Description
A cozy and comforting Greek lemon chicken soup with orzo, fresh herbs, and a silky lemon-egg finish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients. Pat chicken pieces dry and cut into 1-inch chunks. Finely chop the onion. Peel and dice carrots and celery into roughly 1/4-inch pieces.
- Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and sear until golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables soften, about 5–7 minutes.
- Build the broth. Pour the chicken broth into the pot and scrape up any browned bits. Return the seared chicken to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Cook the orzo and herbs. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Stir in the orzo and cook according to package directions (about 8–10 minutes) until al dente. Stir in the chopped dill and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Temper the lemon-egg mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice. Ladle 1 to 1.5 cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly.
- Finish the soup. Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot while stirring gently. Keep the soup over low heat and stir for 2–3 minutes until the broth thickens slightly. Do not let the soup boil after adding the eggs.
- Serve immediately. Adjust seasoning with extra lemon, salt, or pepper as desired.
Notes
For best texture when freezing, omit orzo before freezing. Reheat gently avoiding boiling after adding the egg mixture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 200mg
Keywords: chicken soup, Greek soup, lemon soup, easy soup, weeknight dinner