Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Two Ways (Video)

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is traditionally made with rice, but it was equally delicious with cauliflower rice for a low-carb version! Use either type o...

By Alex

• Aug 03, 2026 • 0 Comments •

4.4

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Two Ways (Video)

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Servings

4 People

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is traditionally made with rice, but it was equally delicious with cauliflower rice for a low-carb version! Use either type of rice you prefer for this delicious Greek Avgolemono Soup that’s thickened with a mixture of beaten egg and lemon juice.

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This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Two Ways is officially called Greek Avgolemono Soup, and this is one of those dishes I’ve been passionately in love with ever since I tried it! And I think I first had this lemon chicken soup in college, so that’s a long time I’ve been loving this chicken and rice soup that’s thickened with eggs and lemon.

I first made this soup for the blog years ago and my version was adapted from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines (affiliate link), a very old cookbook with lots of good ideas. I made the soup with leftover rotisserie chicken and chicken stock from the freezer, and I had those things on hand when the idea struck me to try making a low-carb version of this favorite soup by replacing the rice with cauliflower rice!

And the Greek Lemon Chicken Soup made with cauliflower rice was really amazing for a low-carb soup. And personally I think this is a pretty healthy soup no matter whether you use rice or cauliflower rice, and I’m featuring it for this week’s Friday Favorites post to see if I can entice you to make it; enjoy!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

What rice should you use for Greek Lemon Chicken Soup with rice?

If I was seriously in need of comfort food, I’d make this soup with rice for a treat and use the low-glycemic Ben’s Original Converted Rice (affiliate link) that so many Greek cooks use in the U.S. But I promise the soup was absolutely delicious and very low in carbs when we made it with cauliflower rice!

What is Avgolemono Sauce?

What makes this dish so special is the Avgolemono Sauce that you mix into the soup to thicken it. Avgolemono is a mixture of beaten eggs and fresh lemon juice and zest that’s mixed with some of the hot soup and then gently stirred back into the rest of the soup. And the egg-lemon sauce that thickens the soup is one of the classic sauces in Greek cuisine! Avgolemono isn’t really that difficult to make, but you need to be careful not to let the soup boil after the sauce has been added or it will curdle the soup.

Want more soups with Cauliflower Rice?

You can check out Low-Carb and Keto Soups with Cauliflower Rice to find more tasty soup recipes that use cauliflower rice.

How to Make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Two Ways:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

If you don’t have leftover cooked chicken, cook 3-4 chicken thighs or 2 small chicken breasts in some chicken broth.
I had rotisserie chicken that I cut up to make 2 cups diced chicken. Use a bit more chicken if you prefer a thicker soup.
Heat olive oil in soup pot and cook the onion the onion until it’s barely starting to brown.
Then add Dried Parsley (affiliate link), and Dried Thyme (affiliate link) and cook a few minutes more.
Add homemade chicken stock (or canned chicken broth) and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
If you’re going to use cauliflower rice, buzz chopped cauliflower in the food processor until you have about 1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower, or use frozen cauliflower rice if you want to make it easy.
For rice, measure 1/2 cup rice, preferably Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice (affiliate link).
Add the raw cauliflower (or rice) to the stock mixture and simmer until until it’s done, about 20-25 minutes for rice or fresh cauliflower rice, and slightly less for frozen cauliflower rice.
Add the diced chicken to the soup and simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes.
Zest a lemon and measure out 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Then squeeze that lemon and enough more lemons to get 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice. (You can also use fresh-frozen lemon juice.)
Beat eggs until they look frothy, then whisk in the lemon zest and lemon juice.
Remove one cup hot broth from the soup and whisk into the egg mixture a little at a time. Then stir the egg-lemon mixture back into the soup and cook over the lowest possible heat until it thickens, but do not boil.
Some Greeks make this soup with just chicken stock, rice, and the Avgolemono sauce, but I like the pieces of chicken in the soup.

