Perfect for cold nights when you need something hearty and filling, this classic Greek recipe is sure to become a favorite in your household!

What is Greek lemon chicken soup with orzo (Avgolemono)?

Greek lemon chicken soup with orzo is a classic Greek soup made with a mixture of lemon juice and eggs (Avgolemono), providing a tangy and velvety consistency. Orzo (manestra), a rice-shaped pasta, is often added to the soup to provide a heartier texture.

The soup is typically made with chicken broth or stock, although it can also be prepared with vegetable broth for a vegetarian option. Fresh herbs, such as dill or parsley, are often added as a garnish to enhance the flavor of this comforting and delicious soup.

• Hearty comfort food: This Greek soup is ideal when you want something that is filling and warming
• Make in bigger batches: It is also easier to make in larger quantities if you are feeding more people

Greek lemon chicken soup with Orzo Key Ingredients 

Chicken: You’ll want 6 chicken thighs, skin-on with the bone for this recipe. To them, you’ll add red onions and carrots.

Orzo: The recipe uses around 120g of orzo pasta for six servings.

Egg mixture (Avgolemono): You need 2 large eggs, juice from one lemon and some roughly chopped dill for the sauce.

Key Preparation Tips for Greek lemon chicken soup with Orzo

There are three main steps involved with this recipe:

1. Prepare the chicken
2. Cook the orzo
3. Make the egg mixture and serve

Prepare the chicken

Place the chicken thighs in a big pot with halved and peeled red onion and finely chopped, peeled carrots to cook the chicken. Don’t forget to season well and add sufficient water to completely cover the chicken. Add more water if needed.

First, heat the mixture until it boils. Then, lower the heat to a low setting and let it simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes.

Cook the orzo

Take out the chicken thighs from the pan and keep them aside. Check the seasoning and include more salt and pepper to the soup if required.

After adding the orzo, increase the heat to medium and cook for another 15 minutes with the lid on until the pasta becomes tender.

After the chicken has cooled down, remove the skins and shred the meat from the bone. Make sure to return the bones to the pot as soon as possible.

After the orzo becomes tender, take out the chicken bones and red onion from the pot. Use a sieve to strain out any carrot or orzo pieces and transfer 3-4 ladles of hot soup to a jug.

Make the egg lemon sauce (Avgolemono) and serve

Whisk the eggs with lemon juice until frothy. While whisking continuously, slowly add hot soup to the egg mixture until it becomes light, creamy, and loose. Then, whisk the mixture back into the soup pot.

After shredding the chicken, put it back into the soup. If necessary, add some additional water and recheck the seasoning. Once the chicken has heated up, take the pot off the stove and mix in the diced dill before serving.

What is tempering? Why is it important in this recipe?

Tempering is a technique used to slowly raise the temperature of a cold or room temperature liquid mixture, such as eggs or dairy, by adding a small amount of hot liquid to it while constantly whisking. Gradually increasing the temperature of the mixture prevents the eggs from curdling or scrambling when added to a hot liquid.

In the case of Avgolemono with Orzo, tempering is important because it ensures that the mixture of eggs and lemon juice does not separate or curdle when added to the hot chicken broth.

This technique allows the soup to maintain a smooth and velvety consistency, giving it that signature creamy texture. Without tempering, the soup would not have the desired richness and could potentially have an unappetizing texture.

What pasta can you use in place of Orzo?

If you don’t have orzo available, you can easily substitute other small pasta shapes to make your Avgolemono soup. Here are a few possible pasta choices:

• Arborio Rice: You can use arborio rice, which is commonly used to make risotto, as a substitute for orzo in Avgolemono soup. The rice grains help to give the soup a rich and creamy texture.
• Acini di Pepe: Acini di Pepe are small, round pasta that works well as a substitute for orzo. They are perfect for soups because they cook quickly and absorb the flavors of the broth well.
• Ditalini: Ditalini pasta is small tube-shaped pasta that is about the same size as orzo. They have a hollow center, which captures the broth and creates a hearty texture.

