Avgolemono Soup

4.64 from 395 votes

This Avgolemono Soup is the ultimate Greek comfort food, rich, velvety, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Made with shredded chicken, Arborio rice, eggs, and a bright citrus kick, it’s creamy without cream and ready in just 30 minutes! The perfect easy, cozy meal for any day of the week.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: arborio rice, avgolemono, chicken, greek soup, lemon, soup

Servings:

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

6 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion chopped
1 medium carrot chopped
½ cup Arborio rice
4 cups chicken broth low sodium
3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
3 large eggs
2 chicken breast cooked and shredded with 2 forks, skinless and boneless
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
¼ cup dill chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat then add the chopped onion and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes or just until the carrot is tender and the onion is translucent.
Add the rice and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
Meanwhile in a small bowl beat the egg together with lemon juice.
Add the shredded chicken to the pot, then add about a ladle of the soup broth to the egg mixture and stir. Pour the egg mixture into the soup. You will notice the soup thickening up. Season with salt and pepper as needed and if you feel the soup needs more lemon, add more lemon juice as desired.
Garnish with lots of dill, with some feta cheese and lemon slices if you prefer, then serve.

Video

Notes

Tempering the eggs is non-negotiable. Slowly whisk in hot broth before adding them to the soup to avoid scrambled eggs.
Use fresh lemon juice! Bottled juice won’t give you the same bright, fresh flavor. Start with the recipe amount, then adjust to taste.
Arborio rice makes the soup naturally creamy, but if you use another type, you may need less broth since long-grain rice doesn’t absorb as much.
Reheat gently! The soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating, and stir over low heat to prevent the eggs from curdling.
Dill is the traditional garnish, but if you’re not a fan, swap for parsley or chives. Just don’t skip fresh herbs entirely!
No pre-cooked chicken? Simmer raw chicken breasts in the broth while the rice cooks, then shred and return to the pot.
Want to make it ahead? Prep the broth, rice, and chicken in advance, but add the egg-lemon mixture fresh when reheating for the best texture.

Nutrition