Description
This traditional Greek chicken, rice, and lemon soup, also known as Avgolemono, is a comforting and creamy soup made with tender shredded chicken, aromatic vegetables, and a luscious mixture of eggs, lemon juice, and cinnamon. The slow simmering of chicken creates a flavorful stock, combined with rice for heartiness, and the unique egg-lemon mixture thickens the soup to a silky texture, offering a refreshing and warming meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1.6 kg whole chicken
- 6 black peppercorns
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 300 g medium or long-grain rice
Egg-Lemon Mixture
- 4 eggs
- 2 lemons, juiced, plus pared zest to serve (optional)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon, plus an extra pinch to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken Stock: Place the whole chicken, black peppercorns, roughly chopped onions, celery, and carrots in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer gently for 1 hour until the chicken is tender and falling apart. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Shred the Chicken and Strain the Stock: Transfer the cooled chicken to a board and shred the meat off the bones, discarding the carcass. Set the shredded chicken aside. Strain the stock through a sieve to remove the vegetables and peppercorns, measuring about 2.5 liters of liquid.
- Cook the Rice in the Stock: Return the strained stock to the saucepan. Season with salt and bring it to a boil over high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is soft. Remove from heat.
- Prepare the Egg-Lemon Mixture: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a whisk, crack the eggs and add the juice of 1½ lemons, the ground cinnamon, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Begin whisking to combine.
- Temper the Egg Mixture: With the mixer running on low speed, ladle in some of the hot strained stock (without rice) slowly, whisking continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Repeat this ladling and whisking process three more times until the egg mixture is creamy and warmed.
- Combine Egg Mixture with Rice and Chicken: Pour the tempered egg and stock mixture back into the saucepan with the rice. Add the shredded chicken. Simmer gently over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously to achieve a thick, creamy soup without curdling the eggs.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the juice of the remaining ½ lemon according to taste. Serve the soup immediately, or allow it to stand for 10 minutes to thicken further. Garnish with an extra pinch of cinnamon and pared lemon zest if desired.
Notes
- Tempering the eggs with hot stock gradually is essential to prevent the eggs from curdling and to achieve a smooth, creamy texture.
- You can store the shredded chicken separately in the fridge for up to two days before adding to the soup.
- Adjust lemon juice to suit your preferred level of tartness.
- Use medium or long-grain rice for best texture; avoid quick-cooking varieties.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, allow it to rest for 10 minutes after cooking to thicken further.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Keywords: Greek chicken soup, Avgolemono, lemon chicken soup, chicken and rice soup, creamy chicken soup, traditional Greek soup, lemon egg soup
