Avgolemono

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Finely chop the onion, chop the parsley, squeeze the lemon juice, and shred the cooked chicken if needed. Put the broth in a saucepan so it is ready to use. This quick setup helps the soup come together smoothly within the short cooking time.

   80 g small onion, finely chopped8 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed150 g cooked shredded chicken800 ml chicken broth
2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned; keeping the onion pale preserves the soup's delicate color and flavor.

   10 ml olive oil80 g small onion, finely chopped
3. 3

   Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add the orzo, salt, and black pepper, then cook for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta does not stick to the bottom. The orzo should be tender but still slightly firm.

   800 ml chicken broth60 g orzo3 g fine salt1 g black pepper
4. 4

   Add the shredded chicken and simmer for 1-2 minutes just until heated through. Reduce the heat to low so the soup is no longer boiling before adding the egg-lemon mixture.

   150 g cooked shredded chicken
5. 5

   In a bowl, whisk the eggs until completely smooth and slightly frothy, then whisk in the lemon juice. Ladle in about 120 ml of the hot broth very slowly while whisking constantly to temper the eggs; this prevents curdling.

   2 large eggs45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
6. 6

   Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the saucepan, stirring gently the whole time. Cook over very low heat for 1-2 minutes until the soup turns silky and lightly thickened. Do not let it boil after this point, or the eggs may split.

   2 large eggs45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
7. 7

   Turn off the heat and stir in most of the parsley and the lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then ladle into warm bowls and scatter the remaining parsley on top before serving.

   8 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped1 g lemon zest

Origin & History

Avgolemono is a classic Greek egg-and-lemon sauce and soup technique with roots that likely trace through Sephardic and broader eastern Mediterranean culinary traditions. In Greece, it became a beloved way to enrich broths and create comforting soups, often with chicken, rice, or orzo. Its signature silky texture and bright acidity are hallmarks of Greek home cooking.