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    Homepage » Recipes

    Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup (Avgolemono)

    Published: Jan 5, 2021 · Modified: Jan 5, 2021 This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 24 Comments

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    Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup, Avgolemono

    A quick and easy Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice soup recipe that you can make for any weeknight dinner. This Avgolemono soup is so creamy, silky, and refreshing. It's one of the best soup recipes you'll ever taste!

    Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

    Today, I want to share an easy recipe for Avgolemono soup. This Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice soup is absolutely the easiest and quickest way to make the classic Greek Avgolemono soup.

    It's delicious, comforting, and filling! It's the perfect soup to make on a cold day!

    INSTANT POT GREEK CHICKEN LEMON RICE SOUP (AVGOLEMONO)

    What Is Avgolemono Soup?

    Avgolemono means a classic Greek sauce made of eggs, lemon, and warm chicken broth. Avgolemono soup is basically a chicken soup with rice and finished with egg and lemon.

    When going to Greek and other Mediterranean restaurants, like many others I gravitated right towards the meats and famous appetizers, sadly overlooking the soups.  What a disservice to the delightful cooking from that region (and to myself). Their soups are diverse, yet each is rich in flavor.

    The first time I tried an Avgolemono soup I wasn’t expecting the lemon taste to be so prevalent.

    Avgolemono soup is basically a chicken soup with rice and finished with egg and lemon.

    The lemon adds so much flavor. Even if it wasn’t healthy I’d still come back for seconds!

    This Instant Pot Greek Lemon Rice soup is also perfect on a cold day, when I want a nice hot soup that also fills me up. This soup is also a great way for my kids and husband to enjoy eating healthier.

    A quick and easy Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice soup recipe

    The Ingredients for Avgolemono Soup

    This Instant Pot Avgolemono soup is a very simple recipe that doesn't require a ton of ingredients. Here's a list of ingredients you'll need to make this Instant Pot Greek Lemon Rice soup.

    • Chicken thighs
    • Lemon
    • Long grain rice
    • Lower-sodium chicken broth
    • Eggs
    • Onion
    • Garlic

    How to Make Greek Lemon Rice Soup (Avgolemono) in an Instant Pot

    Step 1. Make Homemade Chicken Stock

    Making your own homemade chicken stock is very easy. In this recipe, you are going to use chicken thighs (bone-in and skin-on) and season lightly with salt and black pepper.

    Chicken Thighs

    It's the same technique that I used to make this homemade chicken noodle soup.

    Seared Chicken Thighs

    After that, you are going to sear the chicken thighs for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

    Onion and Garlic

    Step 2. Cook the Aromatic Soup Base

    Add diced onion into the pot, cook just until tender and translucent for about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook just until fragrant.

    Homemade Chicken Stock

    Step 3. Deglaze the Pot

    Add low-sodium chicken broth into the pot. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of pan to flavor the soup and to prevent burning.

    Chicken and Rice Soup

    Step 4. Cook at High Pressure

    Add uncooked rice and the chicken pieces back into the pot. Secure the lid and cook on "Manual" for 5 minutes.

    Once the cooking cycle is completed, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes then move the valve to venting to release the remaining pressure.

    Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and shred into small pieces.

    Egg Yolk and Lemon

    Step 5. Add Egg Yolk and Lemon mixture

    Fill a blender with a cup of rice and broth mixture, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth.

    Instant Pot Greek Soup

    Return the puree soup and shredded chicken into the pot, simmer until thickened slightly for a few minutes. Do not let it boil.

    How to Store Leftover Greek Avgolemon Soup

    • First, let the soup cool at room temperature but no longer than 1 hour.
    • Once your soup has cooled completely, you can store it in airtight individual serving containers.
    • Properly stored, this soup can last up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.
    INSTANT POT GREEK CHICKEN LEMON RICE SOUP (AVGOLEMONO)

    How to Reheat the Leftover Soup

    You can reheat this soup on the stove over medium-low heat, keep stirring, until hot.

    Add a small amount of low-sodium chicken broth or water if necessary and do not let it come to a boil.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! I'd appreciate it. 

