A hearty and comforting winter-warming Greek lemon chicken soup
Cold weather calls for a bowl of comforting soup! And what better way to have it than with a delicious bowl of Greek lemon chicken soup (aka in Greek: kotosoupa avgolemono). This classic Greek dish is made up of chicken and mixed with a delicious egg-lemon sauce and fragrant chicken stock to result in a thick, tangy and nourishing soup. However, the secret to this heartwarming soup lies in the Avgolemono (ah-vo-le-mo-no). The Avgolemono is an egg-lemon sauce with a thick consistency to give that silky smooth texture and tangy flavour.
This recipe is rather simple to whip up but can easily go wrong. The Avgolemono can easily curdle and go lumpy, so be sure that your broth is warm and not boiling hot, and that your eggs are at room temperature to avoid it from curdling easily. Keep in mind that the egg white has more potential to get lumpy or curdle quickly when in contact with extreme heat.
The even heat distribution from the Le Creuset Dutch Oven resulted in a consistent texture when adding the egg mixture and broth together. A dutch oven is great at retaining heat well so it made the perfect vessel to keep this delicious lemon chicken soup warm for hours. Pair this hearty soup with a Greek salad or enjoy it as a starter before your main feast!
Cook time: Under 30 mins | Serves: 4-6 Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1/2 bulb fennel, thinly sliced (reserve fennel fronds)
- 7 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
- 2 litres of chicken stock
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 2 x tins of chickpeas
- Tarragon to garnish
- Fennel fronds to garnish
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 225g Greek yoghurt
1. In a large cast iron dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and cook until translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Then, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the preserved lemon and stir until evenly incorporated. Add all of the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer.
2. Remove meat from half of the rotisserie chicken and tear it into bite-sized pieces (reserve remaining chicken for later use). Add the chicken and chickpeas to simmering liquid and cook until evenly heated about 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste.
3. Before serving, garnish with one sprig of tarragon and one fennel frond. Top with a dash of lemon juice and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.
Recipe source: Le CreusetNext Read: Best Umami Mushroom Soup
