Avgolemono Soup

Name: Avgolemono Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Europe, Greek
Ingredients: 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or chicken leg quarters; 4 cups water; 1 medium onion, quartered; 2 large carrots, cut into chunks; 2 celery ribs, cut into chunks; 1 to 2 bay leaves; 1/4 cup uncooked long grain rice, rinsed; 1 large egg white, room temperature; 3 large egg yolks, room temperature; 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; Optional: Fresh parsley, dill and oregano

Total Time Prep: 20 min. Cook: 2-1/2 hours

Yield 4 servings

Test Kitchen Approved

Avgolemono soup is a classic Greek lemon chicken soup. Fortunately, it's harder to pronounce than it is to make!

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or chicken leg quarters
4 cups water
1 medium onion, quartered
2 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery ribs, cut into chunks
1 to 2 bay leaves
1/4 cup uncooked long grain rice, rinsed
1 large egg white, room temperature
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Optional: Fresh parsley, dill and oregano

Directions

Place first 6 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Slowly bring to a boil; reduce heat until mixture is just at a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
Remove chicken; let stand until cool enough to handle. Strain broth, discarding vegetables and bay leaves. Reserve 1 cup broth. Return remaining broth to a simmer. Add rice; simmer, covered, until tender, 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add egg yolks and beat until frothy, 1-2 minutes. Slowly add lemon zest and juice; stir to combine. Gradually add reserved broth into egg mixture. Beat until well blended, 1-2 minutes.
Slowly pour egg mixture into rice mixture; stir to combine. Return soup to a simmer. Add salt and pepper; cook and stir, continuously, until soup thickens, 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred chicken. Serve soup with shredded chicken and, if desired, fresh parsley, dill, oregano and additional lemon zest.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 392 calories, 22g fat (7g saturated fat), 245mg cholesterol, 701mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 34g protein.

While avgolemono may be tricky to pronounce if you didn’t grow up eating traditional Greek food, the recipe itself couldn’t be simpler. A quintessential Greek dish, this avgolemono soup is made using pantry staples and results in a meal that’s pure comfort food. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Recipe Creator