Greek Avgolemono Chicken Broth Base

Name: Greek Avgolemono Chicken Broth Base
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 6 thighs, patted dry, excess loose fat trimmed; 10 cups (2400 ml) cold water, cold, from the tap; 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large yellow onion, skin on or peeled, quartered through the root; 2 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) carrots, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 2 ribs (about 4 oz) (120 g) celery ribs, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, leaves included; 1 tsp (3 g) whole black peppercorns; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 2 tsp (7 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste at the end; 1 large (120 g) large lemon, scrubbed, peeled in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith; 6 sprigs (about ½ oz) (15 g) fresh dill, tied loosely with kitchen twine or left whole, stems and fronds included; ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon, strained of seeds, plus more to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A clear, golden chicken broth simmered with carrots, celery, onion and dill, then brightened with lemon peel and juice at the end. It's the ready-to-use base for classic avgolemono soup, and it also makes a lovely light sipping broth. It comes with a bonus batch of tender shredded thigh meat.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 1 hr 40 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 2 hr 40 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 L) broth plus about 2 cups (300 g) shredded chicken

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 lb (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 6 thighs, patted dry, excess loose fat trimmed
10 cups (2400 ml) cold water, cold, from the tap
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large yellow onion, skin on or peeled, quartered through the root
2 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) carrots, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
2 ribs (about 4 oz) (120 g) celery ribs, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, leaves included
1 tsp (3 g) whole black peppercorns
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
2 tsp (7 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste at the end
To finish
1 large (120 g) large lemon, scrubbed, peeled in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith
6 sprigs (about ½ oz) (15 g) fresh dill, tied loosely with kitchen twine or left whole, stems and fronds included
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon, strained of seeds, plus more to taste

Equipment (7)

6 to 8-quart (5.7 to 7.5 L) heavy stockpot or Dutch oven with lid
Fine-mesh strainer
Large heatproof bowl or pot (at least 4 quarts / 3.8 L) for straining
Ladle and wide spoon or fine skimmer
Vegetable peeler
Instant-read thermometer
Cutting board and chef's knife

Steps

Before you start

Use bone-in, skin-on thighs. The bones and skin give the broth body and richness, and the skin is removed before shredding.
Start with cold water and keep the pot at a bare simmer, never a hard boil, so the broth stays clear.
Wash the lemons well before peeling. Add the peel late, because long simmering turns it bitter.
This is the base only. Lemon juice goes in off the heat so it stays fresh and bright.

