A Deliciously Tasty Avgolemono Soup Recipe
This variation of the classic chicken soup recipe that we all know and love is a great addition to any dinnertime routine. It is a wonderful choice for anyone who is looking for a healthy meal that can be prepared quickly. The Greek avgolemono recipe that you are about to find out more about will tap into your nostalgia, while also taking your taste buds for an amazing ride.
That’s because it is a silky soup that is fragrant and rich. To find out more about how this soup can easily fit into any weeknight dinner plan or comfort the sick during their times of need, please be sure to read on and learn more.
What is Avgolemono?
Of course, there are sure to be a number of readers who do not know this word or have a strong level of awareness when it comes to Greek soups. There has never been a better time to learn. For starters, the pronunciation is as follows: ah-vgo-le-mono. Yes, the g is present but it is much lighter. In the context of this recipe, it refers to the sauce that is added to the soup.
Avgolemono sauce is where the soup’s fragrance and silk is derived from. In order to make this sauce in your own home, you will need some eggs, plenty of lemon, and warm broth. In Greece, cooks use this sauce as a means of augmenting and dressing up a wide range of dishes. In addition to this soup, this sauce is used on roast chicken, grape leaves and vegetables. It always makes a major difference, providing a dish with added notes of lemon and a delightful richness.
How Can This Soup Be Made So Quickly?
This is an understandable question, as this is a type of soup that would seem to be challenging to make on really short notice. However, there are simple shortcuts that will allow you to significantly cut down on the amount of time that is spent in the kitchen. Recipes like these are a godsend, especially for working parents who are always in search of meals that can be made quickly, without having to resort to nightly takeout.
If you were going to sit down and make the truly traditional version of this avgolemono soup, you would need to carve out a lot more time to do so. The process would be taking you over two hours if you were starting from scratch. In these instances, homemade chicken stock is taken from a whole chicken. From there, you would also be shredding the chicken that is eaten along with the soup.
Meanwhile, those who are looking to enjoy the 30-minute weeknight version can enjoy two massive shortcuts that are sure to save tons of time. If you have chicken stock or broth at the ready, this helps immensely. A low sodium option is in your best interests. The rotisserie chicken can also be store-bought, as opposed to being prepared ahead of time.
There are plenty of readers who probably already have leftover rotisserie chicken within arm’s reach, so this deliciously tasty avgolemono soup is a helpful way to get some use out of it. It is a dish that will never let you down, with a comforting and authentic taste. You will lose out on nothing if you decide to prepare the less traditional version.
Helpful Preparation Tips
You will want to make sure to temper the sauce, for starters. To make avgolemono sauce, it starts by whisking two eggs with a half cup of lemon. As you are whisking with one hand, pour two ladles of the hot chicken broth from the soup with your free hand. That is the toughest part but trust us, it is not really all that hard. If need be, have someone pour the broth in for you as you are handling the whisking aspect.
The sauce is not added until the very end and the soup must be immediately removed from the heat. This may seem as if we are being overly cautious but if you fail to do so? The eggs could begin to cook and the soup will separate. The last thing that you are hungry for here is an egg drop soup.
Prep + Cook Time
This soup can be prepared and cooked within a mere 35 minutes!
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Finely chopped carrots (½ to 1 cup)
- Finely chopped celery (½ to 1 cup)
- Finely chopped green onions (½ to 1 cup)
- Garlic cloves (2, finely chopped)
- Low-sodium chicken broth (8 cups)
- Bay leaves (2)
- Rice (1 cup)
- Salt and pepper
- Cooked boneless chicken breast pieces (2, shredded, you will need roughly 6 to 8 ounces of store-bought rotisserie chicken)
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 cup)
- Large eggs (2)
- Fresh parsley for garnish (this addition is up to you)
Step By Step Cooking Instructions
Step 1:
When you are ready to get started, it is time to grab a large Dutch oven or one of your heavy pots. From there, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil while setting the oven or pot to a medium-high level of heat. As soon as this step is complete, this is when the carrots, celery and green onions are all added. Before proceeding, toss them all together, saute briefly and then stir the garlic in.
Step 2:
The chicken broth and bay leaves will be added now. The heat is then raised to high. You will want to wait until you have seen the liquid in the pot or oven come to a rolling boil. Once this boil has become visible, add the salt, pepper and rice. Turn the heat back down to medium/low and allow the soup to simmer for roughly 20 minutes. If the rice is tender, this is your cue to continue cooking. Stir the cooked chicken in now. When the liquid has come to a rolling boil, add the rice, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Now stir in the cooked chicken.
Step 3:
In order to prepare the egg/lemon sauce, grab a medium bowl, lemon juice and eggs. Whisk them together. As you are whisking, add 2 ladles’ worth of your broth from the cooking point. This simple step allows you to temper the eggs. Once the combination is complete, add the sauce to the soup itself, stir it up and remove it from the heat right away.
Step 4:
This is your chance to add some fresh parsley, if you so choose. Serve this soup hot, alongside of your favorite bread. Bon Appétit!
