Greek Lemon Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe: Creamy Lemon Soup Is Mediterranean Goodness in a Bowl by Elisa Schmitz

I wanted to make this classic Greek lemon soup recipe, but it calls for leftover chicken or turkey, which I didn't have. To add nutrition, I also wanted to add more vegetables to it. So I ended up with my own recipe for Greek lemon chicken vegetable soup, which is basically a big bowl of Mediterranean goodness.

Loaded with lemons, tempered eggs and veggies, there's so much flavor in this creamy chicken soup recipe. I made a huge batch to ensure we had leftovers. (My husband has two helpings at a time, so they don't last long). So savory and soothing, this is good-for-you comfort food at its finest!

Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 pound (16 ounces) carrots, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 broccoli crowns
• 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 pounds chicken, chopped (I used 1 pound of chicken thighs and 1 pound of chicken breast)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 4 small- to medium-size lemons
• 2 quarts turkey stock, chicken stock, vegetable stock or bone broth (I used chicken broth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup white rice
• 4 eggs
• lemon slices, for garnish

Here’s how to make it:

1. Add olive oil to a Dutch oven. Over medium heat, sauté carrots, potato, broccoli, onion, chicken and lemon zest in olive oil. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Cook about 5 minutes. Add celery and cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through. Add stock and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Add rice, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked through.
   
2. When rice is cooking, whisk 4 eggs and the juice of 3 lemons in a large mixing bowl.
   
3. Once rice is done cooking, it's time to temper the eggs. This is the process by which you slowly heat the eggs so they don’t cook (which is what would happen if you threw them directly into the soup). Add one ladle of soup broth to the egg and lemon mixture, and whisk to blend. Add another ladle and do the same, whisking continuously. Continue doing this with five or six ladles, then pour the mixture back into the soup pot.
   
   
4. Add the juice of 1 more lemon. (If your lemons are on the larger size, you may want to add less or omit this last lemon, depending on how much lemon flavor you like.) Stir to blend. Allow to simmer for about 10 more minutes, until heated through and thickened.
   
   
5. Serve with warm rolls and butter. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
   

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