Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)
Silky Greek chicken soup with a velvety egg-lemon finish. The tempering technique creates an almost custard-like broth that coats tender shredded chicken and soft rice—one of the gentlest 18g-protein meals for active flares.
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)
Silky Greek chicken soup with a velvety egg-lemon finish. The tempering technique creates an almost custard-like broth that coats tender shredded chicken and soft rice—one of the gentlest 18g-protein meals for active flares.
Ingredients
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
Instructions
Bring broth to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
Equipment: large potAdd chicken breasts, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
Remove chicken to a cutting board and set aside. Keep broth at a gentle simmer.
Add rice to the simmering broth and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until grains are very tender and starting to break apart.
While rice cooks, use two forks to shred chicken into bite-sized pieces.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and lemon juice together until smooth and frothy.
Equipment: medium bowl, whiskSlowly ladle 1 cup of hot broth into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This tempers the eggs so they won't curdle when added to the pot.
Tip: Whisk constantly and vigorously—this prevents scrambled eggsReduce heat to low. Gradually pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot in a thin, steady stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir gently to distribute.
Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens to a silky, coating consistency.
Tip: Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdleRemove from heat and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and top with fresh dill before serving.
Notes
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The soup thickens as it cools—add a splash of broth when reheating. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently. Never let it boil or the eggs will separate.
Tempering technique
The key to silky texture is slow, constant whisking when adding hot broth to eggs. Rush this step and you'll have egg drop soup instead of velvety avgolemono.
Lemon adjustment
Start with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice if you're sensitive to acidity, then add more to taste at the end. Fresh lemon juice is essential—bottled juice tastes flat.
Chicken alternatives
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay more tender. Leftover rotisserie chicken saves time—just add it at the end with the shredded breast.
Make-ahead option
Cook the chicken and rice base up to 2 days ahead. Add the egg-lemon mixture fresh when ready to serve for the best texture.
Freezing
Not recommended. The egg-thickened broth separates and becomes grainy when frozen and thawed.
IBD Considerations
Diet Protocol Compliance
How this recipe fits common IBD dietary approaches
