Ingredients
Herbs
- ½ ounce container fresh dill
Soup Base
- 2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ¾ cup uncooked white rice
Avgolemono Mixture
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (plus more as needed)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
To Serve
- Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the dill: Pull the dill fronds from the stems and set aside ½ cup of the fronds for garnish.
- Combine ingredients in pot: In a large pot, combine the dill stems, chicken thighs, uncooked rice, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer chicken and rice: Reduce heat to medium-low, stir, then cover the pot and cook for about 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the rice is cooked through.
- Remove chicken and stems: Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken thighs and dill stems from the broth. Discard the stems and transfer the chicken to a plate. Shred the chicken finely using two forks.
- Bring broth to simmer: Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the broth back up to an active simmer.
- Whisk eggs and lemon: In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs vigorously until frothy. Add ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix well to combine.
- Temper the egg mixture: While continuously whisking, gradually add about one ladleful (1 cup) of the hot broth—rice may come along—to the egg-lemon mixture to temper it and prevent curdling.
- Incorporate egg mixture into broth: Pour the tempered lemon-egg mixture back into the pot with the simmering broth. Immediately remove the pot from heat and stir in the shredded chicken.
- Season and adjust lemon: Taste the soup and add more lemon juice if desired. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with reserved fresh dill fronds, a sprinkle of black pepper, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for added richness.
Notes
- Tempering the egg mixture is critical to prevent scrambling when adding to hot broth.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the salt level in the soup.
- Fresh dill adds authentic flavor; dried dill should not be used as a substitute.
- Adjust lemon juice to taste for the perfect balance of tanginess.
- This soup can be served as a light main course or starter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
