This Kotosoupa Augolemono recipe is a comforting, delicious treat! Though Kotsoupa, a Greek chicken lemon soup, is warm, cozy and delivers incredible, fresh flavors, it’s a light and healthy meal. 
Move over Chicken Noodle, here comes something a little more interesting, and perhaps even more comforting. No joke!
What is a Kotosoupa Augolemono?
After I ate every last bit of the Skorthalia (Greek Garlic Potato Dip), that I loved so much at The Greek Authentic Cuisine, I had a bowl of an incredibly delicious, traditional Greek soup called Kotosoupa Augolemono.
- Likely the most popular soup in Greece, it’s sometimes referred to as the “Penicillin of Greece.”
- 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 Augolemono recipe are chicken, rice and eggs.
My version of this Greek Chicken Lemon Soup doesn’t include the egg — simply because when I sampled it at the restaurant it didn’t include it, and I was going for a similar vibe.
This is my attempt at recreating it. Pretty darn close!
So, 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 Augolemono Recipe. I’m hoping it will be the best Greek Chicken Lemon Soup you’ll ever have!
Here are a few other soups to sooth the soul and warm you up:
- Miso Gai Lan Egg Soup
- Vegan Coconut Spiced Carrot Soup
- Curried Tomato Potato Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower Jalapeño Soup
If you try this soup or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also follow on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more of my mouth-watering recipes!
This Kotosoupa Augolemono recipe is a comforting, delicious treat! Though Kotsoupa, a Greek chicken lemon soup, is warm, cozy and delivers incredible, fresh flavors, it's a light and healthy meal.
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 (approximately 5-ounce) chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup leeks, thinly sliced (use the white portion only & save the rest to make vegetable stock or broth)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups Idaho Russet potato, peeled, cut into approximately 1/4-inch cubes
- 1/2 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
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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 5 minutes. Remove the chicken, place it on a plate to cool, and pour the stock into a large bowl. Set aside.
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Coat the bottom of the same pot with the olive oil and place it over medium-low heat.
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Add the leeks and garlic and cook until the leeks have softened and the garlic is very aromatic, about 3 minutes.
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Add the potatoes and stir to blend.
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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.
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While the soup is simmering, used your hands to shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces.
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Once the potatoes are tender, add the shredded chicken, rice, lemon juice and basil to the pot. Cook until the basil has completely wilted.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I've written the ingredients I prefer and used for this soup, but please use any cut of chicken you like, and any type of rice you like. Your call!
The amount of lemon you use will depend on your taste and the flavor of chicken stock you're using, as they can vary greatly.
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!
Sounds like the egg would be delicious, too. Enjoy! 🙂
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!
Roberta, I’m so happy you liked it! XOXO
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
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
Valentina bella, this is perfect for today since it’s dark & rainy!
xoox
Love soup with rain outside! 🙂
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!
Thanks so much, David! I love bringing pretty dishes out of the woodwork. 😉
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!
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. 🙂
As a lover of all things lemon the Kotosoupa has my complete attention! The addition of basil leaves is so seductive!
Hope you try this recipe! It’s very lemon-y!
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!
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!
I love a nourishing soup, particularly when I’m ill. So interesting that they call it penicillin of Greece!
It’s healing, indeed. 🙂
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!
Thanks so much, Veena! Happy to hear you love this kind of soup! 🙂
Yummy, this soup looks SO delicious.
Thank you, Jeanette!