This Kotosoupa Avgolemono recipe is a comforting, delicious treat. Kotsoupa, a Greek chicken lemon soup, is warm, cozy and delivers incredible fresh flavors. 
Move over Chicken Noodle, here comes something a little more interesting, and perhaps even more comforting. No joke!
What is a Kotosoupa Avgolemono?
At an authentic Greek restaurant in northern California, I ordered a bowl of an incredibly delicious, traditional Greek soup called Kotosoupa Avgolemono.
- Likely the most popular soup in Greece, it’s sometimes referred to as the Penicillin of Greece, or Greek Penicillin.
- There’s just something about heated lemon . . . it almost feels as though it will heal anything. Whether you need an energy boost, have a sore throat, or just need to be warmed up, a lemon soup can often do the trick. And with this Greek Chicken Lemon Soup, it’s almost a sure thing.
- The stock is made from chicken and lemon, but can also include fish, veal, or lamb. The other most common ingredients in a Kotosoupa Avgolemono recipe are chicken, rice and eggs.
Though it’s over the top delicious, my Kotosoupa recipe is not authentic and doesn’t include the egg.
Whether you want to soothe a cold, cuddle up for dinner by a fire, or just want a warm meal, then believe me, this hearty, aromatic soup is the answer.
Enjoy every last spoonful of this delicious Kotosoupa Avgolemono Recipe. I’m hoping it will be the best Greek Chicken Lemon Soup you’ll ever have!
Recipe Tips
- I like using chicken thighs for this recipe because I like the darker meat — however, you can use any cut you prefer.
- The texture of shredded chicken is really nice in soups, but takes a bit more time. If you want to speed things up, feel free to cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- If you want to mix things up, try using different fresh herbs or a combination. Dill or tarragon would be lovely.
More soothing soup recipes:
- Miso Gai Lan Egg Soup
- Vegan Coconut Spiced Carrot Soup
- Curried Tomato Potato Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower Jalapeño Soup
- Kohlrabi Soup with Coconut and Lemon
Kotosoupa Avgolemono Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 (approximately 5-ounce) chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced leeks, washed and dried, white portions only (save the rest to make vegetable stock)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1½ cups Russet potato, peeled, cut into approximately ¼ inch cubes
- ½ cup cooked Jasmine rice
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup packed baby basil leaves (or larger leaves roughly chopped)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the chicken. Add the chicken stock to a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken. Poach the chicken just until it's cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken, place it on a plate to cool, and pour the stock into a large bowl. Set aside.
- Cook leeks and garlic, add potatoes. Coat the bottom of the same pot with the olive oil and place it over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook until the leeks have softened and the garlic is very aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and stir to blend.
- Simmer ingredients in pot with chicken stock. Pour the chicken stock back in the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let it simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Shred chicken and add it to soup with rice, lemon and basil. While the soup is simmering, use your hands to shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Once the potatoes are tender, add the shredded chicken, rice, lemon juice and basil to the pot. Cook until the basil has completely wilted.
- Season and serve. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
Notes
sue/the view from great island says
One of my favorite soups is a lot like this, only thickened with eggs to give it a creamy texture. I’m dying to try this lighter version, I think lemon makes everything taste better!
valentina says
Sounds like the egg would be delicious, too. Enjoy! 🙂
Roberta says
Scrumptious! I can’t think of any other soup where I’ve gotten the wonderful taste and aroma of lemon, and it works great. A bowl of Kotosoupa and a slice of nice grainy bread – one delicious dinner!
valentina says
Roberta, I’m so happy you liked it! XOXO
sippitysup says
Oh gosh darn it all. I was going to do this post soon. I was just waiting for any kind of winter weather to hit Los Angeles. Although I hear there’s (finally) rain coming our way. So who knows. Maybe I’ll still do it. GREG
valentina says
Great minds think alike, right? Did you have this soup when you were at the restaurant? Hope you still post it — I want to see and try your version. xo
Coco in the Kitchen says
Valentina bella, this is perfect for today since it’s dark & rainy!
xoox
valentina says
Love soup with rain outside! 🙂
David says
Oh, please send some of your rains a little further east! I want a rainy day to make soup like this! It sounds amazing, Valentina! And I love the Deruta bowl peaking out from the bottom!
valentina says
Thanks so much, David! I love bringing pretty dishes out of the woodwork. 😉
David says
This soup – I neglected to mention years ago – is so different from my avgolemono… both Mark and I loved it, but also love the slightly less healthy version we use with eggs!
valentina says
I bet it would be soooo good with the addition of eggs. I generally love eggs in soups and in my mind they’re healthy. 🙂
Deb says
As a lover of all things lemon the Kotosoupa has my complete attention! The addition of basil leaves is so seductive!
valentina says
Hope you try this recipe! It’s very lemon-y!
Joyce says
This is such a unique soup packed with SO much flavour! I love it! You definitely changed my view on soups haha I never think to use lemon in it ever!
valentina says
Thank you I’d never thought to include a lot of lemon before I had this soup. Now I do it often – I love it! Enjoy!
Kate says
I love a nourishing soup, particularly when I’m ill. So interesting that they call it penicillin of Greece!
valentina says
It’s healing, indeed. 🙂
Veena Azmanov says
This Greek Chicken Lemon Soup is one of the most loved in my family! We especially love it during the cold winter months. Pinned for later!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Veena! Happy to hear you love this kind of soup! 🙂
Jeanette says
Yummy, this soup looks SO delicious.
valentina says
Thank you, Jeanette!
Eha says
A delightful soup which simply has to go back into rotation agaon ! I have a tendency to make a somewhat smoother version . . . strong homemade chicken stock, often orzo instead of rice, no chicken but a couple of eggs . . . lots of lemon juice . . . and I must try yours with the pronounced basil . . . . have the stock, may make it if our temos stay coolish under 35 C or so . . .