Avgolemono: Greek Chicken and Rice Soup with Egg and Lemon
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
A comforting Greek soup of tender shredded chicken and rice in a broth made gently creamy and tangy with a blended egg and lemon mixture. Lemon zest, dill and whole spices give it a fragrant, bright finish.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Salt the chicken. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, toss the pieces with the 0.25 tsp salt and leave at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. The thinner pieces cook more evenly, and the short salting time lets the seasoning soak in so the meat stays juicy when poached.
- 2
Tie the herb bundle. Lay the lemon zest strips, dill sprigs, coriander seeds, peppercorns and garlic in the centre of the muslin, gather the corners and tie tightly with string. Wrapping the aromatics means they can perfume the broth fully and then be lifted out in one go, with no stray seeds left in the soup.
- 3
Start the rice. Put the broth, water, rice and herb bundle into the large saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. As soon as it bubbles, cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Giving the rice a head start means it will be tender by the time the chicken has finished cooking.
- 4
Poach in residual heat. Turn off the heat, add the chicken, cover and leave for 15 minutes. The thickest piece should read 74°C on the thermometer; if it falls short, return the pot to a gentle simmer for a few minutes and check again. Cooking in the cooling liquid rather than at a rolling boil keeps the chicken tender instead of stringy. Lift the chicken onto the plate, discard the bundle and shred the meat with two forks.
- 5
Blend the egg-lemon. Ladle about 150 g of the cooked rice, without the liquid, into the blender with the lemon juice, eggs and yolks, and blend for about 1 minute until completely smooth. The puréed rice adds starch that helps protect the eggs from curdling and gives the finished soup a light, creamy body.
- 6
Temper and thicken. Bring the soup back to a simmer, then blend 2 ladles of the hot broth into the egg mixture to warm it gradually. Lower the heat, stir the warmed mixture into the pot and cook gently, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the soup thickens slightly and reaches 71°C, so the eggs are fully cooked. Never let it boil at this point; tempering and gentle heat stop the egg proteins tightening into grainy curds.
- 7
Finish and season. Return the shredded chicken and any juices from the plate and warm through over low heat for a minute or two, still without boiling. Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste, then stir in the chopped dill. Adding the dill at the end keeps its colour bright and its flavour fresh.
Storage
Cool quickly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended, as the egg-thickened broth can separate. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring, until piping hot (74°C) without letting it boil, or the egg will curdle. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why it's healthy
31.1 g protein for 307 kcal = 10.1 g per 100 kcal. Our High Protein label needs at least 10 g per 100 kcal. How we decide
Equipment
- large saucepan with a lid (at least 4 litres)
- square of muslin or cheesecloth and kitchen string
- blender
- ladle
- two forks
- large plate
- instant-read thermometer
- whisk or wooden spoon
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 307 kcal |
| Protein | 31.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 28.5 g |
| of which sugars | 1.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.4 g |
| Fat | 6.7 g |
| of which saturates | 1.8 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g |
| Salt | 2.3 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
10.1 g meets the High Protein rule (≥ 10 g)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
