Uber Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup
Also called Avgolemono, this soup is fresh and cozy at the same time. A classic Greek soup that will make you think of summertime even in the dead of winter.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 medium leek cleaned, sliced into half moons
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock homemade if possible
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice start with 1/3 cup, you may want to of up to 1/2 cup depending on your lemon love (taste first)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- lemon slices for serving
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat
Add the carrot, celery and leek and cook, stirring often till just starting to soften. 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add the chicken thighs, and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce and cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a plate to cool just a touch. Then shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.
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Meanwhile, bring the soup back up to a boil and add the orzo. Cook until just al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot.
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Beat the lemon juice and egg together. Add 1 cup of the broth (1/4 cup at a time) to the mixture and whisk constantly to temper the eggs avoiding curdling and cooking the egg.
Remove the pot from the heat.
Then take the entire lemon, egg and broth mixture and return it to the pot, drizzling it in and stirring the liquid to ensure that it stays smooth.
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Add the dill.
Serve, garnishing with lemon slices.
Recipe Notes
The recipe starts with 1/3 cup lemon juice. More can be added with the lemon slices or wedges.
You can add a touch of heat (hot pepper flakes) or garlic. But then it wouldn't be a traditional Avgolemono. But that's alright.