Greek Chicken and Lemon Soup

Cold and flu season has hit my house hard this year, and the one thing that will always make me feel better is this Greek Chicken and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono).

It has a base of chicken broth (low sodium), and is made creamy and rich by adding some eggs and lemon juice. Sounds a bit odd, but once you try it you will be hooked. It is easy enough to make when you are sick, although it tastes like you cooked all day.

 

Avgolemono Soup

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery rib, diced

4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth

1/2 cup white rice

2 eggs

Juice of 1 large lemon

Salt and pepper

Start by heating the olive oil in your soup pot, then add the vegetables and cook until they are very soft.  Onions have quercitin, an antioxidant that is especially good at protecting the sinuses, and carrots are full of vitamin A. This step is optional, but adding a few vegetables makes for a heartier, more interesting soup.

Add all 4 cups chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil.

Then add ½ cup of rice (white tastes best here) and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

While the soup simmers, beat two eggs in a medium size bowl and add the juice of one large or two small lemons. Whisk again until completely blended.

When the rice is tender, turn off the heat on the soup and add a ladle full of the hot soup to the eggs and lemon juice. Whisk, and then add another ladle of hot soup to the egg mixture, stirring it. This should bring the eggs up to temperature, so they will not seize when they hit the soup.

Add the egg mixture to the soup pot, and stir until combined and the soup is creamy. Season to taste and you are done!

Tempering the eggs sounds complicated, but it is really quite simple and once you do it the first time it will be a breeze.

This soup is nourishing and comforting, easy on a sore throat and a tender tummy. Enjoy!