    Check Out More Tasty Soup Recipes:

    • STUFFED PEPPER SOUP
    • RED LENTIL SOUP
    • GREAT NORTHERN BEAN SOUP
    • ALBONDIGAS SOUP (CALDO DE ALBÓNDIGAS)
    • FRENCH ONION SOUP
    • INSTANT POT CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER
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    INSTANT POT GREEK CHICKEN LEMON RICE SOUP (AVGOLEMONO)
    4.93 from 28 votes

    Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

    Rika
    This Instant Pot Greek Lemon Rice soup is absolutely the easiest and quickest way to make the classic Greek Avgolemono soup.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Greek
    Servings 8
    Calories 189 kcal

    Equipment

    • a pressure cooker

    Ingredients
     

    • 6 pieces small-medium size chicken thighs (bone-in and skin on) - about 1¾ pounds total, pat the chicken dry with paper towels
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    For Soup:

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 cup diced onion
    • 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
    • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    • ¾ cup uncooked long grain white rice, (rinsed and drained)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, (optional)
    • 3 egg yolks
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Press the "Sauté" key and when the instant pot displays "hot", heat the oil and sear the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. Set aside.
    • Add the onion, cook until tender for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, cook just until fragrant. Add in the broth. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of pan to flavor the soup and to prevent burning.
    • Add the rinsed rice, salt (optional), and the seared chicken thighs back into the pot. Secure the lid and set it to "manual" on high for 5 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is completed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes then move the valve to venting to release the remaining pressure.
      Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and shred into small pieces.
    • Fill a blender with a cup of rice and broth mixture, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth.
      Return the pureed soup and shredded chicken into the pot, simmer until thickened slightly for a few minutes. Do not let it come to a boil, stirring often. Add more salt, pepper, and/ or lemon if necessary and according to your liking. Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    Rinse the Rice. Don't forget to rinse and drain the rice before cooking. 
    Lemon. If more lemon juice is needed, add in small increments of 1 teaspoon at a time.
    Consistency. Please note the consistency of the soup is actually much thinner than pictured above. Funny thing is that this is actually due to the amount of time I spent taking those pictures... the soup was out for a while and got thicker 🙂 
    If you want a thinner soup you can add more broth later. Do not fill your Instant Pot more than ⅔ full. 
    Pressure release. To prevent big messes and bad burns, always handle hot liquid (soup) carefully. Do not use the quick release as the thick liquid will splatter out.
    Once the high-pressure cooking cycle is completed,  you have to wait at least 15 minutes or let the pressure release manually before opening the lid. 
     

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 350mgCalcium: 28mgVitamin C: 4mgVitamin A: 97IUSugar: 1gFiber: 1gPotassium: 221mgCholesterol: 74mgCalories: 189kcalSaturated Fat: 2gFat: 10gProtein: 6gCarbohydrates: 19gIron: 1mg
    Keyword Avgolemono, Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup, Instant Pot Avgolemono Soup, Instant Pot Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Adrianne

      January 07, 2021 at 12:14 am

      5 stars
      This is the type of soup that makes you feel good just looking at it. Yum, great recipe.

    2. Dannii

      January 07, 2021 at 12:36 am

      5 stars
      What a delicious and light recipe. A great way to use the instant pot too.

    3. Helen

      January 07, 2021 at 2:47 am

      5 stars
      I'm always looking for more things to make in my IP. This looks terrific!

    4. Bintu

      January 07, 2021 at 2:49 am

      5 stars
      The days are super cold at the moment so a warming and fulfilling soup is just what I need!

    5. Claudia Lamascolo

      January 07, 2021 at 3:40 am

      5 stars
      This is pure comfort food and looks so easy to make I have all the ingredients going to try it today! Thanks for the recipe

    6. Rika

      January 19, 2021 at 10:51 am

      You're welcome, Claudia!

    7. Rika

      January 19, 2021 at 10:52 am

      I am glad to hear that, Bintu!

    8. Rika

      January 19, 2021 at 10:52 am

      Thanks, Helen!

