Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Printable)

Tangy lemon broth with shredded chicken, orzo, and fresh dill—comforting and ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry & Broth

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 oz)
02 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Grains & Starch

03 - 1/2 cup orzo pasta

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 carrot, peeled and diced
07 - 1 stalk celery, diced

→ Avgolemono

08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Seasonings & Garnish

11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley, plus extra for garnish

# How-To:

01 - Place the chicken breasts in a large pot and add the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to a simmer, skim any foam, add the bay leaf, cover and simmer for 15–18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
02 - Lift the chicken from the broth and transfer to a plate to cool slightly; discard the bay leaf and leave the broth simmering gently.
03 - Add the chopped onion, diced carrot, diced celery and minced garlic to the simmering broth and cook 4–5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in the orzo and simmer for 8–10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - While the orzo cooks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks or your fingers.
06 - In a medium bowl whisk the eggs with the lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and homogenous.
07 - Ladle about 1 cup of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly to gently raise the temperature and prevent curdling.
08 - Reduce the soup heat to low. Gradually pour the tempered egg mixture into the pot while stirring gently; maintain a low temperature and do not boil to preserve a silky texture.
09 - Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stir in the chopped dill or parsley, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
10 - Ladle the soup into bowls while hot and garnish with extra herbs and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This soup has a silkiness from the eggs and lemon that feels like a chef’s secret but is so easy to master at home.
  • The fresh herbs mixed in at the end bring bright flavor and make every bowl feel like a little celebration.
02 -
  • If you rush adding the egg-lemon mixture or the soup is too hot, you risk scrambling the eggs—slow and steady always wins.
  • Letting the finished soup sit for a few minutes before serving melds the flavors and thickens the texture just a bit more.
03 -
  • Whisking the eggs and lemon until they’re frothy gives the soup an extra silken texture you’ll notice immediately.
  • Always ladle the hot broth slowly into the egg mixture—never the other way around—for a fail-safe creamy soup.
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