1
Prep the aromatics
- Quarter the onion through the root, cut the carrots and celery into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, and trim any loose fat from the chicken thighs.
- Peel the strips from 1 lemon with a vegetable peeler and set them aside, then juice the second lemon if you haven't yet and refrigerate the juice for later.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in large chunks and the lemon peel is in wide strips with little white pith.
Tip: Large chunks hold up through a long simmer and keep the broth clear.
2
Start the pot
- Put the chicken thighs, onion, carrots, celery, peppercorns, bay leaves and kosher salt in a 6 to 8-quart (5.7 to 7.5 L) pot.
- Pour in 10 cups (2.4 L) of cold water so everything is covered by about 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Set over medium-high heat, uncovered, and bring to a bare simmer.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break at the edges and a grey-white foam gathers on the surface.
Tip: Cold water draws proteins out gradually, which makes a cleaner, clearer broth.
3
Skim the foam
- As soon as the foam appears, reduce the heat to low.
- Skim the foam and any scum off the surface with a wide spoon or fine skimmer for about 5 minutes, until little new foam forms.
- Adjust the heat so only a few lazy bubbles rise every second.
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Ready when: Surface is mostly clear with a few golden fat droplets and just a few bubbles breaking gently.
Tip: A rolling boil emulsifies fat and cloud-makers into the broth, so keep it at a bare simmer.
4
Simmer the chicken
- Partially cover the pot, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) gap for steam, and simmer on low for 45 minutes.
- Check that the thighs are cooked: an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part, not touching bone, should read at least 175°F (80°C) for tender, easy-to-shred meat.
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Ready when: Thigh meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone, and the thermometer reads at least 175°F (80°C).
5
Remove and shred chicken
- Lift the thighs onto a plate with tongs, leaving the vegetables in the pot, which keeps simmering.
- Let the chicken cool for about 5 minutes, then discard the skin, pull the meat off the bones and shred it into bite-size pieces.
- Return the skin-free bones and any cartilage to the pot.
- Refrigerate the meat in a covered container with 2 tablespoons of broth to keep it moist.
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Ready when: Meat is in shreds with no pink and no gristle; about 2 cups (300 g) of meat.
Tip: Don't leave the meat to cool uncovered, as it dries out quickly.
6
Simmer the bones
- Keep the pot at a low simmer, partially covered, for 20 more minutes so the bones add body to the broth.
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Ready when: Broth is a deep golden color, smells savory and tastes rounded, with the vegetables very soft.
7
Add lemon peel and dill
- Add the lemon peel strips and dill to the pot, pushing them under the surface.
- Simmer on low, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
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Ready when: The kitchen smells of lemon and dill, and the broth tastes lightly citrusy without any bitterness.
Tip: Adding the peel and dill late keeps them fresh. Longer cooking makes the peel bitter and the dill dull.
8
Strain the broth
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl or clean pot.
- Ladle or carefully pour the broth through, leaving the last cloudy spoonful in the bottom of the pot.
- Discard the solids, or press a few carrot pieces aside to eat or add to the soup.
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Ready when: You have about 8 cups (1.9 L) of clear, golden broth.
Tip: Don't press down on the solids in the strainer, since that pushes cloudy bits through.
9
Season with lemon juice
- While the broth is hot but off the heat, stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) of lemon juice.
- Taste and add more salt, a ½ teaspoon at a time, or another teaspoon of lemon juice, until the broth tastes bright and well seasoned.
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Ready when: Broth tastes tangy and savory, with the lemon clearly noticeable but not sharp.
Tip: Lemon juice added to boiling broth turns dull and bitter, so always add it off the heat.
10
Cool and skim fat
- Let the broth cool, uncovered, for about 25 minutes.
- Skim the fat from the surface with a wide spoon, or chill it overnight and lift the solid fat off.
- Use right away as the base for avgolemono, or cool completely before storing.
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Ready when: Only a thin sheen of fat remains on the surface.
Tip: Divide a large batch among shallow containers so it cools quickly and safely before going in the refrigerator.

Good to know

Tips

For classic avgolemono soup, bring 6 cups of this broth to a simmer, add cooked rice or orzo and the shredded chicken, then temper whisked eggs with a ladle of hot broth before stirring them in off the heat. Don't let it boil again once the eggs are in.
For a clearer broth, strain it a second time through a strainer lined with a damp paper towel or cheesecloth.
If the broth tastes thin, simmer it uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes more to concentrate it before adding the lemon juice.
Freeze broth in 2-cup (475 ml) portions, which suit a single batch of avgolemono for 2 to 3 people.

Make ahead

"The broth keeps well for 4 days, so make it ahead and chill it. Cool it quickly, refrigerate it with the shredded chicken stored separately, and lift off the solidified fat before reheating. Reheat gently and finish with a little extra lemon juice if needed."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate the broth in airtight containers for up to 4 days, and the shredded chicken for up to 3 days. Freeze the broth in portions for up to 3 months, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) of headspace, and freeze the chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the broth in a pot over medium-low heat until steaming, about 165°F (74°C), and don't let it boil hard."

Substitutions

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs → bone-in chicken drumsticks or a mix of wings and thighs. Keep the same weight. Wings add extra body, and drumsticks may need about 5 minutes longer to become tender.
fresh dill → flat-leaf parsley sprigs. Use the same amount. The flavor is milder and less distinctly Greek.
fresh lemon juice → fresh lime juice. Use the same quantity. It is sharper and slightly more bitter, so start with 3 tablespoons and taste.
kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) → fine sea salt. Use half the volume (1 tsp / 6 g) because it is denser, then adjust to taste.