Want to know when I share a new recipe? Subscribe today!
More Winter Soups
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Whenever I’m feeling a bit run-down or just need something nourishing, I turn to this Greek lemon chicken soup. Made with shredded chicken, rice, and a bright hit of lemon, it’s the kind of comforting bowl that feels both hearty and refreshing. The egg yolks give it a silky richness, while the herbs and garlic add depth without fuss. It’s one of my favourite soups to make ahead or freeze, and a perfect go-to for easy, wholesome dinners that still feel a little bit special.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 tsp roast garlic paste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 egg yolks
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and gently cook for 10 minutes until the veg is softened and fragrant. Stir in the roast garlic paste and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the chicken stock, then add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the rice, reduce the heat to low, pop a lid on the pot, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and let it heat through over a low simmer for about 5 minutes. Season well with salt and black pepper to taste.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and lemon juice. Slowly ladle in about 2 scoops of the hot broth, whisking constantly to temper the eggs and avoid scrambling. Once the mixture is smooth and warmed, pour it back into the pot and stir gently through the soup.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Serve hot, ideally with some crusty bread or a sprinkle of fresh herbs if you fancy.
Notes
- If you're short on time, feel free to use precooked rice – just simmer for 5 minutes after adding.
- Thyme isn’t traditional, but I think lemon and thyme are a match made in flavour heaven - totally worth it!
- For a shortct,blilitz your onion, carrot, and celery in the food processor for speedy prep and even quicker cooking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 373Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 818mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 31g
Please note, this nutrition information is to be used as a guide only. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Want to know when I share a new recipe? Subscribe today!
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)
Another Wintery Day
It’s the middle of winter and I’m working from home with a long weekend ahead, so of course I made soup. Not just any soup though – Greek lemon chicken soup. My usual go-to is a classic creamy chicken and rice number, but this version is something else entirely. It’s got that bright lemony lift that tricks your brain into thinking it’s spring. I had a lone (giant, like the size of two!) chicken breast in the freezer that had been giving me the side eye for weeks, and a few lemons bought for a recipe I then promptly forgot about. So naturally, I took it as a sign! Imagine me in my fluffy pyjamas, with Lulu perched on the fridge like the kitchen supervisor he is, while my home slowly fills with the comforting scent of citrus and chicken. Yummmm.
And to be honest, I needed a win in my kitchen this week! Because, not every kitchen adventure is a success. Case in point: the Posh Puff Pastry Pizza Scrolls I made last weekend. After carefully curating the ingredients and rolling up the pastry, I had doubts. The scrolls weren’t scrolling in the way I wanted to, and I began to second-guess myself. So, of course I fiddled with the recipe, and ended up with a disaster. The original? Perfect. The revised version? Absolute mess!! And because I’d already used up all the ingredients making pizza tarts in a fit of frustration, I had nothing left to salvage the situation. At least my bestie and his basketball mates got a container of cheesy treats out of it. Lucky them!
The weekend didn’t get any better after that. I tried to whip up a no-bake dark chocolate fruit and nut slice and, honestly, it was chaos. We won’t talk about it. But this soup? This soup is reliable. It’s the one I always come back to when I need a pick-me-up. Every time I make it, it turns out just right. And after being accidentally glutened a couple of weeks back (which set off a whole chain of health dramas), I needed something easy, soothing, and safe. This was it. Safe to say, I won’t be eating from that café again.
When Recipes Go Wrong
I think it’s easy to forget that kitchen chaos is completely normal. You see a photo online and assume the recipe behind it was flawless. But trust me, for every blog post, there’s a pile of washing up and at least one tantrum! That puff pastry scroll debacle? The perfect example of when I should have trusted my foodie intuition. My first idea was spot on, but I second-guessed myself and it all fell apart. Literally. The second batch looked like it had been trampled!
And the no-bake slice? Well, let’s just say it’s not appearing on the blog anytime soon. I think I was still in a sulk over the scrolls and tried to redeem myself with chocolate. So of course my focus wasn’t there, and it didn’t go well. It ended up in the bin while I muttered about wasting perfectly good nuts and puffed rice. But that’s just how it goes sometimes. There was also that creamy Cajun chicken pasta that looked promising until I left it too long and ended up with a bright orange blob. Or the pan-fried gnocchi dish where, somehow, the gnocchi melted into actual slush. I’m still confused over that one. And don’t even get me started on the muffins that didn’t rise or the cakes that turned into spoonable slop!