Ten Delicious Ideas for Greek Chicken:

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth (see notes)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried parsley (or a little less)
1 tsp. dried thyme (or a little less)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower rice (see notes)
2 cups diced leftover chicken (see notes)
3 eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or more if you like it really lemony)
1 tsp. lemon zest (grated lemon rind)

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot, add the onion and cook over medium-high heat until the onion is softened and starting to brown.
Add the dried parsley and dried thyme and cook a minute or two more.
Add the 6 cups chicken broth or chicken stock to the soup pot and simmer 10-15 minutes.
Add the rice or fresh cauliflower rice and simmer over medium-low heat until rice is tender or cauliflower is fully cooked, about 20-25 minutes.
If you’re using frozen cauliflower rice, the cooking time will be a bit less; I would check after 15 minutes.
Then stir in the diced leftover chicken.
Turn heat to lowest possible setting, and cook about 5 minutes more.
Zest a lemon and then squeeze additional lemons to get 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.
Beat eggs with whisk until they are starting to get frothy; then whisk in lemon juice and lemon zest.
Remove one cup of hot broth from the soup, let the broth cool slightly.
Then whisk 1/2 cup broth and then another 1/2 cup into the egg mixture, beating well between each addition.
Whisk this mixture into the big pot of soup (be sure the temperature is very low) and let the soup heat gently.
DO NOT BOIL after the egg-lemon mixture has been added.

Notes

You can use fresh cauliflower that’s finely chopped in the food processor to make cauliflower rice or frozen cauliflower rice for this recipe.

To make the soup with regular rice, use 1/2 cup Ben’s Original Converted Rice (not instant) for the traditional soup.

Use a bit more chicken if you prefer a thicker soup.

This soup cannot be frozen and must be reheated carefully or the eggs will curdle the broth. It will keep in the fridge for a few days, but it’s best freshly made.

Use low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer.

Nutritional information is for the soup with cauliflower rice.

Recipe adapted from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines (affiliate link).

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 181Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2.7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6.4gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 1000mgCarbohydrates: 5.4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2.8gProtein: 16g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Ben’s Original Converted Rice (affiliate link) is the lowest-glycemic type of white rice, and if you use that for this Greek Lemon Chicken Soup it would be good for phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet. Using cauliflower rice would make this a very low-carb soup, suitable for any phase of the original South Beach Diet or any other type of low-carb or Keto eating plan.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Soup Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
I first made this delicious soup for the blog in 2006, probably without a single photo! The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Spicy Paprika & Lime Chicken Tenderloins

These Spicy Paprika and Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins are a great addition to your BBQ repertoire. Take your taste buds to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain on a little holiday! Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove. Paleo, Whole30, Keto, gluten-free.

Paprika & Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins

Whether you’re heating up the BBQ on a warm summer’s day or you need to give your skillet a bit of a workout, this is a fabulous chicken recipe that I know you will love.

My paprika lime chicken tenderloins are tender and juicy. The spices and citrus used in the marinade will take your taste buds on a little holiday to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain – your pick!

I used chicken tenderloins because I find the meat more tender than the rest of the chicken breast and it’s easier to work with than the chicken thighs. You can use any chicken meat you like, just adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the pieces. This marinade will also work well with turkey, pork, quail, prawns and even beef.

What Are Chicken Tenderloins?

Still confused about what chicken tenderloins are? They are short, thin cuts taken from beneath the breast of the bird. You might find that some grocers will sell thinner slices of breast meat and call it chicken tenderloins or tender. They tend to be softer than chicken breast when cooked BUT should not be overcooked, they don’t need as long as the chicken breast.

Nutritionally speaking, they are the same as chicken breast meat – high in protein, minerals, low in calories and fat.

Make-Ahead Tip For Paprika Lime Chicken

The chicken tenderloins can be marinated ahead of time for an even more robust flavour; keep uncooked in the fridge for maximum of 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months and simply defrost overnight in the fridge before you want to use it.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes:

Description

Grilled paprika and lime grilled chicken tenderloins are great with any side dish and can be used in salads, tacos, and wraps. Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Rinse the chicken and cut larger pieces in half.
Using your hands, rub the chicken with the marinade. Leave in the bowl, wrap with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge for at least one hour before grilling.
If using a grill plate or a skillet on your stove, heat one teaspoon of coconut oil until sizzling hot. Fry the chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side and then remove to a plate to rest. Make sure not to overcrowd the frying pan or you will end up with too much meat juice and stewed rather than grilled chicken.
If using a BBQ, heat the plate to sizzling hot and either spray with olive oil or brush with coconut oil. Place chicken pieces on the plate with a little space in between and cook for 4 minutes on each side on medium/high heat with the lid on.
Remove cooked chicken to a serving plate and drizzle with lime juice before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2-3 tenderloins
Calories: 331
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 783.6 mg
Fat: 16.4 g
Carbohydrates: 4.4 g
Fiber: 1.3 g
Protein: 41.3 g
Cholesterol: 131.4 mg

Keywords: Tenderloins, Chicken, Paprika, Lime, BBQ, Grilling, Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30