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Overhead view of pale yellow Cypriot avgolemono soup in a wide bowl, topped with shredded chicken, rice, and dill

Classic Cypriot Avgolemono Soup with Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice soup finished with a tempered egg-lemon sauce, simmered in one pot until the broth turns silky and pale yellow.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 418
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Broth and Chicken
  • 900 g chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on (6 pieces)
  • 2.5 l water
  • 1 yellow onion medium; peeled and halved
  • 2 carrot medium; peeled and halved
  • 2 celery stalks halved
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
For the Rice and Egg-Lemon Sauce
  • 150 g short-grain rice
  • 3 large eggs
  • 80 ml fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped for garnish
  • black pepper to taste

Method
 

Make the Chicken Broth
  1. Place the chicken thighs, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1 tsp salt in a 6-quart / 5.5L stockpot. Add 2.5 L water and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
  2. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 F / 74 C and pulls apart easily with a fork.
  3. Lift the chicken onto a plate to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot and discard the vegetables and bay leaf.
  4. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat off the bones and discard the skin and bones. Set the shredded chicken aside.
Cook the Rice and Finish with Egg-Lemon Sauce
  1. Bring the strained broth back to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stir in the rice and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 18 minutes, until the rice is tender.
  2. Turn the heat down to low. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy, then whisk in the lemon juice.
  3. Ladle about 240 ml of the hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture in a slow stream, whisking the whole time. This tempers the eggs so they don't scramble when they hit the pot.
  4. Pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot, stirring gently and constantly. Keep the heat low and don't let the soup boil again, or the eggs will curdle into small flecks instead of thickening the broth.
  5. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot and warm through for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat.
  6. Taste the soup and add salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with fresh dill, and serve warm.

Notes

  • Don't add the eggs directly to hot broth, they will scramble.
  • Save some lemon zest to sprinkle over the soup before serving.
  • Reheat leftovers on low heat, stirring often, without boiling.
  • Bone-in chicken thighs give a richer broth than boneless breast.