Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
A bright, comforting greek lemon chicken orzo soup made with tender shredded chicken, orzo pasta, and a silky lemon-egg broth in the traditional avgolemono style
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- whisk
- ladle
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice about 2-3 lemons
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh dill or parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Sauté the Aromatics and Start the Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the diced onion, carrots, and celery.. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion turns translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the whole chicken breasts directly to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-18 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Cook the Orzo and Shred the Chicken
- Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot and set them aside on a cutting board to cool slightly. Add the orzo directly to the simmering broth and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- While the orzo cooks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks, then set it aside until the orzo is tender.
Make the Lemon-Egg Mixture and Finish the Soup
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together until smooth. Ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth from the pot into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly; this tempering step gradually raises the temperature of the eggs so they don't scramble once added back to the pot.
- Reduce the heat under the pot to low, then slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the soup while stirring continuously. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let the soup sit over low heat for a couple of minutes to thicken slightly without boiling, since boiling at this stage can cause the eggs to curdle. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley before serving.
Notes
- Never let the soup boil after adding the egg-lemon mixture, since high heat will cause the eggs to scramble instead of creating a silky texture.
- Whisking a small amount of hot broth into the eggs before adding them back to the pot is the most important step for a smooth, curdle-free soup, so don't rush through the tempering process.
- If the soup is too thick after sitting, a splash of extra warm broth stirred in will loosen it back up without diluting the lemon flavor.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice makes a noticeable difference here compared to bottled juice, both in brightness and overall flavor.
- Leftover soup will continue to thicken as the orzo absorbs more liquid in the fridge, so plan to add a bit of extra broth when reheating.