Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

The pressure builds and you start counting down minutes until you eat.

You spot the little valve on your cooker and you remember that hiss sound means your soup is getting close. The steam cues blowing lightly tell you the broth is gonna be deep and rich soon.

Then you sense that tender pull from the chicken when you peek in and it looks perfect. That lemony kiss swirls in your brain as the eggs blend smooth and creamy. It's the kinda meal that hugs you after a long day.

The Truth About Fast Tender Results

• You don't gotta stand over the pot watching it all day. Pressure buildup does the work.
• Steam cues let you know exactly when it's time to reduce heat or release pressure.
• The valve hiss is your timer's best friend for knowing progress in real-time.
• Rice cooks fast under pressure but gives soul to broth depth you'll love.
• Using shredded cooked chicken saves time and still gets tender, juicy bites.
• Tempering eggs with hot broth keeps soup creamy without scrambling.
• Add lemon last to keep that fresh tang poppin in every spoonful.

Your Simple Ingredient Checklist

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used Private Reserve Greek olive oil - it works real good here)
• ½ to 1 cup chopped carrots (for sweetness and color)
• ½ to 1 cup chopped celery (adds that nice crunch even after cooking)
• ½ to 1 cup chopped green onions (for that mild oniony pop)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (gotta have that aroma)
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (foundation of flavor)
• 2 bay leaves (classic soup scent and taste)
• 1 cup rice (helps thicken and soak up the broth)
• Salt and pepper (to taste - be generous but careful)
• 2 cooked boneless chicken breasts, shredded - or rotisserie chicken for a shortcut
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (fresh is key here for brightness)
• 2 large eggs (for creaminess, no cream needed)
• Fresh parsley for garnish if you want that color pop

The Exact Process From Start to Finish

1. Heat a splash of extra virgin olive oil in your pressure cooker pot over medium heat. Toss in the chopped carrots, celery, green onions, and garlic. Sauté these guys until soft and smelling amazing, roughly 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Pour in the chicken broth and add your bay leaves. Crank the heat up and bring everything to a boil. This gets the flavor building fast.
3. Add the rice now and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low and close that lid tight. Let it simmer until the rice gets tender, about 20 minutes or so.
4. Stir in the shredded chicken and cook it together for about 5 more minutes till the chicken's heated through and tender at that pull.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs and lemon juice together real good. Then ladle two cups of hot broth into the egg mixture slowly while whisking nonstop. This tempers the eggs so they don't scramble in the soup.
6. Pour that egg-lemon mix back into your soup pot gradually while stirring constantly. Don't let it boil now or you'll lose that creamy texture. Pull out the bay leaves, taste, and adjust salt or pepper if needed. Serve while hot and enjoy every bite.

Valve Hacks You Need to Know

• Quick-release steam only when the recipe says, otherwise use natural pressure release to keep flavors intact.
• Listen to the valve hiss as your real-time guide to when pressure is built and cooking starts.
• When valve rises fully, lower the heat just enough to keep steady pressure without extra steam blowing off.
• If you gotta step away, make sure the valve is set for natural release so the soup keeps cooking slowly.

When You Finally Get to Eat

The first spoonful hits warm and comforting like a soft blanket on a chilly day. You notice how the tender chicken melts in your mouth with each bite.

The lemon zing wakes up every flavor, bright but never sharp or sour. That creamy egg swirl wraps around the broth making it smooth and luscious.

You spot bits of carrot and celery adding little bursts of texture that keep things interesting. The rice softly thickens the broth just enough to feel hearty without being heavy.

Garnishing with fresh parsley adds a fresh pop of green and a light herb note that rounds it all out. It's the kind of soup you wanna savor slow and maybe even dip some crusty bread in.

Your Leftover Strategy Guide

First off, cool your soup quickly before storing. Leaving it out too long can make the broth taste flat.

Store in air-tight containers in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove so you don't scramble leftover eggs or dry out chicken.

For longer storage, freeze your soup in portions with some broth too. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly to keep that tender pull alive.

Your Most Asked Questions Answered

• Can I use a different protein instead of chicken? Yeah you can! Turkey works well, or even firm tofu if you want a vegetarian twist. Check our vegan sticky sesame chickpeas recipe for a tasty alternative.
• Do I need to soak the rice first? Nope, not really. Cooking the rice right in the soup under pressure makes it tender without much fuss, similar to the rice method in our Stuffed Pepper Soup.
• What if I don't have fresh lemons? Fresh is best because it brightens the soup, but you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch. Just add a little less so it's not too harsh.
• Can I skip the eggs? You could but you'd lose some creaminess and that nice texture that avgolemono has. Try a splash of cream instead if you gotta.
• How do I make sure the eggs don't curdle? Temper the eggs by slowly whisking in hot broth before adding to soup, and keep it from boiling after adding the egg mix.
• Can I prepare this soup ahead of time? Totally. Just hold off on adding the egg-lemon mix until you reheat it so it stays fresh and creamy.

Avgolemono Soup Recipe (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)

This creamy Greek lemon chicken soup is comfort in a bowl — rich broth, tender chicken, zesty lemon, and egg-whisked velvety texture all come together fast with pressure cooking.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Pressure cooker with sauté function

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Greek olive oil preferred
• ½ to 1 cup Carrots chopped
• ½ to 1 cup Celery chopped
• ½ to 1 cup Green onions chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
• 8 cups Low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 cup Rice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Cooked boneless chicken breasts shredded — or use rotisserie chicken
• ½ cup Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Large eggs
• Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in pressure cooker over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, green onions, and garlic. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes.
• Add chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil to build flavor.
• Add rice; season with salt and pepper. Lower heat, close lid, and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in shredded chicken and let cook for 5 minutes until heated through.
• In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with lemon juice. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of hot broth to temper.
• Gently pour tempered egg-lemon mixture back into soup, stirring while adding. Do not let soup boil now.
• Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best flavor. Do not boil after adding the egg-lemon mix to avoid curdling. This soup freezes well if you hold off on the egg mixture until reheating.