Avgolemono Soup

Avgolemono soup. Shutterstock

Avgolemono Soup

This favorite lemony Greek soup isn’t hard to make. It’s just a little tricky. The eggs give the soup a rich, velvety texture. However, it’s critical to temper the eggs with a bit of hot broth, then stir constantly while adding the tempered eggs to the pot. Otherwise, you’ll wind up with scrambled eggs in chicken soup. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, just not avgolemono. Leftover cooked rice (about a cup) can be substituted for the orzo. In fact, some old family recipes specify rice.

Makes 6 servings

• 8 cups strong chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dried orzo pasta
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, bring chicken broth to a rolling boil. Carefully remove 1 cup of hot broth. Add orzo to the soup pot and cook until tender, about 6–8 minutes. Reduce heat to low.