Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs Whole Chicken (or bone-in parts)
  • 12 cups Water (filtered)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, quartered
  • 2 medium Carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 stalks Celery, roughly chopped
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp Peppercorns
  • 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt (for broth base)
  • ½ cup Orzo Pasta or White Rice
  • Kosher Salt & White Pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • 3 large Eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup Fresh Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 tsp Lemon Zest (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Start the Broth: Place the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, and initial measure of salt into the stock pot. Cover with 12 cups (3L) of cold water.
  2. Simmer and Skim: Bring the mixture slowly to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any grey foam (impurities) that rises to the surface using a spoon.
  3. Cook the Chicken: Continue simmering gently, partially covered, for 45–55 minutes, or until the chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender.
  4. Remove Solids: Carefully remove the chicken pieces with tongs and set aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve (ideally lined with cheesecloth) into a clean pot. Discard the vegetables and aromatics.
  5. Cook the Starch: Return the strained broth (about 8–10 cups) to a simmer. Add the orzo or rice. Cook according to package instructions until just tender (al dente).
  6. Shred the Chicken: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
  7. Reduce Heat: Turn the heat off completely or reduce it to the absolute lowest setting. The broth must not be boiling when adding the Avgolemono, or the eggs will curdle.
  8. Prepare the Emulsion: In a medium bowl, whisk the room-temperature eggs vigorously until pale yellow and frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually whisk in the lemon juice and zest until fully combined.
  9. The Tempering: Slowly drizzle 2 full ladles of the hot (but not boiling) chicken broth into the egg-lemon mixture while constantly and vigorously whisking. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs.
  10. Incorporate the Avgolemono: Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the main soup pot. Do this in a thin stream while gently stirring the soup with a spoon or ladle.
  11. Final Warming: Continue to stir the soup for 1–2 minutes using only the residual heat of the broth until it thickens slightly to a creamy, opaque consistency. Do not put the soup back on the heat.
  12. Finish and Serve: Stir in the reserved shredded chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.