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This chicken soup using egg and lemon to thicken the broth has deep Jewish roots in Spain, Turkey, Italy, and Greece. Growing up as an Ashkenazic Jew in Seattle with such a large population of Jews from Turkey and Greece, I’ve always felt connected to their recipes, and this soup feels like such a comfort food, especially on a cold winter night. To give it a Middle Eastern twist, use ptitim (Israeli couscous) instead of orzo, which is more traditionally used in avgolemono.
How Sephardic Jews Invented the Egg and Lemon Sauce
Agristada, an egg and lemon sauce commonly found in Sephardic cooking, was born out of
necessity centuries ago when Iberian Jews in Spain used tempered eggs as a thickening agent
in place of butter, avoiding dairy in their chicken soup. When the Iberian Jews were expelled from Spain during the Inquisition, they carried this sauce with them, and over time it evolved and took root in Greece, becoming a staple in many traditional dishes.
2 tablespoons Gefen Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 leeks, just the white parts, sliced into half moons
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups (2 liters) Manischewitz Chicken Broth
2 bay leaves
freshly grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons (6 grams) kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound (455 grams) boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup (95 grams) Gefen Israeli Couscous or orzo
1 large egg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fresh dill, for garnishing
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers, about two minutes. Add the leeks and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots begin to soften and brown, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the stock, bay leaves, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and, using two forks, shred it.
Add the couscous to the pot and stir until incorporated. Cover and cook until the soup has thickened, about 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in the shredded chicken.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and lemon juice until smooth. While whisking constantly, slowly add one ladle of simmering broth to the egg mixture to temper it.
Add the tempered egg mixture to the soup and stir to incorporate. Remove the pot from the heat. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with dill.
Recipe excerpted from Eat Jewish (September 2025) with permission. Purchase on Amazon.
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