Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Printer View)

Shredded chicken, lemon and orzo in a silky egg-lemon broth, bright and comforting—ready in 45 minutes.

# Components:

→ Poultry & Broth

01 - Boneless skinless chicken breasts — 2 pieces (about 12 oz total)
02 - Low-sodium chicken broth — 6 cups

→ Grains & Starch

03 - Orzo pasta — 1/2 cup

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - Medium yellow onion, finely chopped — 1
05 - Garlic cloves, minced — 2
06 - Carrot, peeled and diced — 1
07 - Celery stalk, diced — 1

→ Avgolemono (Egg-Lemon Mixture)

08 - Large eggs — 2
09 - Fresh lemon juice — 1/4 cup
10 - Lemon zest — from 1 lemon

→ Seasonings

11 - Bay leaf — 1
12 - Salt — 1/2 teaspoon, adjust to taste
13 - Black pepper — 1/4 teaspoon, adjust to taste
14 - Fresh dill or parsley, chopped — 2 tablespoons, plus extra for garnish

# Method steps:

01 - Place the chicken breasts in a large pot and add the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to a simmer, skim any foam, add the bay leaf, cover and simmer until the chicken reaches an internal temperature indicating doneness, about 15–18 minutes.
02 - Transfer the chicken to a plate and let rest briefly. Discard the bay leaf and keep the broth simmering.
03 - Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and minced garlic to the simmering broth and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
04 - Stir the orzo into the simmering broth and cook until tender, about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - While the orzo cooks, shred the poached chicken into bite-size pieces using two forks or your hands.
06 - In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and homogenous.
07 - Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly to raise the temperature and prevent curdling.
08 - Reduce the soup heat to low and gradually pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot, stirring gently and avoiding any boiling to maintain a silky texture.
09 - Return the shredded chicken to the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the chopped dill or parsley. Keep the soup warm without boiling.
10 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional herbs and lemon wedges if desired; serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • If you love cozying up with something comforting but crave a bright twist, this is your secret weapon for rainy days.
  • The silky egg-lemon finish makes you feel like a kitchen pro with almost no effort at all.
02 -
  • If you rush the egg-lemon mixing, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a velvety broth (it happened to me—twice).
  • Fresh lemon is the difference between a dull pot and a soup that practically winks at you—never use bottled juice.
03 -
  • Let your eggs come to room temperature for smoother mixing—they temper more gently this way.
  • A good soup ladle is your ally here, especially when tempering the egg and lemon mixture safely.
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