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This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (aka Avgolemono) uses the Greek method of adding eggs to thicken the broth. It’s so fresh and delicious!
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This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (aka Avgolemono, aka Egg-In-Lemon Soup) is a delicious and easy soup that you are going to want to make again and again. It combines so many fresh flavors into a warm and hearty comfort food. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors and this soup is packed with it. Whip up a batch in under an hour!
Ingredients in Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Chicken Breasts – cooked and shredded. Or use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.
- Mirepoix – a mix of celery, carrots, and onion that gives this soup its flavor base.
- Seasonings – garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper
- Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest – your Greek Lemon Chicken Soup will taste a MILLION times better with fresh lemon juice. The bottled stuff just won’t cut it here.
- Chicken Broth – we use the low-sodium broth and then add salt to taste.
- Pearl Couscous – an Israeli pasta made with semolina flour.
- Fresh Dill – you can also use dried dill if needed
- Egg Yolks – egg yolks are used to thicken the broth and make it super creamy.
Variations
- Vegetables – add vegetables like zucchini, spinach, kale, or arugula for even more fresh flavor and greens.
- Grains – you can use other grains in place of pearl couscous, but you will have to adjust the recipe a bit. If you use orzo or acini di pepe, then add them at the same time as you would the couscous, but they will need a little longer to cook. If you use rice or quinoa, then I would suggest cooking them separately and then adding them at the end right before the egg-lemon sauce. Basmati rice, brown rice, or wild rice are all good options.
- Seasonings – If you aren’t able to season the chicken before cooking (if using rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken) add a little garlic powder, lemon pepper, and oregano to the soup at the same time as the bay leaves.
Recipe Tip
Make sure to temper the egg-lemon sauce before adding it to the soup. Temper it by adding two ladles of hot soup broth to the egg-lemon mixture first. Quickly whisk together. If you skip this step, then you will have scrambled eggs in your soup!
Frequently Asked Questions about Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Lemon is a great addition to any chicken soup! It balances out the savory and salty flavors of chicken soup and brings a bright, fresh flavor to the dish.
It translates to eggs-in-lemon soup. It refers to the fact that egg yolks mixed with lemon juice are used to thicken the broth of this soup.
Since lemon is a key flavor in this soup, we add ½ cup. However, if you are adding lemon juice to a typical chicken soup, use about ¼ cup.
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Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge. Leftovers should be eaten within 5-7 days. To freeze, place soup in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More Mediterranean Recipes
How to Make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded, see notes for our preferred method
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 12 cups chicken broth I like to use low-sodium broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup pearl couscous or orzo pasta
- zest of two lemons
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 Tablespoons fresh dill plus more for garnish
- lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft, stirring frequently, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add chicken broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to medium low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add cooked chicken, pearl couscous, and lemon zest. Simmer for another 7-8 minutes, until couscous is al dente.
- Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Add two ladles full of hot broth to the bowl and briskly whisk together. This tempers the eggs and will keep them from scrambling in the soup.
- Remove soup from heat and pour egg mixture in. Stir to combine. Stir in fresh dill.
- Serve with lemon slices and fresh dill for garnish.
Notes
- Place 3 chicken breasts in the Instant Pot on a trivet.
- Add ½ cup water or broth, seasonings and a little butter. For seasonings I used salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and oregano.
- Cook for 20 minutes on Manual – high pressure.
- Quick release, then remove chicken and shred.
- Add the chicken back into the instant pot and stir into the liquid. Place lid on the pot and set to keep warm until you add the chicken to the soup.
So good!! Cut the chicken broth to 8 cups and did 1/4 cup lemon juice
Can you freeze this?
I haven’t tried freezing it before, but it should be fine since there’s not any dairy.
WOW this was a hit! Delicious!
Great soup! I made this twice. I can’t wait to make it again. My husband doesn’t like lemons and he loved it.
So glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!
All I can say is this recipe is excellent!
Delicious – will make this recipe again and again!!!
So glad you liked it!!