Ingredients
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 pound chicken breast or 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup uncooked rice (or orzo)
3 egg yolks (or 2 whole eggs)
¼–⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (plus zest, optional)
2 tablespoons fresh dill or parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté for 5–10 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in bay leaves and chicken (raw or shredded). Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add rice (or orzo) and simmer until tender, 10–20 minutes depending on the grain.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks (or whole eggs) with lemon juice. Slowly whisk in hot broth, a ladle at a time, to temper the eggs.
- Reduce heat to low and slowly stir the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly. Do not boil.
- Stir in shredded chicken (if not already added), fresh dill or parsley, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and extra lemon juice if desired.
- Serve immediately for the best texture.
Notes
- Orzo cooks faster than rice and gives a pasta-like texture.
- For low-carb, replace rice with cauliflower rice and add zucchini.
- Leave out eggs for a lighter, broth-based soup.
- Use chickpeas and vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Reheat gently to prevent curdling the egg mixture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15–25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
