Greek Lemon and Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)
Description
Tempered eggs add a rich, creamy taste to this delicious dairy-free Greek chicken, orzo, and lemon soup.
Ingredients
•
2 tablespoons olive oil
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1/2 medium carrot, diced
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1/2 medium red onion, diced
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1/2 stalk celery, diced
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1 clove garlic, minced
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2 (32 ounce) cartons chicken broth
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1 teaspoon dried parsley
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
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1 cup orzo pasta
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4 large eggs, at room temperature
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2 medium lemons, zested and juiced, divided
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1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, or more to taste
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3 dashes hot pepper sauce
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salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1
Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add carrot, onion, and celery. Cook, stirring continuously, until vegetables start to soften and turn translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2
Add chicken broth, parsley, and oregano. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Add chicken and orzo. Reduce heat to a simmer.
3
Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a heat-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Add the lemon juice and whisk until well combined.
4
Slowly add a ladle of hot broth to the egg mixture, whisking quickly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Repeat with a few more ladles until the egg mixture is hot and steaming. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk until incorporated.
5
Add 1/2 of the lemon zest to the soup; reserve remaining zest for another use. Taste soup; if too lemony, add chicken bouillon. Add hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook until orzo is tender yet firm to the bite, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.