Kotosoupa Avgolemeno - Chicken Egg-Lemon Soup

A delicious Greek recipe passed down by my Yaiyai. The soup and sauce are cooked separately. Perfect soup for a sore throat.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 -4  lbs chicken (any variation)
• 2  stalks celery & leaves
• 2  medium carrots
• 3  whole green onions
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  quarts water
• 3⁄4-1  cup long grain rice

• For sauce

• 2  large eggs (separated)
• 1  cup  boiling broth (homemade or otherwise) or 1  cup  stock (homemade or otherwise)
• 1 -4  lemon, juice of
•  salt

Directions

1. Cover chicken, vegetables, and parsley with water; bring to a boil. Skim off scum if any accumulates.
2. Reduce heat and cook partially covered 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until chicken is tender.
3. Remove chicken from broth; set aside to cool and cut into bite sized pieces when cool enough to touch.
4. Strain broth into a small pot, discarding vegetables.
5. Return broth to the stove. Add the rice. Bring broth and rice to a boil.
6. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with a dash of salt until thick but not dry. Add yolks one at a time until well blended.
7. Slowly beat in lemon juice and hot broth separate from the broth you just prepared.
8. Put in a sauce pan over low heat and stir regularly until it is the texture of gravy. DO NOT let sauce boil as it will curdle.
9. Once the rice and broth boiled, reduce heat and cook covered until rice is tender (about 15-20 minutes).
10. Return chicken to pot.
11. Blend hot soup with avgolemono sauce.
12. Serve hot garnished with fresh parsley.