Greek · lunch, dinner
Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup)
Video by The Mediterranean Dish on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Egg. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Lean shredded chicken and egg give about 17 g of protein a serve in a light, lemony broth thickened with egg rather than cream, with only 1 tbsp of olive oil in the whole pot.
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Ingredients 14
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and briefly sauté the carrots, celery and green onions until they start to sweat, then add the garlic. 1:13
- Pour in the chicken broth, add the bay leaves and bring to a rolling boil. 2:01
- Add the rinsed rice with a little salt and pepper, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir in the shredded chicken. 2:23
- Whisk the eggs with the lemon juice in a bowl. Still whisking, slowly add about 2 ladles of hot broth to temper the eggs. 3:26
- Stir the egg-lemon mixture into the soup and take the pot off the heat straight away so the eggs don't scramble. Remove the bay leaves, garnish with parsley and serve hot. 4:23
Tip. A good way to use leftover rotisserie chicken. Serve with crusty bread. Reheat gently without boiling so the egg doesn't split. Orzo can replace the rice.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 51%
- Protein 27%
- Fat 22%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 80% of the 32 g of net carbs come from the rice. To cut carbs, try cauliflower rice instead, or half and half.
One serve has about 55% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Selenium High41%
23 µg a serve, mostly from boneless chicken breasts (41%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin K High37%
45 µg a serve, mostly from green onions (58%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin A Source19%
172 µg a serve, mostly from carrots (78%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin B6 Source19%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from boneless chicken breasts (61%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin C Source14%
13 mg a serve, mostly from freshly squeezed lemon juice (61%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin B12 Source12%
0.3 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (62%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Magnesium Source10%
40 mg a serve, mostly from rice (28%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Zinc Source10%
1.1 mg a serve, mostly from rice (41%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Show the other 7
Folate9%
35 µg a serve. Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Potassium8%
380 mg a serve, mostly from low-sodium chicken broth (25%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Iron8%
1.4 mg a serve. Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin E6%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (37%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Calcium5%
63 mg a serve, mostly from low-sodium chicken broth (25%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Omega-34%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (30%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin D2%
0.4 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (92%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by The Mediterranean Dish; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.