Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

The pot lid rattles and you know dinner is almost ready.

You spot the steam escape and hear the little valve hiss that tells you the pressure is just right. There’s something about that sound that makes your belly rumble real quick. It’s like the pot is talking to you — saying, hey, dinner’s coming.

You remember that feeling when you first started cooking this Avgolemono soup. You got out the pressure cooker all excited, wondering if the chicken would turn out tender enough. The smell of garlic and lemon already filling up your kitchen put you right at home.

Now with the timer ticking, you sense that tight little float valve holding in all that steam is doing the work, cooking everything fast and good. In just a short while, you’ll be sitting down with a cozy bowl that’s creamy but light, lemony but comforting.

The Truth About Fast Tender Results

• The pressure cooker traps steam so the heat’s even and quick, which means the chicken gets tender way faster than the stove.
• The float valve is your little helper that keeps all the steam sealed until it’s time to slow release — no hurrying or worrying.
• You gotta love the valve hiss sound — it’s your sign that everything’s building pressure just right.
• Slow release stops the cooking gentle, which keeps the chicken juicy and the broth perfect, no dryness.
• The sealed environment keeps all those lemony, garlicky flavors locked in, so your soup tastes fuller than just simmering on the stove.
• Rice inside cooks evenly and gets that nice tender pull without mushiness thanks to pressure cooking.

All the Pieces for This Meal

• Extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek olive oil here cause it’s dang good)
• Half to one cup finely chopped carrots
• Half to one cup finely chopped celery
• Half to one cup finely chopped green onions
• Two garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Eight cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Two bay leaves
• One cup rice
• Salt and pepper to your taste
• Two cooked boneless chicken breasts, shredded (or about 6-8 ounces from a rotisserie chicken works too)
• Half cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Two large eggs
• Fresh parsley for garnish, if you’re feeling fancy

Each thing adds texture, taste, or that classic creamy lemon glow you want from Greek lemon chicken soup. You’ll feel proud about pulling these together since none of it’s complicated. You’re gonna taste all those fresh flavors shine.

The Full Pressure Cooker Journey

Step one, drizzle some olive oil into your pressure cooker pot over medium heat. It’s gonna warm up and you know your veggies will start to soften beautifully.

Next, toss in carrots, celery, green onions, and chopped garlic. Sauté them for 5 to 7 minutes until they’re tender and smell amazing.

Now pour in the chicken broth and add in your two bay leaves. Bring this mix up to a boil. You’re getting close.

Once boiling, add your cup of rice. Close the lid and secure it, making sure the float valve seals up tight. Set your cooker to high pressure for about 7 minutes.

When it’s done, don’t rush. Let the pressure do a slow release. You’ll hear the valve hiss soften and float valve drop – that’s your sign it’s safe to open the lid. Be patient, it’s worth it for that tender pull on the chicken and rice.

Season your soup with salt and pepper, then stir in the shredded chicken to heat through. That’s the cozy stuff right there.

Last step is the egg-lemon mixture. Whisk your eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Ladle one or two cups of hot soup into this mix slowly, whisking all the time so the eggs don’t scramble. Pour it back into the pot and stir gently. Keep the soup warm but do NOT boil it now or you’ll lose the silky texture.

Remove those bay leaves and you’re all set. A final drizzle of olive oil on top seals the deal for that fresh, rich finish.

Easy Tweaks That Make Life Simple

• If you wanna save time, use pre-chopped frozen veggies instead of fresh. They work real good in the pressure cooker.
• Rotisserie chicken shreds are your friend when you don’t feel like cooking chicken yourself.
• You can swap rice for orzo pasta if you want a slightly different texture but keep an eye on cooking times.
• If lemon juice is tricky to squeeze, bottled fresh lemon juice works, just try to grab one with no preservatives.
• The soup stays good if you just make the broth and veggies ahead. Add in chicken, eggs, and lemon right before serving.

That First Bite Moment

The first spoonful is kinda like sunshine hitting your chilly kitchen. You sense the brightness from the lemon balancing the rich, silky broth. It’s comforting but with that zing that wakes you up.

Then there’s the tender pull of the chicken, soft and juicy from pressure cooking. The little bite of rice slipping in has a gentle chew that rounds out every mouthful real nice.

You remember why you made this dish – cozy, easy, and packed with that old-school Greek charm. The aroma, the taste, the softness of the hot soup feels like a hug you didn’t know you needed.

How to Store This for Later

If you got leftovers, cool the soup down before you put it in the fridge. Use an airtight container to keep it fresh up to 3 days.

For longer, freeze your Avgolemono soup in smaller portions. Pyrex or freezer-safe bags work well. Just make sure to leave some space so the soup can expand.

When reheating, thaw overnight in the fridge is best. Warm it slowly on the stove so the eggs don’t cook too much and scramble.

You can also freeze the soup base without the egg-lemon mix. Add that fresh before serving if you want the best silky texture after thawing.

The FAQ Section You Actually Need

• Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yeah, chicken thighs work fine but they might need a tiny bit longer pressure cook time to get that tender pull. Just watch your cooker and check softness.
• What if my soup curdles? That can happen if your egg-lemon mix goes in too hot or you boil the soup after adding it. Temper the eggs as we do by slowly whisking hot soup in before mixing it back. And keep the heat low.
• Can I make this soup in my slow cooker? You can but it takes a lot longer. Also, it’s harder to get that silky smooth finish without scrambling the eggs, so watch temps close.
• Is rice the only grain I can use? Nope, orzo or even small pasta like acini di pepe can be swapped in. Just adjust cooking times so it doesn’t get mushy.
• Can I use store-bought broth? For sure, just try to pick a low-sodium brand so you can control salt better. Homemade broth’s awesome but this works great too.
• Do I need fresh lemon juice? Fresh is best, but if you’re lazy like me sometimes bottled fresh lemon juice works okay. Just avoid overly processed bottles with preservatives.

Also you might enjoy these related dishes: Healthy Ground Turkey Taco Skillet, Making Queso Chicken Enchiladas For Fast Weeknight Meals, and Corn Tortilla White Chicken Chili Tacos for more pressure cooker meal inspiration.