or instant rice.
- Tempering the eggs is essential to achieve the creamy texture without scrambling the eggs.
- Adjust lemon juice according to your preferred level of tanginess.
- This soup is best served fresh, but leftovers can be gently reheated with careful stirring.
- Adding cinnamon is traditional and adds a warm note, but can be omitted if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Keywords: Greek chicken soup, Avgolemono, chicken lemon rice soup, creamy chicken soup, traditional Greek soup