Variations

There are several variations that can be made to this recipe to customize it to your taste. Here are a few ideas:

1. Add vegetables: To make the soup more hearty, you can add vegetables such as carrots, celery, peas or spinach to the broth.
2. Use a different protein: Instead of chicken, you can use other types of protein.
3. Add spices: To give the soup a different flavor, you can add spices like cumin, paprika or coriander.
4. Make it vegetarian: You can substitute chicken broth for vegetable broth and omit the chicken to make a vegetarian version of the soup.

These are just a few ideas but feel free to get creative and come up with your own variations based on what ingredients you have on hand and what flavors you prefer.

Serving suggestions

Greek lemon chicken soup with Orzo pairs well with a variety of side dishes that complement its rich, tangy flavor. Garlic bread is one perfect side dish. Serve it warm, the crispy garlic bread is perfect for dipping into the soup.

The simplest way to serve the soup is with some fresh, crusty, Greek village bread, sourdough bread, bread machine sourdough bread or my easy and crusty bread made with self raising flour. 

A classic Greek salad with feta cheese, olives, cucumber, and tomato is another great side dish that complements the flavors of the soup.

Love soups?

If you love a hearty soup as much as I do then these recipes below are perfect for a cold winter’s day!

• Traditional Greek Meatball Soup (Giouvarlakia/ Youvarlakia) In Egg-Lemon Sauce Recipe
• Greek Beef Soup Recipe (Kreatosoupa)
• Traditional Magiritsa Recipe (Greek Easter Soup)
• Greek Chickpea Soup Recipe (Revithia)
• Traditional Greek Bean Soup Recipe (Fasolada)
• Greek Lentil Soup Recipe (Fakes Soupa)
• Traditional Greek lemon Chicken soup (Kotosoupa Avgolemono)

Greek Lemon Chicken soup with Orzo (Avgolemono)

(29 votes, average: 4.03 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 55 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 portions
• Category: Soups
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek

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Greek lemon chicken soup with orzo (Avgolemono) is a traditional Greek soup that combines the tangy flavors of lemon and eggs with the heartiness of orzo pasta. Perfect for cold nights when you need something hearty and filling, this classic Greek recipe is sure to become a favorite in your household!

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Ingredients

• 6 skin on bone in chicken thighs
• 1 large red onion
• 2 carrots
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 cups water (1.2 L)
• 120g orzo (4 oz) 
• 2 large eggs
• juice 1 lemon
• small handful fresh dill, roughly chopped

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  Greek Beef Soup recipe (Kreatosoupa)

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Instructions

1. Place the chicken thighs in a large pot with the red onion, peeled and halved, and the carrots, peeled and finely chopped. Season well and add the water, adding more if needed to make sure the chicken pieces are completely covered. Bring to the boil before reducing the heat to low. Allow to simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and set aside. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to the soup if needed. Add the orzo and turn the heat up to medium. Cook with the lid on for another 15 minutes, or until the pasta is just tender.
3. Meanwhile, once the chicken is cool enough to touch discard the skins and shred the meat from the bone, returning the bones to the pot as soon as you can.
4. Once the orzo is tender, remove the chicken bones and red onion, and remove 3-4 ladles of hot soup from the pot into a jug, using a sieve to leave any carrot or orzo pieces behind.
5. Whisk the eggs until just frothy and then whisk in the lemon juice. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot soup into the egg mixture until loose, light and creamy. Then slowly whisk it back into the soup pot. 
6. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Add a little more water if needed, and check the seasoning again. Once the chicken has warmed through remove from the heat and stir through the chopped dill before serving.

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Keywords: Greek lemon chicken soup with orzo, Avgolemono with orzo

The post Greek Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo (Avgolemono) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

It takes just a few minutes to create and adds tons of flavor to any type of chicken. You can easily use it to add flavor to chicken for a meal or to great delicious grilled chicken for your next barbecue.

Greek Marinade for Chicken

Greek chicken marinade is a simple to prepare marinade to make your chicken more flavorful without a lot of extra work.

Marinades are used for all kinds of meat and this one could be adapted to other meats but is definitely a star when added with chicken.

• Easy to make: Marinade takes just a few minutes to prepare.
• Use with any type of chicken: You can add any cut of chicken into the marinade.

