this Homemade Greek Afgolemono Soup Recipe Mix fresh vegetables, shredded chicken, and tender rice or orzo in a bright herbal broth. Ready in less than an hour, it's a filling comfort food that's perfect for cold weather and busy weeknights!
High in protein and cooked in one pot, this Greek Avgolemono Soup recipe is dairy free and easy to make gluten freealso!

What is Avgolemono soup?
Avgolemono, pronounced ah-vgo-le-mono, is not actually a soup but refers to a Greek sauce. The sauce is a silky, aromatic mixture of eggs, lemon, and warm broth that can be used in a variety of recipes, from avgolemono soup to grilled chicken, vegetables, and even grape leaves.
The bold avgolemono sauce sets this Greek soup apart from other recipes like Classic Chicken Soup and chicken rice soupinfused with bright lemon flavor. I love making this recipe on a cold winter day because it's super warm and filling. However, it's delicious any time of year!


Required ingredients and substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- vegetable: Onions, carrots, celery and garlic make up the base of the soup, adding flavor and nutrition.
- chicken: I used boneless and skinless chicken breasts. However, you can also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Or, save time and use leftover rotisserie chicken!
- chicken soup: I use Homemade chicken soupbut store-bought ones are just fine. I recommend using a low-sodium broth to avoid a soup that is too high in sodium.
- Herbs and spices: You'll need bay leaves, salt, pepper, dried oregano, chopped parsley, and chopped dill.
- lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is the best!
- yolk: This is the key to making avgolemono sauce. Some recipes call for using whole eggs, but I like to use just the yolks because the whites clump more easily.
- Barley Pasta: I used regular orzo, but if you need to keep this avgolemono soup recipe gluten-free, you can substitute gluten-free orzo or arborio rice.
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How to Make Greek Avgolemono Soup Recipe






- saute: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Once hot, add onions, carrots and celery and cook until vegetables are tender.
- Add chicken: Add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for another minute. Then add the bay leaf, chicken and chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil.
- simmer: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- To cook rice or rice grains: Remove chicken breasts and bay leaves. Then, add the rice or orzo and cook according to package directions. Stir frequently to prevent rice grains from sticking!
- Shred the chicken: Shred the chicken into shreds with two forks and return to the pan.
- Prepare Lemon Egg Sauce: Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl. Remove two spoonfuls (about a cup) of hot soup from the pot. Pour the soup over the egg mixture to adjust its temperature. Stir until combined. Then, add the mixture to the pan and remove it from the heat.
- season: Stir in fresh parsley and dill and season to taste. Enjoy the warmth!










Tips and Tricks
- Avoid scrambled eggs. Make sure to temper the eggs. Otherwise, they'll be a mess and you'll end up with egg drop soup!
- Make the soup thicker. Whisk 1-2 tablespoons of cream with olive oil.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Let the eggs come to room temperature before starting to prevent them from curdling.
- Rinse the rice. If using rice, soak it in water for about 15 minutes or so until you can easily break a grain of rice. This will help it cook faster!
How to store
- shop Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- freeze The cooled soup will keep for up to 3 months. To do this, transfer leftovers to an airtight container, leaving enough room at the top for the soup to expand. Alternatively, pour soup into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the cubes to a resealable bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- reheat Place leftovers in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Avoid boiling or the eggs will curdle! Add more broth as needed.


FAQ
Avgolemono has a smooth, creamy texture with salty, herbal flavors and a bright lemon flavor.
Translated, avgolemono means egg lemon, which are the two main ingredients of this soup.
More soup recipes to try


- 1 onion finely dice
- 3 carrot finely dice
- 3 celery stalks finely dice
- 3 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon Salt More flavors
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper More flavors
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 8 cup chicken soup Add more as needed
- 8 ounce (1 cup) rice grains
- 2 yolk
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 spoon chopped parsley more for decoration
- 2 spoon chopped dill more for decoration
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Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and cook onion, carrots, and celery over medium heat until soft, 8-10 minutes.
1 onion, 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks
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Add the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for another minute, then add the bay leaf, chicken and chicken broth.
3 cloves garlic, 8 cups chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 pound chicken breast
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. (About 18-20 minutes when you take the chicken out)
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Remove chicken breasts and bay leaves. Add the rice grains to the pot and continue cooking for 10 minutes (according to package instructions), stirring frequently to prevent the rice grains from sticking together.
8 ounces (1 cup) orzo
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Shred the chicken with two forks and return to the pot.
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While the orzo is cooking, prepare the lemon mayonnaise: Whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of soup (about 1 cup) and pour over egg-lemon mixture to temper. Stir until combined. Add this mixture to the pan and remove from the heat. NOTE: Make sure not to skip this step of tempering the eggs as it is crucial to avoid scrambling/curdling! We don’t want this soup!
2 egg yolks, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
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Stir in fresh parsley and fresh dill, adjust salt and pepper as needed, garnish and serve. Add salt, pepper and fresh lemon as desired!
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- Make sure not to skip the step of tempering the eggs – it’s crucial to avoid scrambling them. You don’t want to end up with egg drop soup.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of cream to the soup to make it creamier and richer. olive oil.
- this rice grains It will absorb some liquid, so you may need to add some chicken broth when reheating.
- Feel free to use rice instead of orzo. Be sure to rinse the rice well. Soak the rice in water for about 15 minutes or until you can easily break a grain of rice. The rice will cook quickly and evenly.
Storage:
- shop Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- freeze The cooled soup will keep for up to 3 months. Pour into an airtight container, leaving enough room at the top to allow the soup to expand. Alternatively, pour soup into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the cubes to a resealable bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- reheat Place leftovers in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Avoid boiling or the eggs will curdle! Add more broth as needed.
Serve: 1ServeCalories: Chapter 381kilocaloriescarbohydrate: 47gramprotein: 35gramFat: 5gramSaturated fat: 1gramPolyunsaturated fats: 1gramMonounsaturated fats: 1gramTrans fats: 0.01gramcholesterol: 87milligramssodium: 3045milligramsPotassium: Chapter 686milligramsfiber: 2gramsugar: 4gramVitamin A: 405IUVitamin C: 11milligramscalcium: 60milligramsiron: 2milligrams