Description
Avgolemono is one of those soups that I’ve made many times, but rarely from scratch. It’s usually a ‘there’s nothing in the house’ type of thing and made with a carton of broth. Even in its quick-and-easy form it’s a delicious and comforting meal, but when you use a fresh whole chicken, it becomes epic. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
- 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 3 quarts cold water
- 2 cups finely diced onion
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅔ cup arborio rice, or more to taste
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Place chicken
- chopped onion
- celery
- carrot
- bay leaves
- and oregano in a large pot. Pour water over the top; bring to a boil
- reduce heat to medium-low
- and simmer
- skimming foam as necessary
- until chicken is falling off the bone
- 60 to 90 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh
- near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a bowl to cool
- strain all vegetables from simmering broth
- discard vegetables
- and return broth to the pot. Chop cooked chicken meat.
- Combine 2 cups diced onion
- olive oil
- and a pinch of salt in a large skillet. Cook and stir onion mixture over medium heat until onion is soft
- sweet
- and golden
- 7 to 10 minutes.
- Stir onion mixture into chicken broth in the pot and set over medium-low heat; add Arborio rice and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer; cook
- stirring occasionally
- until rice is very tender and broth flavors combine
- about 45 minutes.
- Whisk eggs
- cayenne pepper
- and black pepper together in a bowl; whisk in lemon juice. Slowly pour 1 cup broth mixture into egg mixture
- whisking constantly. Add 1 more cup of broth to egg mixture and whisk. Pour egg mixture into broth in the pot
- add chopped chicken
- and cook until heated through
- about 5 minutes more.
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 2 hrs
Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 6