Description
A vibrant and comforting Greek Lemon Chicken Soup featuring tender shredded chicken, fresh spinach, and a bright lemony broth enriched with egg for a creamy texture. This traditional soup combines aromatic vegetables, herbs, and rice, perfect for a wholesome and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup diced carrots
- ½ cup diced celery
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 strips lemon peel
Herbs and Seasonings
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Liquids and Broth
- Olive oil (quantity unspecified, approx. 2 tbsp for sautéing)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Grains and Proteins
- ½ cup dry white rice
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups shredded chicken breast
- 3-4 oz baby spinach
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel and sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its aroma.
- Simmer Broth and Rice: Stir in dried oregano, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add dry white rice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Remove Aromatics: Carefully remove the bay leaves and lemon peels from the pot to prevent bitterness in the soup.
- Temper Eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and egg yolk together. Gradually add hot broth from the pot to the eggs while whisking continuously to temper them and prevent curdling. Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the soup pot while stirring constantly to create a creamy texture.
- Add Final Ingredients and Season: Stir in shredded chicken breast, baby spinach, chopped dill, and lemon juice. Gently heat through without boiling to keep the spinach fresh and vibrant. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- You can use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice according to your preferred level of tartness.
- To make the soup gluten-free, ensure the chicken broth used is gluten-free certified.
- The egg tempering step is essential to achieve the classic creamy texture without scrambling the eggs.
- For a richer flavor, substitute vegetable broth with homemade chicken stock.