What matters is that you keep cooking. That you keep showing up in the kitchen, disasters and all. This Greek lemon chicken soup is one of those comforting, no-fail recipes that always makes me feel like I’ve got my act together. Even if the rest of the day is a bit of a shambles, a bowl of this makes it feel like everything’s going to be alright. It’s a reminder that simple food, made with care, can turn a day around.
Fashion Finds
When I haven’t been pouring over recipes, I’ve been pouring through online sales (and a few trips to Goodwill!). I recently scored a vintage mink coat for $200 at Goodwill and practically floated home. It’s in perfect condition and needless to say my sister is completely jealous. Oh! And the Michael Kors handbag I nabbed for $250, down from $700? Still buzzing. I probably didn’t need either, but tell me a Taurus who doesn’t collect beautiful things like trophies!
Even though I spend most of my days in fluffy pyjamas and oversized hoodies, I know that when I do dress up, I dress up. No half measures. It’s like my wardrobe has two settings: ‘stay home and hide’ or ‘main character at a Paris fashion week brunch.’ And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love knowing that, despite the casual chaos of daily life, my wardrobe is ready to deliver drama on demand.
It’s that glorious Taurus energy, really. We only have two modes – drab and drama. And there’s no shame in either. Give me soft socks and herbal tea one day, silk and stilettos the next. Life is too short to wear boring clothes or deny yourself the thrill of a good fashion find. Especially when it feels like the universe delivered it just for you.
The Weekend Ahead
With my long weekend finally here, I’m planning to do what any sensible Taurus would: cook and eat, and maybe nap a little between the two. I’ve got a backlog of older recipes that need fresh photos, so that’s high on the list. I have to admit, I find it endlessly annoying not getting the photos right the first time – especially when I know the recipe works and the food tasted amazing. It just didn’t look the part. Alongside that, I’ve got a handful of new brunch recipes I’ve been meaning to test, write, and shoot – because who doesn’t love a brunch moment??
It’s shaping up to be one of those weekends that feels like self-care in its purest form. No alarms, no expectations, just pottering around the kitchen with Lulu occasionally meowing at me to remind me he’s the boss. But let’s be honest, most of my energy is probably going toward styling proscuitto and fighting with natural light.
And on Saturday, bestie and I have a little outing planned – either lunch or brunch, depending on what he chooses. I did suggest a place already but it got vetoed, so now he’s got full control of the agenda. We’ll probably end up somewhere local, which I’m completely fine with, especially if it has a fireplace and good wine. Honestly, that sounds like the perfect end to a weekend of comfort, carbs, and catching up.
Ingredients Breakdown
The magic of Greek lemon chicken soup – or avgolemono, if we’re being proper – is in how few ingredients it takes to create something so full of flavour. To build extra flavour, I like to start with a classic mirepoix of finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery, gently softened in a little olive oil. Just a hint of garlic adds warmth without overpowering the lemony freshness that makes this soup sing. next up, chicken. I used a single breast I’d stashed in the freezer weeks ago, but thighs or leftover roast chicken would also work perfectly. You poach it gently in a good-quality chicken stock so it stays tender and juicy, and then shred it up to stir back through the soup.
The real magic, though, is in the lemon and egg. Whisked together and tempered with hot broth, they create the creamy, velvety texture that sets this soup apart from your average chicken and rice situation. It’s zesty, rich, and somehow both refreshing and comforting. The eggs add that silky mouthfeel, and the lemon brings brightness that cuts through the winter gloom.
You’ll also need cooked rice – I use white rice for that soft, fluffy finish, but any rice will do. Then it’s just your basics: good chicken stock, salt, pepper, and maybe a bay leaf or a sprig of dill if you’re feeling a bit fancy. That’s it. No faff, no fuss. Just simple, honest ingredients working together to create something warm and wonderful. The kind of soup you’ll want to make again and again.
