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5 from 17 votes

Avgolemono (Greek Chicken Pasta Soup)

This Avgolemono, a lemony Greek chicken pasta soup is healthy and hearty (lots of satisfying protein), creamy (no cream!) and so delicious!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: Avgolemono, Greek Chicken Pasta Soup, Greek Soup
Servings: 12
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 2 medium-size carrots peeled and diced small
  • 4 medium cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 10 cups low sodium chicken broth maybe more
  • 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup orzo pasta
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice remove the zest from lemon before juicing
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
  • sprigs of dill for garnish
  • finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and butter. Swirl the pan until the butter is melted. Add the onion and carrots and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and rosemary and stir. Cook for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the chicken broth and salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the orzo and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the orzo is tender. Remove the pot from the heat.
  • While the broth mixture is cooking, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and fresh lemon juice in a medium-size heatproof container (I use a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup) until well combined.
  • When the orzo is tender, take a ladle of the hot soup and SLOWLY drizzle it into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Continue with several more ladles of broth until you’ve added about 2 cups.
  • Return the pot to the heat now and add the egg mixture. Cook over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly until soup is thickened a bit. Add the chicken, fresh dill and lemon zest. If you like a thinner soup, add more chicken broth. Taste and add more salt and/or lemon juice, if needed. Serve garnished with lemon slices, freshly ground black pepper and dill sprigs.

Notes

See Café Tips for more detailed instructions and tips.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 329mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1916IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg