Greek Chicken and Rice Soup or Avgolemono is a favorite in our house. We usually make this right when the garden is starting to produce and we go out and harvest the vegetables and herbs for dinner.
Except for the lemons, I want a lemon tree so badly and our northern climate is not exactly a citrus tree’s ideal climate. I have even tried to convince my husband that we need to turn the front of the house into a glass conservatory, strangely he just stared at me and went about his business. Rude. I even told him that I would help manage the project, again I received the blank stare. So no conservatory for me. I guess everyone needs to a have an unfulfilled dream, sigh….
So back to the soup, The other reason I adore making this soup is how it is thickened, the eggs are the thickening agent, not the traditional heavy flour roux that is normally made for cream soups and chowders. This is a summer soup I wanted it to be light and refreshing. The egg mixture creates a wonderful silkiness that goes well with the subtle lemon flavor. Make sure you add the ladle of hot broth to the egg and lemon mixture first, this helps prevent the eggs from curdling, stir vigorously when you add the broth and egg mixture back to the soup. The soup will thicken almost immediately.
Summer Chicken and Rice Soup
Refreshing and light, this soup is perfect for a summer evening.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 Large Carrot~Diced
- 1 Medium Onion~Diced
- 1 Stalk Celery~Diced
- 4 -6 Cups Broth I start with 4 cups and add a bit extra before I serve to thin the soup.
- 2 Thinly Sliced Chicken Breast
- 3/4 Cup Arborio Rice
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Zest of Lemon
- 1 Juice of Lemon
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1.5 tsp Lemon Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Chives
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro/Dill
Instructions
-
Heat the oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat then add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 5 minutes or just until the carrot is tender and the onion and celery are translucent.
-
Add the rice and broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add sliced chicken, simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice and chicken are cooked through.
-
In a small bowl beat the eggs together with lemon juice and lemon zest.
-
After the rice and chicken are cooked, add about a ladle of the soup broth to the egg mixture and stir. Pour the egg mixture into the soup. You will notice the soup thickening up. Season with salt and pepper as needed and if you feel the soup needs more lemon, add more lemon juice as desired.
-
Stir in the cilantro and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh chives.
