Chicken and Rice Avgolemono with Dill Recipe

Tart with the bright flavor of fresh lemon juice, this hot soup is surprisingly refreshing. After rinsing dill under cool water, spin it dry in a salad spinner; this way, when you chop it, the herb will be dry, feathery, and easy to measure. Eggs are tempered by stirring in some of the hot stock before adding to the soup. Taking this step ensures that the eggs will give the soup a silky texture and won't cook in strands as they do in egg drop soup.

Ingredients

  • 1 (2 1/4-pound) whole rotisserie chicken
  • 9 cups water
  • 2 cups chopped carrot
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced green onions
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

Directions

Remove and discard skin from rotisserie chicken. Remove meat from bones, reserving bones. Chop meat; cover and chill until ready to use. Combine chicken bones, water, and next 5 ingredients (through thyme sprig) in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Strain stock through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids.

Heat olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add green onions and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add strained stock, and bring to a boil. Stir in rice; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in reserved chopped chicken.

Combine lemon juice and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add 1 cup hot soup to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add egg mixture to pan, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until slightly thick (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in dill.