Avgolemono

If anyone as much as sniffles around my mom, she puts a chicken to boil to make Avgolemono.  In our family, we truly believe this soup has healing powers. Packed with protein and lemon, you truly cannot go wrong with this soup whether you're feeling a tad under the weather or just need to beat the winter blues.  

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One day my mom was driving when my youngest brother, Zach texted me asking for the recipe. I literally typed as fast as my fingers could go as my mom recalled her famous soup recipe off the top of her head. So in honor of that day, I bring you my mom's Avgolemono recipe, typed exactly as she said it that day. And if you're anything like my mom, you will make a massive pot to feed at least 10 more people!

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What you need:

12 cups water

1 whole chicken

Chicken base

Orzo (1 lb. orzo)

6 lemons (1.5 cups lemon juice)

8 eggs - at room temperature

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Boil chicken. While boiling, add some chicken base and salt to the water. Boil about an hour, not a rolling boil. Remove chicken, strain broth.  Return broth to the pot.

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Bring chicken broth back to a boil. Add orzo.

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While orzo is cooking, juice the lemons and separate egg yolks from egg whites. When orzo is almost done (al dente), beat the egg whites until stiff. Turn mixer to lower speed and mix egg yolks in with egg whites. Add lemon juice. Mix. 

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Temper hot broth into egg mixture, one cup at a time. After you've tempered a good amount, add egg mixture to the pot. Enjoy! 

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**Mom cuts the chicken and places in a pan. She then drizzles with olive oil, seasons with salt, pepper, lemon pepper, granulated garlic and oregano.  Adds a small amount of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan and broils until golden brown. She serves on the side but some like to cut up chicken and put in the soup.