Greek marinade for Chicken with yogurt 

It is definitely best to use Greek yogurt for this recipe if you have it, because the yogurt works to tenderize the chicken. However, if you don’t have any Greek yogurt, you can use plain natural yogurt and it will work in a similar way.

If you don’t have any kind of yogurt you could use lemon juice as stated at the recipe below.

Tip: Depending on what you are serving with the chicken, you can add a teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika to the marinade for extra flavor.

Key Ingredients Greek Marinade for Chicken

Marinade: The marinade is made up of olive oil, lemon, garlic cloves, yogurt and red wine vinegar with dried oregano and runny honey in the mixture.

Chicken: You can use any type of chicken for the piece, thighs, breasts or chicken pieces. It is also optional if you want to have the skin on or off. You’ll want around 1lb or 1 ½ ounce for this recipe.

Greek chicken marinade Key Preparation Tips

Take a large bowl or a ziplock bag and add the oil, lemon zest, crushed and peeled garlic and Greek yogurt. Mix in the oregano, honey, and red wine vinegar and season with salt and black pepper. Use a whisk to combine them.

Take the chicken and add to the marinade bowl or bag then put in the fridge for a minimum of two hours, ideally overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (390 F) and roast the marinated chicken for 20-30 minutes depending on the size. You might need nearer 40 minutes for something like bone in chicken thighs.

Tip: If you used chicken with skin on, transfer them to a grill and heat until the skin is crispy with a good level of caramelization.

How to cook the marinated chicken on the grilled pan or barbecue

If you want to grill the chicken instead, use a direct heat to caramelize the meat before moving it to the edge of the pan to cook indirectly.

I do not recommend the griddle pan method, only the barbecue for skin on or bone in pieces of chicken, though skin on, bone in chicken thighs can be browned in the pan before being transferred to the oven to cook through.

Variations

There are two main variations for this Greek Marinade for chicken. First one is with yogurt and the second one is with lemon juice.

While I always use olive oil for marinades, you can switch the type of oil you use depending on the style of dish you want to use the chicken in. So you could use sesame oil for Asian style dishes or canola or vegetable oil for Mexican or American style dishes.

Making ahead of time and storing

You can store the cooked chicken for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container and reheat it to use in different recipes.

Can you reuse leftover marinade?

You shouldn’t reuse a marinade that has contained uncooked chicken unless it has been cooked in some way. That’s because there’s harmful bacteria that can come from raw chicken and pass through the marinade.

As a best practice, if you want to use your marinade more than once, simply set aside a portion of the marinade in the fridge before you add the raw chicken. This leftover marinade can be safely used later for 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions

You can serve the chicken as it or can serve it alongside other Greek favorites such as salads:

1. Greek Orzo Salad (Orzo feta salad)
2. Traditional Greek salad (Xoriatiki)
3. Delicious Greek Lentil Salad Recipe with Feta cheese (Fakes Salata)
4. Refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad recipe
5. Grilled Halloumi and Roasted Vegetables Salad Recipe
6. Greek Pasta Salad recipe
7. Greek chickpea salad

You could also serve it alongside some easy lemon rice, Greek lemon potatoes or vegetable dishes you love.

Other delicious chicken recipes

• Chicken souvlaki 
• Giouvetsi kotopoulo (Greek orzo and chicken)
• Lemony Greek rice pilaf with chicken legs 
• Greek chicken pie (kotopita)
• Greek lemon chicken and potatoes (kotopoulo lemonato)
• Homemade Greek chicken gyro 
• Greek lemon chicken soup (Kotosoupa Avgolemono)

Find out how to make Greek yogurt from scratch with my super easy recipe!

Greek marinade for chicken

(19 votes, average: 4.37 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 portions
• Category: Main
• Method: Grilled
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

All you need to take your chicken to the next level is a simple yet full of Mediterranean flavours marinade! And I have just the perfect Greek marinade for chicken for you to try!

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Ingredients

For Greek chicken marinade

• 90ml extra virgin olive oil (1/3 cup)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt (or the juice of 1 lemon) 
• 1 tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 500g chicken thighs, breasts, or other chicken pieces, skin on or off (1 lb 1 1/2 oz)

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  Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes…

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl or ziplock bag combine the oil, lemon zest, garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, Greek yogurt (or the juice of the lemon, if you don’t have any Greek yogurt to hand), dried oregano, honey, red wine vinegar, salt and plenty of black pepper. Whisk to combine.
2. Add your choice of chicken pieces and marinate in the fridge for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.
3. In the oven: In a 200 degrees (390 fahrenheit) oven roast the chicken pieces for 20-30 minutes depending on their size (40 minutes for bone in chicken thighs) until the meat is cooked through. If the pieces still have their skin, finish them under a hot grill if needed to get nice crispy skin and a good level of caramelisation. 
4. On a griddle pan or barbecue: Cook on a direct heat until the meat is caramelised before moving to the edge of the pan or an area of indirect heat to cook through. We do not recommend the griddle pan method, only the barbecue for skin on or bone in pieces of chicken, though skin on, bone in chicken thighs can be browned in the pan before being transferred to the oven to cook through. 

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Keywords: greek marinade for chicken, greek yogurt marinade for chicken, greek lemon marinade for chicken

The post Greek Marinade for Chicken with Yogurt appeared first on My Greek Dish.

A very versatile and easy to prepare Greek dish perfect for your Sunday family dinner or quick mid-week meal. Ready in under 30 minutes, this is a traditional Greek rice pilaf recipe for you to easily recreate this delight from scratch.

Greek rice pilaf recipe – Delicious variations

Greek rice pilaf or pilafi (πιλάφι) is a dish which consists of rice cooked in broth. For the basic Greek rice pilaf recipe, the rice is first sautéed in butter for extra flavour and then cooked in meat or vegetable stock and usually finished off with lemon juice (Greek rice pilaf with lemon). If you have Greek origins then it’s more than possible to have been offered this as a child to cure all aches and illness!

For extra flavour Greek rice pilaf can be cooked with bits of onions and spices or Saffron (Krokos kozanis). This basic recipe is a great accompaniment for meat dishes, like souvlaki, gyros or biftekia.

Depending on local cuisine this classic Greek rice pilaf recipe may also contain vegetables, like sliced carrots, peas, corn etc. One very popular variation is gamopilafo, a festive Cretan specialty offered at weddings (gamoi), where the rice is cooked in lamb broth. Simply delicious!

For an everyday super-filling meal try preparing this Greek rice pilaf recipe with chicken legs or pieces of chicken breasts. Garnish with crumbled salty feta cheese and enjoy!

Lemony Greek Rice Pilaf (Pilafi) Recipe with Chicken legs

(548 votes, average: 4.86 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 25 min
• Yield: 4 portions
• Category: Main
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

The perfect traditional Greek rice pilaf (pilafi) recipe! Fluffy, fragrant rice and crispy, tender, fall of the bone chicken legs with a delicious lemon kick!

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Ingredients

• 8 chicken legs, bone-in and skin on
• 1 1/2 cup rice (long grain rice or basmati)
• 2 tbsps butter
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock
• juice of 1 lemon (or more if you prefer)
• 6–7 peppercorns
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2–3 tbsps olive oil
• 150g/5 oz. feta cheese for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Greek rice pilaf recipe with chicken legs, start by washing thoroughly the chicken legs and pat them dry with some kitchen paper. Drizzle the chicken legs with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and rub using your hands.
2. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and place the chicken legs inside. Let them colour and cook for about 6 minutes on each side, until the skin is nicely coloured and crispy. Remove the chicken legs from the pan and set side.
3. Now it’s time to prepare the Greek rice pilaf. In the same pan add 1-2 tbsps olive oil and the chopped onions and sauté until soft. Add the butter and rice and sauté the rice until translucent. Pour in the chicken stock and lemon juice and deglaze. Add the chicken legs (skin side up) and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Place the lid on, turn the heat down and simmer the Greek rice pilaf for about 15 minutes, until the chicken and rice are cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Finish off the Greek rice pilaf with a last minute squeeze of lemon juice, crumbled feta cheese and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!

