Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Chicken Lemon Soup - A Columbus, OH Greek Food Favorite

As a young boy living back home in Greece, I always remember those rainy winters. Our home did not have heat so we relied on dressing cozy inside the home and eating plenty of soups, one of the most popular being the Chicken Lemon Soup, also known as Avgolemono soup. Coincidentally my godmother, who lived across the street, had several lemon trees and a fence that we had to jump over regularly to pick them before it got really cold!

As the whole world knows chicken soup is great and great for you if you are coming down with a cold. Chicken lemon soup does the same but it is twice as effective because of the vitamin C in the lemons. Many of my customers and friends wonder why it works so well but when I explain the vitamin C and the lemon effect, they see why it does the trick so well!

We start off making this Columbus, OH Greek Food favorite by boiling the chicken. Leg quarters are great or a whole chicken is also good.


Then we chop the vegetables, celery, carrots,


yellow onions, and also cook them in some water.

As the chicken is done, sift anything floating on the top and combine the chicken stock with the vegetable stock, bring to a boil and then add the orzo (small pieces of pasta) to this with some butter. When the orzo is very close to be done (aldente), turn off the heat under the soup. Debone the chicken in strips and add it in the soup. You can add some salt, lite pepper and fresh squeezed lemons all to your taste. If you wish you can add some fresh dill for more fresh flavor. Use parsley for garnish if desired.


It seems like unlikely combination at first, chicken soup and lemon but once they try it, many people enjoy it frequently. In fact, it is one of the most-ordered dishes in our Columbus, OH, Greek food restaurant!


This is a hearty soup and one everyone should try it. Grandma would be proud to serve it, so I am proud to serve it for Grandma!


Dine in, Take out, or Drive-thru at King Gyros Greek Restaurant - 400 South Hamilton Road, Columbus, OH. Order online at KingGyros.com, or call them at (614)866-9008! King Gyros serves wonderful Greek food in Columbus, OH. The staff is friendly, the portions are huge, and the flavor of the food is unique and superb. What’s more, all the prices are very reasonable. They even have a drive-thru, so you can get your Greek food fix on the run at lunchtime. You can visit King Gyros Greek Restaurant of Columbus OH on the web at www.kinggyros.com. Follow them on Twitter at @kinggyrosgreek.