Kotosoupa Avgolemono — Greek Chicken, Rice & Lemon Soup

⏱ 95 min · Serves 6

The soup every Greek grandmother swears by: a whole chicken simmered into golden broth, plump rice, and a silky egg-lemon avgolemono whisked in at the last second. Velvety, bright and deeply comforting — a bowl of sunshine and a cure for everything.

Per serving: 446 kcal · 38.0g protein · 24.0g carbs · 21.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, about 1.6kg (or 6 bone-in, skin-on thighs)
• 2.5 litres cold water
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved
• 2 celery sticks, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 150g short-grain or medium-grain rice (e.g. Arborio or Carolina)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• Juice of 2 large lemons (about 90ml), plus extra to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (optional, to serve)

Method

1. Put the chicken in a large stockpot with the cold water. Bring slowly to a bare simmer and skim off any grey foam that rises for the first 10 minutes — this is what keeps the broth clear.
2. Add the onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and 1 tsp salt. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 55–65 minutes, until the chicken is falling off the bone.
3. Lift the chicken out onto a board and strain the broth through a fine sieve, discarding the vegetables and aromatics. You want about 2 litres; top up with hot water if short.
4. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
5. Return the strained broth to the pot, bring to a simmer, add the rice and cook for 15–18 minutes until tender and the broth has thickened slightly. Stir the shredded chicken back in and season well. Turn the heat right down — the soup must not boil from here.
6. Make the avgolemono: whisk the eggs in a bowl until pale and frothy, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, trickle in the lemon juice, then slowly ladle in 3–4 ladlefuls of hot broth, a little at a time, until the mixture is warm and loose.
7. Pour the egg-lemon mixture back into the pot in a steady stream, stirring gently and continuously. Warm through over the lowest heat for 1–2 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened — never let it boil or it will curdle.
8. Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a grind of pepper and a scatter of dill. Serve at once with crusty bread.