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Keywords: pilafi, Greek chicken pilaf, Greek rice pilaf recipe, Greek lemon rice pilaf

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Have you ever imagined that you can have a giouvetsi in less than 30 minutes? Now with this delicious variation to the traditional Greek Giouvetsi recipe, you can! We have substituted Beef with Chicken as its quicker to cook and a tiny bit healthier and better for your waistline. 

In this chicken giouvetsi recipe we will not be using the traditional oven baked method, rather we are cooking this dish in a pan – its so much faster this way and there is little compromise to its flavors. If you wish, you can always finish it off in the oven to get that nice crust on the top!

Finally if you love orzo, then my traditional beef giouvetsi, lamb giouvetsi as well as my legendary pastitsio recipes are made for you!

Give this easy chicken and orzo pasta recipe a try and remember to leave your feedback in the comments section below!

Easy Chicken Recipe with Orzo pasta (Giouvetsi Kotopoulo)

(592 votes, average: 4.84 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 portions
• Category: Main
• Method: Stew
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Have you ever thought that you can have a giouvetsi in less than 30 minutes? This easy chicken recipe with orzo pasta is a delicious variation of the classic giouvetsi; the next best thing for when you are in a hurry!

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Ingredients

• 550–600g/ 20 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bites (or whole chicken bone-in cut in 8 pieces)
• 1 1/2 cup orzo pasta ( kritharaki / manestra )
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tin chopped tomatoes
• 2/3 of a cup tomato juice (passata)
• 2 cups of water
• a pinch sugar
• a pinch of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
• 4 tbsps olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 130g feta cheese, crumbled (4.5 ounces)

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Instructions

1. To prepare this super easy chicken with orzo, heat a large frying pan over medium heat, pour in 2 tbsps olive oil and sauté the onions, until softened. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add in the pan; fry the chicken breasts until lightly colored.
2. Remove the chicken pieces and the onions on a plate. In the same pan, add 2 tbsps olive oil and sauté the orzo pasta. Add the tomato paste and continue sautéing. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, the tomato juice and a cup of warm water. Return the chicken pieces and onions in the pan, add a pinch of sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium, place the lid on and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo pasta is cooked. (Halfway through cooking time, check out if all of the liquid has been absorbed and add 1 cup of hot water into the pan).
3. Remove the pan from the stove, drizzle with olive oil and stir in the crumbled feta cheese. Let the chicken with orzo rest for 5 minutes and serve while still warm. Enjoy!

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Keywords: chicken giouvetsi, Greek chicken and orzo in tomato sauce, chicken youvetsi, kritharaki with chicken, easy chicken recipe

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The post Easy Chicken Recipe with Orzo pasta (Giouvetsi Kotopoulo) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

The secret for these extra crispy chicken fingers is to dredge them in semolina, as it helps to form a nice golden crust around them. Follow our instructions and bake them to perfection!

Crispiest oven-baked Chicken Fingers in Amazing Yogurt Crust

(627 votes, average: 4.83 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 22 min
• Total Time: 37 minutes
• Yield: 4 portions
• Category: Main
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Perfect chicken fingers!! Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside with a thick golden brown yogurt crust..

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Ingredients

For the marinade

• 4 chicken breasts (approx. 600g/ 21 ounces)
• 100g Greek yogurt (3.5 ounces)
• 50g water (1.7 ounces)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the crust

• 400g Greek yogurt (14 ounces)
• 130–150g water (4.5–5 ounces)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 260g all-purpose flour (9 ounces)
• 140 thin semolina (5 ounces)
• 2 tsps sweet paprika
• 2 tbsps sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 tsps powdered onion
• a pinch of dried thyme
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the yogurt sauce

• 200g Greek yogurt, strained (7 ounces)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsps mayonnaise
• 1 and 1/2 tbsps mustard
• a pinch of salt
• a pinch of paprika

