Go Back
–+ servings
A bowl of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup topped with a lemon slice and fresh dill
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (aka Avgolemono) uses the Greek method of adding eggs to thicken the broth. It's a very popular soup in Greece.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword: greek lemon chicken soup
Servings: 6
Calories: 411kcal
Author: Kelsey Crist

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded, see notes for our preferred method
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 white onion diced
  • 1 1/2 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 12 cups chicken broth I like to use low-sodium broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup pearl couscous or orzo pasta
  • zest of two lemons
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh dill plus more for garnish
  • lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft, stirring frequently, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
    Celery, carrots, and onion cooking in a large pot
  • Add chicken broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to medium low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
    Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Broth
  • Add cooked chicken, pearl couscous, and lemon zest. Simmer for another 7-8 minutes, until couscous is al dente.
    Ladle full of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup before adding egg sauce
  • Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Add two ladles full of hot broth to the bowl and briskly whisk together. This tempers the eggs and will keep them from scrambling in the soup.
    Tempered egg sauce
  • Remove soup from heat and pour egg mixture in. Stir to combine. Stir in fresh dill.
    Ladle full of greek lemon chicken soup
  • Serve with lemon slices and fresh dill for garnish.
    A bowl of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup topped with a lemon slice and fresh dill

Video

Notes

There are a few ways to prepare shredded chicken for this recipe. See our post How to Make Shredded Chicken the Right Way for a complete guide. My favorite way is in the Instant Pot. 
  1. Place 3 chicken breasts in the Instant Pot on a trivet.
  2. Add 1/2 cup water or broth, seasonings and a little butter. For seasonings I used salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and oregano.
  3. Cook for 20 minutes on Manual - high pressure.
  4. Quick release, then remove chicken and shred.
  5. Add the chicken back into the instant pot and stir into the liquid. Place lid on the pot and set to keep warm until you add the chicken to the soup. 
You can also use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken! 

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 1083mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5605IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg