Avgolemono Soup (Αυγολέμονο) — Greek Egg and Lemon Chicken Soup

• 700 gbone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4–5 thighs)
• 2000 mlwater
• 150 gyellow onion (1 medium, halved)
• 100 gcarrot (1 medium, cut into large chunks)
• 60 gcelery stalk (1 stalk, cut into large chunks)
• 1 leafbay leaf
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2 tspfine sea salt (divided)
• 1 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 120 gshort-grain rice (rinsed until water runs mostly clear)
• 2large eggs
• 80 mlfresh lemon juice (from 2–3 lemons)
• 1 tsplemon zest (finely grated, optional but traditional)
• 10 gfresh dill (finely chopped)
• 0.5 tspfreshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the broth: add the chicken thighs, water, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1 tsp of the salt to a large pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a steady simmer and skim off any foam for a clearer broth.

2. 2

   Simmer the chicken for 30–35 minutes, keeping the heat low so the broth stays clean and the meat remains tender. When the thighs are cooked through, lift them out to a plate and let them cool for 5 minutes so you can handle them safely.

3. 3

   Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing lightly on the vegetables to extract flavor but not forcing solids through. You should have about 1500 ml broth; if you have less, add water to reach 1500 ml, and if you have more, simmer to reduce.

4. 4

   Shred the chicken: remove skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Measure out 300 g shredded chicken for the soup and reserve any extra for another use, because too much meat can overpower the lemon-egg balance.

5. 5

   Cook the rice: set the strained broth over medium heat and stir in the olive oil and rinsed rice. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender but not mushy and the soup looks slightly thickened.

6. 6

   Prepare the avgolemono mixture: in a bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth and lightly frothy, then whisk in the lemon juice and lemon zest. This mixture must be fully blended so it emulsifies into the soup without streaks.

7. 7

   Temper the eggs: ladle 250 ml of hot (not violently boiling) broth into the egg-lemon mixture in a slow stream while whisking constantly. Continue whisking for 30 seconds after adding the broth so the mixture warms evenly and won’t curdle.

8. 8

   Finish the soup: reduce the pot to low heat so the soup is steaming but not boiling, then slowly pour the tempered avgolemono back into the pot while stirring gently. Add the shredded chicken and the remaining 1 tsp salt, and warm for 2–3 minutes without letting it boil, because boiling can split the egg emulsion.

9. 9

   Season and serve: stir in the chopped dill and the ground black pepper, then taste and adjust with an additional 10 ml lemon juice if you want more brightness. Rest the soup off the heat for 5 minutes to let the texture turn silky, then ladle into warm bowls.