Description
This Avgolemono Chicken and Rice Soup is a comforting Greek classic featuring tender shredded chicken, fluffy rice, and a bright lemon-egg sauce that thickens the broth to silky perfection. Fresh dill and a drizzle of olive oil round out this nourishing, flavorful soup that’s perfect for chilly days or when you need a heartwarming meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- ½ ounce container fresh dill
- 2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ¾ cup uncooked white rice
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (plus more as needed)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ground black pepper (to taste)
- drizzle extra-virgin olive oil for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Dill: Pull the dill fronds from the stems and reserve ½ cup of the fronds to use later as garnish.
- Cook Chicken and Rice: In a large pot, combine dill stems, chicken thighs, uncooked rice, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to medium-low, stir once, cover the pot, and simmer gently until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes.
- Remove Chicken and Stems: Use a slotted spoon to take out the chicken thighs and dill stems from the pot. Discard the stems and place the chicken on a plate; shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
- Simmer Broth: Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the broth up to an active simmer again while you prepare the egg-lemon mixture.
- Whisk Eggs and Lemon Juice: In a large heatproof bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs until frothy. Add ¼ cup of lemon juice and mix thoroughly.
- Temper Egg Mixture: Gradually drizzle about 1 cup (1 ladle) of the hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
- Combine Soup: Pour the tempered lemon-egg mixture back into the pot with the broth. Immediately remove the pot from heat and stir in the shredded chicken.
- Season and Garnish: Taste the soup and add more lemon juice if desired. Garnish generously with fresh dill fronds, freshly ground black pepper, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil before serving.
Notes
- Chicken breast can be substituted for chicken thighs if preferred; adjust cooking time accordingly to prevent drying out.
- Gradually tempering the egg mixture with hot broth is key to achieving a creamy soup without scrambling the eggs.
- Adjust lemon juice to taste for the perfect balance of brightness in the soup.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the salt content in your soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 340 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
