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Home » Recipes » Soups

Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup (Avgolemono)

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Published: Jan 13, 2023 · Modified: Apr 10, 2025 by Sara · This post may contain affiliate links

Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup also known as Avgolemono is now one of my favorite easy soups to make! This is pure comfort food!

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Greek lemon chicken rice soup

I know this yummy soup has been around for a very long time, but my first time trying this was a few years ago when I visited San Francisco. San Francisco is an amazing foodie city where you can find restaurants that serve food from all different parts of the world at any given time of the day.

We came across a lovely Greek restaurant in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood where I tried Avgolemono Soup.

My taste buds were bursting with every single bite. It was like the ultimate comfort food for me on a chilly San Francisco day after spending hours upon hours of walking the city.

When I got back from San Fran, I knew I had to try making this wonderful soup. After scouring the internet for recipes and finally tweaking this soup to my own liking, I was shocked by how easy this was to make!

What is Avgolemono?

Avgolemono is a Greek sauce made with egg yolk and lemon juice, then mixed with chicken broth until it’s heated through. That’s what thickens this chicken soup and gives it a nice aroma and flavor.

The addition of chicken, rice and dill makes this a totally satisfying soup!

Greek lemon chicken rice soup

Ingredients for Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

  • 2 Tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
  • 1 large Sweet Onion chopped
  • 3 cloves minced Garlic
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 cup Arborio Rice
  • Juice from 1 Lemon
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Dill Weed

I used a 6-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven to make this. It’s the perfect size and makes for easy cleanup because nothing gets stuck to the sides or bottom of this pot. I love it!

How to Make Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

In a 6 Qt Dutch Oven or pot add Olive Oil and Onion. Sauté over med/high heat 5-6 min until Onions are translucent and softened. Add Garlic and sauté 1 minute.

Then add Chicken Broth, Bay Leaf, Salt, Pepper, and Chicken Breasts. Bring to boil over med/high heat, cover and turn heat down to med/low. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove Chicken and shred it up, then add it back to the pot along with the rice. Cover and simmer 20 more minutes or until rice is fully cooked.

Remove Bay Leaf and discard.

Next in a small bowl, whisk together Eggs and Lemon Juice. Slowly add in 1 ladle of the broth while whisking, then add egg mixture into the soup.

Toss in the Dill Weed and stir. Let it cook about 5 minutes before serving. Taste and add more Lemon juice if needed.

Garnish with Lemon Slices and more fresh Dill Weed if desired.

Greek lemon chicken rice soup

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Avgolemono have raw egg?

No, the eggs are cooked when you slowly add in the broth, then add it to the soup.

How do you keep the eggs from curdling?

Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. You need to add the broth to the eggs very slowly while whisking vigorously, this is called tempering.

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Yes, you can use rotisserie chicken instead.

Does Avgolemono reheat well?

Yes, you can reheat this. I recommend reheating it slowly in a pan over medium heat on the stovetop.

How long do leftovers last?

Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months.

Does Avgolemono taste eggy?

It doesn’t taste eggy. The eggs just give it a nice silky texture.

Greek lemon chicken rice soup in bowls

More Soup Recipes

  • Gluten Free French Onion Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup
  • Curry Cauliflower Soup
  • Spicy Sausage and White Bean Soup with Spinach
  • Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon
  • Italian Sausage and Wild Rice Soup
  • Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Parmesan Crisps
  • Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup with Spinach
  • Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
  • Potato Corn Chowder

If you try this recipe let me know what you think! Leave a comment, rate it, share it on social media, or take a picture and tag it #tastefulventure on Instagram! I LOVE seeing what you guys cook up.

Cheers!

Greek lemon chicken rice soup

More Chicken Recipes:

  • Creamy Chicken Sausage and Spinach Pasta
  • The Best White Chicken Chili
  • Grilled Mojo Spatchcock Chicken
  • Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  • Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs
  • Spinach and Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breast
  • Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Brie and Rosemary
  • Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad

Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup (Avgolemono)

Sara
Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup also known as Avgolemono is now one of my favorite easy soups to make! This is pure comfort food!
4.60 from 32 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6
Calories 177 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tbs EVOO extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large Sweet Onion chopped
  • 3 cloves minced Garlic
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 cup Arborio Rice
  • Juice from 1 Lemon
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Dill Weed

Instructions
 

  • In 6 Qt Dutch Oven add EVOO and Onion.
  • Saute over med/high heat 5-6 min until Onions are translucent and softened.
  • Add Garlic and saute 1 minutes.
  • Add Chicken Broth, Bay Leaf, Salt, Pepper, and Chicken Breasts.
  • Bring to boil over med/high heat, cover and turn heat down to med/low.
  • Let simmer 20 minutes.
  • Remove Chicken and shred.
  • Add Chicken back to the pot.
  • Add Rice.
  • Cover and simmer 20 more minutes.
  • Remove Bay Leaf.
  • In a small bowl whisk together Eggs and Lemon Juice.
  • Slowly add in 1 ladle of the broth while whisking, then add egg mixture into the soup.
  • Add in Dill Weed and stir.
  • Let cook about 5 minutes before serving.
  • Taste and add more Lemon juice if needed.
  • Garnish with Lemon Slices and more fresh Dill Weed.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

I prefer this soup on the thicker side, if you like your soup more brothy feel free to add more Chicken Broth to your liking. See reader tips below.
When tempering the sauce, it helps to have your eggs at room temperature before adding the broth. It’s key to add the broth very slowly to the eggs while whisking the vigorously.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 11gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 1019mgPotassium: 267mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 169IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
Keyword avgolemono, chicken rice soup, Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup, Greek soup, lemon chicken soup, Lemon Rice and Chicken Soup, lemon rice chicken soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. Donna says

    February 23, 2025 at 6:14 pm

    5 stars
    This soup was absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe and I am glad I did! I used one whole rotisserie chicken and simply doubled all the ingredients in the recipe. I am lactose intolerant and it’s so nice to find a thick soup recipe that doesn’t depend on dairy for richness and creaminess. So glad you ate this soup at the restaurant in San Francisco and were able to duplicate it! I will be making this often!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      February 24, 2025 at 10:51 am

      Thanks so much for your feedback Donna!

      Reply
  2. Katie Wehling says

    November 07, 2023 at 7:44 am

    Hi! Can you make it in a crockpot? And if so, what would recommend doing?

    Reply
  3. Sarah says

    February 11, 2023 at 9:46 am

    Can this be made in a crockpot? I really want to make this but I’m a very beginner cook and only comfortable with slow cooker soups right now. Also don’t own and can’t afford a Dutch oven pot right now

    Reply
  4. Roseann says

    December 23, 2021 at 4:47 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is delicious. I add celery and carrots with the onion.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 26, 2021 at 8:47 am

      Thanks so much for the feedback Roseann!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 18, 2022 at 8:10 pm

        5 stars
        So good but my rice didn’t seem to cook thoroughly. It was crunchy. Any ideas on why that happened? Used the Arborio and a half cup at the correct time.. Maybe increase the heat a bit next time?

        Reply
        • Sara says

          September 20, 2022 at 3:05 pm

          Hi Ashley, did you cover the pot after adding the rice and check to make sure it’s simmering the whole time?

          Reply
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Welcome!

Hi! I’m Sara, and welcome to Tastefulventure! Here at Tastefulventure I’ve been testing gluten free recipes for over 11 years in hopes of sharing everything I’ve learned with you. I’m a foodie who loves to experiment with many different ingredients. 

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