Avgolemono

Creamy, warming, rich, silky chicken soup, fortified with a lemon egg sauce that will satisfy the winter hungry’s.

Whilst living in an apartment in Queens, there was a Greek Gyro shop on the way from the subway to the apartment, many nights, I stopped there for this soup, a side of pita, and a glass of wine. No matter how cold the wind whipping down the East River was, this always warmed me.

Just one of the many things the current situation has taken from me.

From Wikipedia:

Avgolemono or egg–lemon sauce is a family of sauces and soups made with egg yolk and lemon juice mixed with broth, heated until they thicken.

As a soup, avgolemono usually starts with chicken broth, though meat (usually lamb), fish, or vegetable broths are also used. Typically, rice, orzo, pastina, or tapioca are cooked in the broth before the mixture of eggs and lemon is added. Its consistency varies from near-stew to near-broth. It is often served with pieces of the meat and vegetables reserved from the broth.

The soup is usually made with whole eggs, but sometimes with just yolks. The whites may be beaten into a foam separately before mixing with the yolks and lemon juice, or whole eggs may be beaten with the lemon juice. The starch of the pasta or rice contributes to stabilizing the emulsion.

Avgolemono – Lemon, Chicken and Orzo Soup

Tasty, Filling, with a bright, silky, mouth watering taste

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Servings 4 people

Calories 476 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Cup Carrots Peeled, Minced
• 1 ea Sweet Onion Peeled, Minced
• 1 Cup Celery Minced
• 2 cloves Garlic Peeled, Minced
• 8 cup Chicken Broth / Stock Low Sodium Please
• 1 cup Orzo
• 8 Oz Cooked Chicken Meat Shredded
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice Zest first and use zest as a garnish
• 2 ea Jumbo Eggs
• 2 ea Bay Leaves
• Salt and Pepper To taste

Instructions

 

• Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large saucepan, heat over medium high until oil shimmers
• Add mirepoix, and saute until the veggies are softened (~3-5 minutes), add garlic and stir until fragrant
• Add chicken broth / stock and bring to a boil, add bay leaves, orzo
• Drop heat to low and simmer for ~7-10 minutes, until orzo is tender (see package directions for orzo)
• Stir in shredded chicken.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk lemon juice and eggs. Temper the eggs and add to broth.
• Taste, Season, Balance Flavor
• Remove from heat, and serve. Using zest from the lemon as garnish.

Notes

I seem to be down memory lane these days.

This soup was always a treat in the greek spot next to my apt.

I’d serve with a greek side salad, some warm pita bread, and maybe some toasted garlic croutons.

One can use rice in place of the orzi, but it will take longer to cook tender, ~20 minutes

Now some will go straight to the chicken breast for this, I’ll head to the legs and thighs, much more flavor, and IF you are using my favorite cheat, (store roasted chicken), will be more juicy.

Nutrition

Calories: 476kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 34gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 232mgPotassium: 902mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5483IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Chicken, Egg, Lemon

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