    9. Rika

      March 15, 2021 at 12:30 am

      Thank you 🙂

    10. LolaPete

      April 10, 2021 at 7:22 pm

      This is one of my favorite soups. I made this soup a few weeks ago and it was a hit! My 12-year-old son (who hasn't liked my cooking lately...lol) LOVED it. I think he had about five bowls.
      In fact, I'm making it again right now.

      Thanks for the great recipe.

    11. Rika

      April 10, 2021 at 8:40 pm

      Hi Lola,

      You're welcome and thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. I am glad that your son liked this soup (and had 5 bowls!)! My husband and son don't always eat rice often but for some reason, they both go crazy for this recipe. It can be a battle to get my kids to eat healthy food and I found soups to be a way to do so.

      Best,

      Rika

    12. Allison

      January 04, 2022 at 10:59 am

      5 stars
      This was absolutely delicious! I have never blended the broth/rice before and it was a fabulous step to thicken the soup a bit. Tastes just like my favorite Greek diner's version!

    13. Rika

      January 04, 2022 at 11:27 am

      Hi Allison,

      Thanks for reviewing this Avgolemono recipe. I am glad that you liked it and learned a new trick to thicken the soup without flour 🙂

      Happy New Year!

      Bst,

      Rika

    14. Terri

      January 10, 2022 at 5:43 pm

      This was fabulous! My hubby and I have both been stationed in Greece and had their Easter Avgolemono! This is authentic. I cut the rice to 1/2 cup (doing Weight Watchers) and cut the chicken thighs to two (close to a pound before cooking). My recommendation would be to NOT release the pressure early; rather, let it come down naturally and leave enough time in your process to do that. When I released it early, the pressure valve released starch and chicken fat and we had a huge mess. Really yummy recipe!

    15. Terri

      January 10, 2022 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy!!!

    16. Rika

      January 10, 2022 at 9:18 pm

      Hi Terri,

      Thanks for sharing your feedback and what you did with this recipe. I am glad that you found this recipe to be as authentic as you had in Greece. And now, you can make it home at any time you want it.

      Best,

      Rika

    17. Zoe

      January 11, 2022 at 6:05 pm

      Good recipe. But I needed to add more lemon and it was very thick so I would also add a couple more cups of broth.

    18. Rika

      January 11, 2022 at 9:54 pm

      Hi Zoe,

      Thanks for sharing your feedback. I am glad that you still liked this recipe even though you had to add a couple more cups of broth. This soup gets thickened very quickly so adding more broth may be necessary for some people to get the right consistency as preferred. Another thing you could try next time after adding the pureed soup back into the pot is to just stir it once to combine and simmer quickly to prevent the soup from getting too thick.

      Best,

      Rika

    19. Stef

      January 12, 2022 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for your recipe! Thanks to Terri for recommending a natural pressure release. I replaced the rice with cauliflower rice - barely added the cauliflower flavor - and added a sprig of dill - a bit of a Polish twist. Super delicious!!

    20. Rika

      January 12, 2022 at 10:46 am

      Hi Stef,

      Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback and what you did to make it more keto-friendly! I am sure fellow readers will find your comment useful. Dill and lemon go well together, a delicious twist!

      Best,

      Rika

    21. Judy

      May 05, 2022 at 7:38 am

      5 stars
      Easy to make and tasty. Made recipe as written except subbed boneless chicken thighs and doubled the lemon juice because we like it tart. Used an immersion blender to incorporate the yolks and juice after cooking. Added a generous amount of black pepper. Would make again!

    22. Rika

      May 06, 2022 at 12:33 am

      Hi Judy,

      Thanks for trying one of my favorite Instant soup recipes! I am glad that you liked it.

      Best,

      Rika

    23. Elise

      May 13, 2022 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Very flavorful, better than my local spot. Thank you!

    24. Rika

      May 13, 2022 at 3:19 pm

      Hi Elise,

      Thanks for trying and sharing your feedback. I am glad that you liked this Greek lemon chicken rice soup. Now, you can make it at home instead of buying it.

      Best,

      Rika

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