Avgolemono is a creamy Greek lemon chicken soup that’s naturally thickened with egg whisked into the broth to create a silky smooth and tangy soup that’s quick and easy to make.
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“Loved this recipe so much. Honestly, I was a little skeptical because of the eggs, but my goodness, it’s heaven! My kids ate it up, a few got seconds. It was a great and easy recipe.” -Jessica, FoodieCrush reader
There’s No Cream or Butter in This Ultra Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Comforting chicken soups are part of every culture’s feel-good classic recipe collection. Like my homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Matzo Ball Soup, and Chicken Gnocchi Soup, this Greek lemon chicken soup is not just only good for the soul, but healthful too.
Traditionally known as avgolemono (Greek for “egg-lemon”), this quick and easy soup uses whole eggs plus two egg yolks whisked into the warm chicken broth to create a velvety soup without any cream or butter.
It gets its signature lemony tang from an infusion of lemon peel cooked in the broth and fresh lemon juice whisked into the tempered egg that thickens and flavors.
I poach the chicken in the chicken stock, but leftover or rotisserie chicken works well. And instead of rice, I use orzo in this soup, but either adds starch and body and tastes delicious.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Poach the chicken in the soup for extra flavor. Instead of browning the chicken and then building the soup from there, the broth and soup fixings go into the pot and then we add the chicken breasts. This keeps the chicken super tender and juicy while also infusing the broth with tons more flavor.
Simmer the lemon peel in the soup for bold lemon flavor. Most avgolemono recipes have you add just the lemon juice to the soup, but I found that adding the peel of one lemon adds so much more flavor. To peel the lemon, use a vegetable peeler to remove only the yellow skin; avoid adding any of the bitter white pith, if at all possible.
Extra egg yolks add creaminess. This recipe calls for two whole eggs + two egg yolks. The reason we aren’t using four whole eggs is because egg whites tend to scramble more easily than egg yolks.
The 8 Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts — You’ll quarter the chicken and then poach it in the soup rather than brown it.
- Yellow onion — You want to cook the onion in a little olive oil just to soften it. If it browns, it will make the soup taste bitter.
- Lemons — You’ll be using all parts of the lemon, so don’t try to substitute with bottled lemon juice. The zest (skin) is where the flavorful essential oils reside and that’s what gives this chicken orzo soup a bold lemon flavor.
- Chicken stock or chicken broth — Homemade will obviously taste the best, but a quality store-bought variety works too.
- Orzo — Looks like rice, but it’s actually a type of short grain pasta!
- Whole eggs + egg yolks — The extra egg yolks are what make this particular recipe so dang creamy.
- Cayenne pepper — Just a pinch wakes up the soup without making it taste spicy whatsoever.
- Fresh dill — I trialed this recipe with varying amounts of dill, and ¼ cup seemed to please the masses. However, you can add as much dill as you can handle!
Heidi’s Tip: You can save even more time by using shredded rotisserie chicken and leftover pasta or rice instead of cooking them directly in the broth.
How to Make Avgolemono Soup with Orzo
- Season the chicken breast with salt then set aside. A quick sprinkling of salt brines, tenderizes, and adds flavor to the chicken.
- Flavor the chicken stock with sautéed onion and lemon peel. I use this peeler to make long ribbons of lemon peel. Avoid the white pith, it’s bitter-tasting.
- Poach the chicken in the broth. Turn the heat on the lowest setting so the chicken gently poaches in the broth. Cook for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and discard the lemon peel.
- Bring the broth back to a boil and add the orzo. Cook the orzo for 12-15 minutes.
- Shred the chicken breast. I find using my hands is just as quick and easy as shredding chicken with two forks. Or, try the stand mixer method for shredding chicken for a snappy hack.
- Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Adding extra egg yolks gives this broth a silky, lush mouth feel.
- Temper the eggs with the chicken broth so they don’t turn into scrambled eggs. Slowly whisk ¼ cup of the warm broth into the egg mixture until smooth. Repeat with another ¼ cup of the broth, whisking until smooth.
- Add the tempered egg mixture to the broth then stir in the shredded chicken and chopped dill. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through. Taste for seasoning and serve.
Recipe Additions and Substitutions
- Instead of orzo, try arborio, basmati rice, or broken pasta
- Use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the chicken breast in the chicken broth
- Use leftover cooked white rice instead of cooking it in the broth
- Add diced carrot or celery to the broth to cook at the same time as the orzo
- Add chopped spinach to the soup
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo, and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Avgolemono Recipe (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt , divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 3 lemons , to make ½ cup juice plus the peel of one lemon
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Quarter the chicken breast into four pieces, place in a bowl, season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, then set aside.
- Soften the onion. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Be careful not to brown or the onion will taste bitter.
- Poach the chicken. Add the chicken broth, lemon peel, and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to the lowest simmer. Add the quartered chicken breast to the broth so it is submerged, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth. Shred the chicken and set aside.
- Simmer the soup. Bring the broth back to a boil then add the orzo pasta and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lemon peel and discard.
- Temper the eggs. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a small bowl with the lemon juice and cayenne pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle ¼ cup of the hot chicken broth into the egg mixture. Whisk quickly so it doesn't turn into scrambled eggs. Whisk in an additional ¼ cup broth.
- Finish the soup. Slowly drizzle the tempered broth into the orzo and broth mixture while continuing to whisk. Add the shredded chicken and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Sprinkle with chopped dill and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Serve With Avgolemono
More Chicken Soup Recipe Ideas
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Ed L
Very watery, not thick and rich like it should be. I have made this with other recipes a few times and this is my least favorite
Sorry it didn’t meet your expectations Ed!
Jessica
Loved this recipe so much. Honestly, I was a little skeptical because of the eggs, but my goodness, it’s heaven! My kids ate it up, a few got seconds. It was a great and easy recipe. I used shredded chicken that I made in the instant pot. Definitely adding to the rotation.
Yay! So glad the kids liked it Jessica! Thanks for the comment to let us know!
Liz
Love this recipe! My husband requests this soup all the time and I love it too – delicious and easy to make!
Hayley
Thanks for sharing, Liz. We’re so happy you and your husband love this recipe!