Avgolemono (Greek lemon chicken soup)

Photo: The Mediterranean Dish

Lemon and egg whisked into hot broth until it goes silky. Chicken and rice. Greek grandmothers have been curing colds with this forever.

From Suzy Karadsheh at The Mediterranean Dish · @themediterraneandish

Chicken and rice soup finished with eggs and lemon whisked in until it turns creamy and bright.

You need

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped carrots
• 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 3/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup rice
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cooked chicken breasts (6 to 8 oz), shredded
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• Parsley, to finish

How to make it

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the carrots, celery and green onions until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
2. Add the broth and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Discard the bay leaves.
3. Whisk the lemon juice and eggs together in a bowl. Whisking constantly, add 2 ladlefuls of hot broth, a little at a time, to warm the eggs without scrambling them.
4. Take the pot off the heat and stir the egg mixture back in. The soup will thicken and turn silky.
5. Taste for salt and lemon, scatter parsley and serve. Reheat gently, never boiling, or the eggs will curdle.

Written in our own words from Suzy Karadsheh's recipe, with their quantities. The original: Avgolemono (Greek lemon chicken soup), The Mediterranean Dish.

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