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Creamy Greek Lemon Avgolemono Chicken Soup Recipe with Orzo and Dill

Greek lemon avgolemono chicken soup - featured image
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A comforting and creamy Greek lemon chicken soup featuring the traditional avgolemono technique, tender chicken, orzo pasta, and fresh dill. Perfect for cozy dinners and quick weeknight meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (leftover rotisserie chicken works great)
  • 6 cups chicken broth (homemade or store-bought; low-sodium preferred)
  • 1/2 cup orzo pasta
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Pour in 6 cups of chicken broth. Increase heat to bring to a gentle simmer (5-7 minutes). Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. Add 1/2 cup orzo pasta to the simmering broth. Cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until orzo is tender but not mushy.
  4. Stir in shredded cooked chicken and warm through for 3-4 minutes.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk 3 large eggs until frothy. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice while whisking constantly.
  6. Temper the eggs by slowly ladling about 1 cup of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat with another cup of broth if needed.
  7. Pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the soup pot while stirring gently but continuously. Keep heat low and do not boil to avoid curdling. The soup will thicken and become creamy.
  8. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired. Let the soup rest on very low heat for 2 minutes.
  9. Serve warm, garnished with extra dill or a thin lemon slice if desired.

Notes

Always whisk eggs and lemon juice together before adding hot broth to prevent curdling. Temper eggs slowly by adding warm broth gradually while whisking. Keep heat low after adding egg mixture and avoid boiling. Use fresh dill for best flavor. If soup curdles, whisk off heat or add cold broth to smooth it out. For gluten-free, substitute orzo with gluten-free pasta or small rice grains. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days. Freeze without orzo and add freshly cooked orzo when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: avgolemono, Greek soup, lemon chicken soup, creamy soup, orzo soup, dill, comfort food, easy soup recipe

Find it online: https://gleamgulp.com/creamy-greek-lemon-avgolemono-chicken-soup-recipe-with-orzo-and-dill/