This Greek chicken avgolemono soup is filled with tender chicken and rice in a silky, lemony broth. Homemade stock and a rich egg yolk sauce make it creamy without adding any cream.
It’s warm, comforting, and the kind of meal that needs little more than toasted bread on the side. I love mine extra lemony, with fresh herbs sprinkled over each bowl. Start with the lemon juice in the recipe, then add more until it tastes just right to you.
For this version, I’m using a whole chicken to make the stock, rice to make the soup hearty, and just the egg yolks for my favorite smooth avgolemono sauce.
What is avgolemono?
Avgolemono is a Greek egg and lemon sauce used in soups and other dishes. The eggs give the broth its silky texture, while fresh lemon juice adds brightness.
For this soup, I whisk the egg yolks with lemon juice, olive oil, and a little cornstarch mixed with water. Before adding the sauce to the pot, I gradually warm it with hot broth. This step is called tempering, and it helps keep the eggs smooth.
What ingredients do I need?
Whole chicken: Makes the homemade stock and provides the tender meat for the soup. I cut along one side of the backbone to open it up so it fits comfortably in my pot.
Onion and garlic: I use a whole organic onion and a whole head of garlic, leaving the clean skins on. Wash them well and remove dirty roots and damaged outer skins. Cut the garlic head in half crosswise so the cloves can flavor the stock.
Carrots and celery: Flavor the stock. A separate batch of diced carrots cooks with the rice and stays in the finished soup.
Yukon Gold potatoes: Two potatoes simmer with the stock vegetables. They’re removed before adding the rice and can be served separately.
Seasonings: Salt, whole peppercorns, turmeric, and optional dried oregano.
Arborio rice: Releases starch as it cooks, giving the soup extra body.
Egg yolks: Give the avgolemono sauce its rich, smooth texture.
Fresh lemon juice: Start with half a cup and add more at the end if you love a stronger lemon flavor.
Cornstarch and olive oil: Part of my egg yolk sauce, helping give the finished broth its silky consistency.
Fresh dill or parsley: Adds a fresh finishing touch to each bowl.
How do I make the homemade chicken stock?
Place the prepared chicken in a large stockpot with the cold water, vegetables, potatoes, garlic, and seasonings.
Bring it to a boil and skim away the foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 1–1½ hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
Carefully lift the chicken onto a tray. Remove the potatoes and other vegetables, then strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred or chop the meat.
When do I add the rice?
Return the strained broth to the pot and add one cup of uncooked Arborio rice, the diced carrots, and as much shredded chicken as you like.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 15–20 minutes, until the rice and carrots are tender. Check the rice before moving on to the egg sauce. It should be fully cooked at that point.
The amount of broth left after making the stock will vary. If the finished soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little hot water or stock.
How do I make the egg yolk avgolemono sauce?
Whisk the cornstarch with the water until smooth. Add the egg yolks, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil and whisk everything together.
Turn off the heat under the soup. Slowly drizzle hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Continue adding broth a ladleful at a time until the mixture is hot and the outside of the bowl feels warm.
Slowly pour the sauce into the soup while stirring continuously. Return the pot to low heat and gently cook for about five minutes, until silky and slightly thickened, reaching at least 160°F without boiling.
Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice, then finish with fresh dill or parsley.
How do I keep the avgolemono smooth?
Add the hot broth gradually while whisking. Take your time so the yolks warm evenly.
Make sure the rice is tender before adding the sauce. Once the avgolemono goes into the pot, keep the heat low and stir gently. Avoid a rolling boil.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes! Make the stock and shred the chicken ahead of time, then refrigerate both promptly in separate shallow containers.
When you’re ready to serve, heat the broth and add the chicken, rice, and diced carrots. Finish with the freshly prepared avgolemono sauce.
You can also freeze the stock and chicken before adding the rice and eggs, then thaw in the refrigerator and finish the soup another day.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate the soup in shallow, covered containers within two hours and use it within 3–4 days. The rice continues to absorb broth, so the soup will thicken as it sits.
Reheat gently, stirring often, until it reaches 165°F. Add a splash of water or stock to loosen the consistency and avoid boiling.
Can I use orzo instead of rice?
My original recipe includes an orzo option, too. If you use orzo, cook it until tender according to the package directions before adding the avgolemono sauce. Its cooking time will usually be shorter than the rice.
What should I serve with avgolemono soup?
Toasted bread and lemon wedges are all you need for a cozy meal. For another delicious option, serve it with my Greek Alevropita, a soft feta quick bread that pairs beautifully with soup.
Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley, and serve warm. Find the full measurements in the recipe card, and watch the video to see how I temper the egg yolk sauce.
If you make it, let me know how it turned out in the comments. Enjoy!
Watch the Video:
Greek Chicken Avgolemono Soup with Rice
Silky Greek chicken soup made with homemade stock, tender chicken, rice, and a rich egg yolk and lemon sauce. A whole chicken simmers with vegetables, Yukon Gold potatoes, onion, and garlic for a comforting soup full of flavor.
Ingredients
For the Stock
- 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds
- 16 cups cold water, about 4 liters
- 1 whole organic onion, washed and unpeeled
- 1 whole head garlic, washed and unpeeled
- 2 carrots, washed and cut into large pieces
- 2 celery stalks, washed and cut into large pieces
- 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 Bay leaves
For the Soup
- 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice or orzo pasta
- 1–2 cups diced carrots
- Shredded cooked chicken from the stock, as much as desired
- Salt, to taste
For the Avgolemono Sauce
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
For Serving
- Chopped fresh dill or parsley
- Lemon wedges
- Toasted bread
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken & Vegetables
Remove any giblets from the chicken. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone to open the chicken so it fits comfortably in a large stockpot. Leave the backbone attached.
Wash the onion and garlic well. Trim away dirty roots and remove any loose or damaged outer skins, leaving the clean skins on. Leave the onion whole. Cut the garlic head in half crosswise, keeping the cloves unpeeled.
Make the Chicken Broth
Place the chicken in a large stockpot with the cold water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, potatoes, salt, peppercorns, optional oregano, and turmeric. Use a pot large enough to hold everything comfortably, with the chicken submerged and some room at the top.
Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 1–1½ hours, or until the chicken is tender and fully cooked. The thickest parts of the breast and thigh should reach at least 165°F without the thermometer touching the bone.
Strain the Broth & Shred the Chicken
Carefully transfer the chicken to a tray. Remove the potatoes and other vegetables and reserve them to serve separately.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the garlic, onion skins, peppercorns, and remaining solids.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred or chop the meat. Use as much chicken as you like in the soup and refrigerate any extra promptly.
Cook the Rice
Return the strained broth to the pot. Add the rice, diced carrots, and shredded chicken.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice and carrots are tender. Taste and add salt as needed.
Make the Avgolemono
Juice the fresh lemons.
Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, cornstarch, and dill and whisk together until smooth.
Turn off the heat under the soup. Slowly drizzle a ladleful of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture while whisking constantly. Continue gradually adding hot broth and whisking until the mixture is hot and the outside of the bowl feels warm.
Finish the Soup
Slowly pour the tempered avgolemono mixture back into the soup while stirring continuously.
Return the pot to low heat and gently cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the soup is silky and slightly thickened. Heat to at least 160°F without allowing the soup to boil.
Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little hot water or chicken stock until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Garnish with fresh dill or parsley and serve with toasted bread and lemon wedges.
Notes
Broth & Consistency
The 16 cups of water are the starting amount for the stock. The final amount of broth will vary depending on the size of your pot and how much liquid evaporates during cooking. If the finished soup is too thick, add hot water or chicken stock as needed.
The Yukon Gold potatoes cook in the stock to add flavor and body but are removed before the rice is added. Serve them alongside the soup or save them for another meal.
Rice or Orzo
Cook the rice until tender before adding the avgolemono sauce.
Orzo can be used instead of rice in the same amount. Both rice and orzo continue to absorb broth as the soup sits, so you may need to add a little water or stock when reheating.
For a gluten-free version, use rice and make sure your remaining ingredients are certified gluten-free where necessary.
Lemon & Avgolemono
Start with ½ cup of fresh lemon juice, then taste the finished soup and add more if you prefer it extra lemony.
Temper the egg yolks by slowly adding hot broth while whisking constantly. Once the avgolemono sauce is added to the soup, keep the heat gentle and do not allow the soup to boil.
Make Ahead
To prepare the soup ahead of time, make the stock and shred the chicken. Refrigerate them promptly in separate shallow containers. When ready to serve, reheat the broth and finish the soup with the rice and avgolemono sauce.
Storing & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days.
Reheat gently, stirring often, until the soup reaches 165°F without allowing it to boil. The rice will continue absorbing broth as it sits, so add water or chicken stock as needed to restore the creamy, soupy consistency.
Freezing
For the best texture, freeze the chicken stock and shredded chicken before adding the rice and avgolemono sauce.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat the broth and finish the soup with the rice and avgolemono sauce just before serving.
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