Greek Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

A spoonfull of chicken soup with shreds of meat

A harmonious blend of succulent chicken and the famous avgolemono that is a zesty lemon and egg sauce with your favorite grain awaits in this soul-soothing Greek lemon chicken soup with orzo dish.

4.50 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Servings 4

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE SOUP

2.5-3lbs (1-1.3kg) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings, breasts)
16 cups (4 liters) tap water
3 carrots, peeled, whole or big chunks
1 big onion, cut into big chunks
3 celery stalks, cut into big chunks
1 ½ cup orzo (or other grain)*
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE BROTH/STOCK (optional)

Onion, carrot, celery, cut into chunks
Herbs and seasonings bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns
Salt, to taste (optional)

FOR THE EGG-LEMON SAUCE

1 egg, separated
4 tablespoons lemon juice (or more)
Zest from half lemon (optional)

FOR SERVING

Dried oregano or thyme
Red hot chili pepper flakes

Instructions

MAKE THE CHICKEN

Place the chicken, onion, celery, and carrots in a large pot. Add the water. All parts should be covered by 1 inch. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Skim the froth that rises to the top and discard.
Use a slotted spoon to remove carrots after 20-30 minutes.
When the chicken is ready, use a slotted spoon to remove all ingredients. Place them in a platter or food container.
Wait until the chicken is cool enough to handle, then remove the meat. Place it in a food container and cover to keep it hot. Keep the discarding parts to make broth/stock (optional).

MAKE THE CHICKEN BROTH/STOCK (optional)

Place the discarding bones, skin, giblets (if any), and cartilage in another smaller pot. Add water until the content is covered by 1 inch. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover with the lid, and simmer for 1 hour.
You may add more water to make more broth or simmer for more than one hour to make chicken stock to your preferred consistency.
Let it cool enough and freeze it for future use. Use freezer bags or food containers.

MAKE THE ORZO (OR OTHER GRAIN)

Meanwhile, drain the broth and place it in the same heavy cooking pot. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste, and the orzo (or other grain).
Cook until the orzo (or any other grain) is done according to package directions and to your taste. Orzo takes max 10 minutes.
In case you need more liquid in your soup add some extra hot water.

MAKE THE EGG-LEMON SAUCE

Meanwhile, in a small bowl use a whisk to whip vigorously the egg white for at least 5 minutes. Incorporate the egg yolk, lemon juice, and zest. Whisk well. Add gradually 10 tablespoons of chicken broth.
Now that the temperature is lower, add slowly and gradually another cup of broth (it’s ok if there is orzo in it). Stir well.
Pour gradually the egg-lemon mixture into the orzo soup, stirring well. Warm through over low heat for a couple of minutes.

FOR SERVING

Season to taste and top with chunks of chicken and veggies.
Garnish with dried oregano or thyme and with red hot chili pepper flakes.

Notes

The amount of orzo varies depending on your preferences for pasta-to-broth ratio. For 16 cups (4 liters) of water, you use approximately 1 cup of dry pasta to make a thin soup to 2 cups of dry orzo to make a thick soup. The ratio I recommend is in the middle (1 ½ cups of dry orzo) so that if you need more liquid for your soup you can add hot water at the end.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 30gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 100mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5000IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Please consider !