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Greek chicken soup is often finished with avgolemono, a whisked mixture of egg and lemon that gives the broth a velvety texture without dairy. To help keep it smooth, temper the egg-lemon mixture with hot broth, stir it into the soup, and heat gently without boiling. Rice is a familiar choice, but Greek versions can also use orzo, trachana, or other pasta.
What makes Greek chicken soup avgolemono?
Kotosoupa avgolemono is chicken soup finished with egg and lemon. The mixture thickens the broth and gives it a creamy-looking finish without cream. Avgolemono can refer to the egg-and-lemon sauce itself as well as the soup made with it. The Greek National Tourism Organisation includes chicken among the soups that may be finished this way. Visit Greece: Winter Soups
Choose a starch: rice, orzo, or another option
There is no single required starch in the cited descriptions. Visit Greece lists rice, trachana, kritharaki (orzo), and other pasta among the possibilities for Greek meat soups, including chicken. The Associated Press recipe from Milk Street uses rice. Choose one and follow its cooking directions; rice and pasta have different cooking times and textures.
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|---|---|
| Rice | Used in the AP/Milk Street Greek chicken soup recipe; cook according to that recipe. Associated Press / Milk Street, January 6, 2025 |
| Orzo (kritharaki) | Listed by Visit Greece as one possible pasta for Greek meat soups; no specific cooking time is stated. Visit Greece: Winter Soups |
| Trachana or other pasta | Also listed as options by Visit Greece; no single recipe or cooking time is established for them. Visit Greece: Winter Soups |
These are variations, not evidence that one choice is more authentic than another.
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- Gourmet Greek Style Chicken Soup (Avgo-Lemono Soupa). With egg, lemon and orzo.
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How to make the soup without curdling the avgolemono
- Cook the chicken. Simmer chicken in broth, adding vegetables or aromatics if your recipe calls for them. Bone-in chicken can contribute to the broth as it cooks; already-cooked shredded chicken can save preparation time.
- Cook the starch. Add rice, orzo, or another chosen starch and cook it according to the recipe. Do not assume the same timing works for every grain or pasta.
- Whisk the egg and lemon. In a bowl, whisk eggs with lemon juice as directed by your recipe.
- Temper gradually. While whisking the egg-lemon mixture, slowly add a ladle of hot soup broth. This warms the eggs before they meet the rest of the soup.
- Finish gently. Stir the warmed mixture back into the pot. Heat gently, but do not let the finished soup simmer or boil; the AP/Milk Street method specifically calls for gentle warming to help avoid curdling. Associated Press / Milk Street, January 6, 2025
Use one complete recipe for quantities. The cited sources do not establish a universal ratio of eggs, lemon, broth, chicken, and starch, or one mandatory set of vegetables.
Chicken choice and serving
Bone-in, skin-on chicken is one option for a richer broth, according to Cookout.gr; it is not essential. A recipe that starts with cooked shredded chicken offers a quicker route but does not develop broth from raw chicken during the soup’s cooking. Cookout.gr describes the soup as suitable either as a starter or as a meal. Cookout.gr: Greek chicken soup with egg-lemon sauce
Rank #2
- The soup known affectionately to the Greeks as “Greek penicillin” is served by mothers and grandmothers to their families on holidays, family functions, and especially anytime a family member did not feel well. It has always been served as a cure all.
Equipment
A saucepan or large soup pot is sufficient. The cited recipe guidance does not require specialized cookware.
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Keep the method in perspective
The cited sources do not establish a single household-standard recipe, fixed vegetable list, or preferred starch. They also do not provide official food-safety temperature or storage guidance, so follow an authoritative food-safety source for those specifics. No health benefit or illness-treatment claim is established for this soup.
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Rank #4
- Authentic Greek Flavor: Enjoy the traditional taste of Greece with our Avgolemono-style chicken soup, made with real lemon and tender chicken
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Rank #3
- The information below is per-pack only
- One (1) 16.1 oz can of Pacific Foods Organic Greek-Style Chicken Orzo Soup With Lemon and Herb
- USDA Organic soup that’s consciously crafted with non-GMO ingredients, including chicken meat with no antibiotics, orzo pasta, carrots, celery, and red peppers
- Zesty lemon and fragrant herbs like oregano, thyme, and parsley enhance every spoonful for a Greek-inspired twist on traditional chicken noodle soup
- With 16g of protein per container, this convenient canned soup makes it easy to be intentional about the way you stock your pantry
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