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Avgolemono Chicken and Orzo Soup

Name: Avgolemono Chicken and Orzo Soup
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: olive oil — 27 g; onion — 110 g; carrots — 120 g; celery — 80 g; garlic — 9 g; low-salt chicken broth — 1893 g; boneless chicken — 680 g; orzo pasta — 237 g; salt — 5 g; black pepper — 3 g; eggs — 300 g; lemon juice — 79 g; dill — 15 g

Avgolemono Chicken and Orzo Soup reads citrus 5.6, sourness 5.1 and richness 4.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 50 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 4.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.1 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.4 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.6 · Sourness 5.1 · Richness 4.1 · Allium 4.0 · Salinity 3.9 · Umami 3.3 · Sweetness 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.9 · Earthy 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Fruity 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 0.9 · Nutty 0.9 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (13)

olive oil — 27 g
onion — 110 g
carrots — 120 g
celery — 80 g
garlic — 9 g
low-salt chicken broth — 1893 g
boneless chicken — 680 g
orzo pasta — 237 g
salt — 5 g
black pepper — 3 g
eggs — 300 g
lemon juice — 79 g
dill — 15 g

Time & effort: about 50 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 78.5 kcal, 8.9 g protein, 1.9 g fat, 6.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the broth and add the chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F, 18-19 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Return the broth to a boil, add the orzo, and cook until al dente, 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
While the orzo finishes, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together until frothy.
Ladle about 2 cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, to temper it.
Reduce the heat under the pot to low and stir the shredded chicken back in. Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture into the pot, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, 2-3 minutes — do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the dill.
Ladle into bowls and serve immediately, garnished with more dill.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup — American
Grilled Turkey Kebabs with Zucchini and Peppers — American
Loaded Beef Burrito Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice — Tex-Mex
Steak Fajitas with Lime and Cilantro — Tex-Mex
Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas — Tex-Mex

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.