If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with soup - at any time of the year. My father was also a soup fan and would make himself soup on a hot summer's day without a care and I am the exact same way. So, I have been subsisting on a delicious diet of soup and salad for lunch almost every day lately. I recently stumbled across Avgolemono, a Greek lemon chicken orzo soup, and have come up with a version that I think is flavorful, healthy, and delicious. It gets its creaminess from egg yolks and brightness from lemon juice and dill. These flavors are the perfect vehicle to elevate the chicken, vegetables, and orzo. I opt for a whole wheat orzo here (which you can find on Amazon) because that's just my jam, but you can use regular orzo or rice. Whatever works for you.
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2-3 celery stalks, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 chicken breasts (about 12 oz total)
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup orzo
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 3 egg yolks
• Salt to taste
• A handful fresh dill
Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and cook the onion, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until softened.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the bay leaves, chicken, chicken stock and water.
3. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Take out the chicken breasts and bay leaves. Add the orzo to the pot and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
5. Shred the chicken with two forks or a shredder and add it back to the pot.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. While the orzo is cooking, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl. Take out 1-2 ladles of soup and pour it over the egg-lemon mixture to temper it. Add this mix to the pot and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the fresh dill, adjust the seasoning and serve immediately or freeze.