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Instructions

1. Wash thoroughly the chicken breasts and cut into thick strips (3-4 strips each one, depending on the size of each chicken breast). In a large bowl, add the ingredients for the marinade and whisk to combine. Add the chicken pieces and blend to coat. Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours. The longer you leave the chicken marinade, the tender it will turn out, so if you have the time, it’s best to leave it overnight.
2. Take the chicken out of the fridge and drain. Prepare the ingredients for the crust. In a bowl, add the yogurt (400g), the water, the eggs, the baking powder and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the mixture until smooth, like a batter. In a separate bowl, add the flour, the semolina, the sesame seeds, 1 tsp of salt, the herbs and spices and blend to combine. (Use any kind of herbs and spices you like, the more the better!)
3. Take 3-4 chicken strips, dip them in the yogurt mixture and place them in the flour-semolina mixture. Shake to coat and set aside, shaking of any excess four. Repeat with the rest. To form a nice thick crust, it is important to repeat this procedure twice, starting again with the yogurt mixture and then dredging with the flour mixture.
4. Butter the bottom of a large non-sticking pan and place the chicken fingers in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven at 200C for about 22 minutes, until golden brown crispy and cooked through. When you turn the chicken fingers out of the oven, you will realise that the pan is completely dry, which means extra juicy and tender chicken, as the crust helped the chicken to withhold all its juices.
5. If you just love yogurt, then serve the chicken fingers with a cooling, thick yogurt sauce. To prepare the sauce add all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk, until smooth. Enjoy with some leafy greens aside.

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Keywords: semolina crusted chicken, yogurt crusted chicken, Greek yogurt baked chicken

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Hearty, simple and extra comforting, this Greek lemon chicken soup is with no doubt the perfect dish for a cold winter’s day! ‘Kotosoupa Avgolemono’ is a classic Greek soup made basically with chicken, which is boiled until tender, rice and finished off with a delicious egg-lemon sauce, which is added in the chicken broth.

So read along to discover my tips and tricks to make it to perfection as well as my variations and of course my delicious recipe!

What is Kotosoupa Avgolemono?

This is the authentic recipe for Greek lemon chicken soup, a trademark dish that has nourished generations. It mixes eggs with lemon and the delicious, fragrant chicken stock resulting in a deliciously tangy, thick and hearty soup. And best of all its topped off with some shredded chicken for that extra bit of comfort!

What is Avgolemono?

The secret ingredient for this heartwarming Greek lemon chicken soup (Kotosoupa Avgolemono) is the Avgolemono. 

Avgolemono is an egg-lemon sauce, that is often added in Greek recipes and especially soups and acts as a thickening agent, giving the soup a unique creamy texture and tangy lemony flavor. This Greek lemon chicken soup recipe includes the traditional and fool proof recipe for preparing an egg-lemon sauce!

Although the basic chicken avgolemono soup recipe is relatively simple, my experience has shown that it can be really tricky to get right.

If you have ever tried making ‘Kotosoupa Avgolemono’ or any other Greek recipe that includes Avgolemono before, you must know that a few things can go wrong. That’s why I’ve put together my tips and tricks in the section below!

How to avoid the most common Chicken Egg-Lemon soup mistakes

The most common mistake is that the Avgolemono curdles and gets lumpy. Here are some tips to help you achieve the desired creamy texture for your Greek lemon chicken soup:

1. The eggs should be at room temperature, so that they are not shocked and curdle from the hot broth
2. The soup should be warm but not boiling hot. When you are done cooking your soup remove the pan from the stove and let it cool for 5-10 minutes or add 1/2 a cup of cold water to halt the boiling process
3. You need to add enough broth so that the egg mixture is at the same temperature as the broth of the dish you are preparing
4. The egg whites are more likely to curdle, as they tend to thicken up more quickly than the egg yolks when warmed so be sure to whisk vigorously and add the broth slowly. For more extensive tips and tricks take a look at my how to make the perfect Avgolemono article.

Should you pre-soak the rice?

Yes you want to pre-soak the rice. It helps the rice cook more quickly and uniformly. Why? Because soaking your rice in water allows the grain to absorb water ahead of cooking. It also hydrates the rice seeds and makes them swell. As the rice is hydrated before cooking it, it results in a fluffier rice!

To prepare the rice, rinse it a couple of times first to remove any excess starch. Then pour it in a bowl and add enough water to cover it and let it stand for around 30 minutes or until the grain of rice breaks easily when pressed.

