Lemon Chicken Greek Soup (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Core components
01 -
2 chicken breasts (roughly 12 oz / 350 g combined), ideal for pulling apart
02 -
¾ cup orzo pasta (175 g), those tiny grain-shaped noodles that give this soup its satisfying bulk
03 -
6 cups chicken broth (1.5 liters), the foundation of our soup's flavor
→ Veggies & flavor builders
04 -
1 medium onion, chopped into tiny cubes
05 -
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
06 -
2-3 celery stalks, cut into small bits
07 -
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely diced
08 -
Fresh dill, a big bunch for that true Greek flavor
→ For the creamy lemon mixture
09 -
2 fresh egg yolks, not cold from the fridge
10 -
Juice of 1 big lemon, squeezed right before using
→ Kitchen staples
11 -
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
12 -
2 bay leaves
13 -
Sea salt and fresh black pepper, as needed
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat your olive oil in a big soup pot over medium heat. Throw in the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Let them sweat for 8-10 minutes, giving them a stir now and then, until they're soft and smell amazing.
02 -
Toss in your chopped garlic and cook till it smells good, just about a minute. Throw in the bay leaves, put the chicken breasts in, and pour all your broth over everything.
03 -
Let it all come to a light boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low. Put the lid on and let it bubble gently for 15 minutes, till the chicken's fully cooked.
04 -
Take out the chicken and bay leaves. Drop the orzo into the bubbling broth and let it cook for 10 minutes, until it's soft but not mushy.
05 -
While your pasta's cooking, grab two forks and tear the chicken into small, bite-sized shreds, then put it back in the pot.
06 -
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with lemon juice until they're smooth. Now comes the careful part: slowly pour in 1-2 scoops of hot soup while you keep whisking (this stops the eggs from cooking too fast). Pour this mix back into the pot and cook 5 more minutes, letting the soup get a bit thicker.
07 -
Mix in all that fresh dill, give it a taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Scoop into bowls and sprinkle extra dill on top if you want to make it pretty. Eat it right away while it's hot and cozy.
# Notes:
01 -
This traditional Greek soup gets its rich, smooth texture from the careful mixing of eggs and lemon, a combo Greeks call avgolemono sauce.
02 -
Success depends on slowly warming the egg-lemon mixture to avoid it turning lumpy.