Key Preparation Steps

Preparing your Greek chicken egg lemon soup is very simple. You’ll need to

1. Prepare your chicken
2. Prepare the egg-lemon (avgolemono) rice soup
3. Assemble and serve!

Prepare the chicken

Start by placing the chicken in a deep pot. Using your hands, press the chicken down to the bottom of the pan, then add the whole onion, carrot, and water. After everything has been added, season with some salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat.

When the chicken begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. When the chicken is done, the flesh can be removed from the bones with ease. Some white foam may appear on the water while the chicken boils; remove it using a slotted spoon.

Remove the chicken from the broth, then strain your broth in a large bowl. You should have about 1 litre of stock remaining. If your stock is a bit less than that, add some water to it.

Prepare the egg lemon (avgolemono) rice soup

To make the egg-lemon rice soup, start by boiling your rice in the chicken stock. After the rice is done soaking, use a separate saucepan and add all of the hot broth and the strained rice, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until cooked.

When done cooking, your rice should have plenty of liquids left and resemble a soup. Set it aside to cool down until its lukewarm.

While the rice is cooking, prepare your chicken. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken meat. Shred the flesh into bite-size pieces and set aside. The chicken will be added to the soup in the end, when serving the dish.

Now its time to prepare your egg-lemon sauce! Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk until frothy; add the lemon juice and continue to whisk. Add a ladle of lukewarm soup to the mixture and whisk quickly.

Repeat with another ladle of hot soup, stirring after each addition, until the eggs have been fully warmed up and gently cooked.

Finally pour the egg mixture back into the rice soup saucepan, stirring it frequently to prevent it from curdling. Cover and set aside for 3-4 minutes.

Now its time to assemble and serve your chicken avgolemono soup! Ladle the soup into bowls, then top with your shredded chicken and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper or paprika.

Variations

You could add some of your favorite Greek herbs to add to the flavor of the soup but do it sparingly as you don’t want to overpower the taste of the lemon. You could also add a little wilted spinach or rocket (arugula) if you like some more vegetables in it.

Making ahead of time and storing

To save avgolemono soup for later, allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating it. Transfer to airtight containers and chill for up to three days.

Because its a cream-free soup, you may also freeze your avgolemono soup. This is particularly handy if you make a large batch! Just make sure you leave enough room in the freezer-safe containers for the soup to expand.

To use it, thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat on the stove over medium heat. If the soup needs more moisture, you can add a little bit of water or some chicken broth and heat thoroughly, stirring as you go to stop it from separating.

Serving suggestions

The simplest way to serve the soup is with some fresh, crusty, Greek village bread, sourdough bread, bread machine sourdough bread or my easy and crusty bread made with self raising flour. I also love pairing it with a deliciously fresh  Greek salad.

Love soups?

If you love a hearty soup as much as I do then these recipes below are perfect for a cold winter’s day!

• Traditional Greek Meatball Soup (Giouvarlakia/ Youvarlakia) In Egg-Lemon Sauce Recipe
• Greek Beef Soup Recipe (Kreatosoupa)
• Traditional Magiritsa Recipe (Greek Easter Soup)
• Greek Chickpea Soup Recipe (Revithia)
• Traditional Greek Bean Soup Recipe (Fasolada)
• Greek Lentil Soup Recipe (Fakes Soupa)
• Greek lemon chicken soup with Orzo (Avgolemono)

Greek lemon Chicken Soup recipe (Kotosoupa Avgolemono)

(529 votes, average: 4.68 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 90 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 portions
• Category: Soups
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

The perfect dish for a cold winter’s day! ‘Kotosoupa Avgolemono’ is a hearty and delicious classic Greek lemon chicken soup, bursting with Mediterranean flavours.

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Ingredients

• 1 chicken (1-1.2 kg/ 35-40 ounces)
• 1 red onion, peeled
• 5 cups (1.2 L) of water
• 150–200g short-grain rice, like Arborio (6–7 ounces)
• 2 large eggs
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 carrots (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

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Similar recipes you may like!

• 

  Greek Chickpea soup recipe (Revithia)

• 

  Greek Beef Soup recipe (Kreatosoupa)

• 

  Traditional Greek Meatball Soup…

• 

  Traditional Magiritsa recipe…

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Instructions

1. To prepare this traditional Greek lemon chicken soup, place your chicken in a deep pot. Push the chicken with your hands down to the bottom of the pan, add the whole onion, the carrot, pour in the water and season. The water should be enough to cover the chicken. Place on high heat, put the lid on and bring to the boil.
2. When the chicken starts to boil, turn the heat down and boil the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The chicken is ready when the meat can be removed easily from the bones. While the chicken boils, some white foam will probably surface on the water. Remove the foam with a slotted spoon.
3. Proceed to pre soak your rice. While the chicken is cooking, rinse your rice and add it in a bowl and cover it with some water. Let it stand for 30 minutes. Using a fine colander, drain the water and set aside.
4. Remove the chicken from the broth and strain the broth. You should have about 1 litre of broth left. If it has reduced a lot, add some water. Add the hot broth in another pot, add the rice and season with salt and pepper and boil, until done.
5. While the rice is being cooked, prepare your chicken. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and discard the skin. Shred the meat into bite sized chunks.
6. To prepare the egg lemon sauce for this Greek lemon chicken soup, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk, until foamy; add the lemon juice and whisk again. Add into the bowl a ladle of hot soup and whisk quickly. Add one more ladle and whisk again, so that the eggs gradually warm up and cook gently. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, whilst constantly stirring so your eggs do not curdle. Then put the lid on and set it aside for 3-4 minutes.
7. To assemble and serve your chicken soup, ladle the soup into your bowls, top with the diced chicken and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper or paprika. Enjoy!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 277kcal
• Sugar: 2.3g
• Sodium: 376mg
• Fat: 4.7g
• Saturated Fat: 1.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.2g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 25.2g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Protein: 31.5g
• Cholesterol: 137mg

Keywords: Kotosoupa Avgolemono, Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, Traditional Avgolemono Soup

The post Greek lemon Chicken Soup recipe (Kotosoupa Avgolemono) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Healthy, filling and ready in less than 30 minutes this is the perfect dish for a mid-week dinner! Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some crusty bread and a delicious Greek Salad to dig in all that delicious sauce. Enjoy!

Easy chicken recipe with tomato sauce, peppers, olives and pappardelle!

(658 votes, average: 4.91 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Category: Main
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Looking for an easy chicken recipe? This delicious and colourful dish, full of Mediterranean flavours will amaze you! Tender chicken breasts cooked in a flavourful tomato sauce paired with sweet peppers and tangy olives. Healthy, filling and ready in less than 30 minutes this is the perfect dish for a mid-week dinner! Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some crusty bread to dig in all that delicious sauce. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

• 550–600g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bites (20 ounces)
• 2 green bell peppers, sliced into strips
• 2 yellow bell peppers, sliced into strips
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 and 1/2 cup tinned chopped tomatoes
• 2/3 of a cup black olives
• 1/2 a cup olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 300 grams pappardelle pasta

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  Traditional Spetsofai…

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Instructions

1. To prepare the tomato sauce, heat a large saucepan to medium heat. Pour in half of the olive oil, the onion, peppers and garlic; sauté, whilst stirring, until the onions become translucent. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, the olives and a pinch of salt and pepper and stir (be careful with the salt, as the olives are salty enough). Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while, until the sauce thickens. If the sauce becomes too thick, pour in some water.
2. In the meantime start cook the chicken breasts. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, pour in the other half of the olive oil and add the chicken pieces. Pan fry the chicken breasts on both sides, until browned.
3. Remove the pan from the stove and add the chicken pieces in the pan with the tomato sauce. Stir to coat the chicken breasts in the tomato sauce. Cook, with the lid on, over low heat for about 10 minutes. Taste and salt as needed.
4. Prepare the pasta according to package instructions.
5. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with some chopped basil. Enjoy!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 586kcal
• Sugar: 12.5g
• Sodium: 685.4mg
• Fat: 17.3g
• Saturated Fat: 2.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 13.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 94.7g
• Fiber: 9.3g
• Protein: 16.8g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: easy chicken recipe, greek pasta with chicken

The post Easy chicken recipe with tomato sauce, peppers, olives and pappardelle! appeared first on My Greek Dish.