Greek Chicken Avgolemono Soup with Rice

Cut carrots and celery into large pieces, and peel and halve the Yukon Gold potatoes

Remove any giblets from the chicken

Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone to open the chicken so it fits comfortably in a large stockpot, leaving the backbone attached

Wash the onion and garlic well, trim away dirty roots, and remove any loose or damaged outer skins, leaving the clean skins on; leave the onion whole

Cut the garlic head in half crosswise, keeping the cloves unpeeled

Place the chicken in a large stockpot with the cold water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, potatoes, salt, peppercorns, optional oregano, and turmeric, using a pot large enough for the chicken to be submerged with room at the top

Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface

Reduce the heat and gently simmer until the chicken is tender and fully cooked, reaching at least 165°F in the thickest parts without touching the bone

Carefully transfer the chicken to a tray

Remove the potatoes and other vegetables and reserve them to serve separately

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the garlic, onion skins, peppercorns, and remaining solids

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred or chop the meat

Use as much chicken as you like in the soup and refrigerate any extra promptly

Return the strained broth to the pot and add the rice, diced carrots, and shredded chicken

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the rice and carrots are tender

Taste and add salt as needed

Juice the fresh lemons

Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, cornstarch, and dill and whisk together until smooth

Turn off the heat under the soup

Slowly drizzle a ladleful of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture while whisking constantly

Continue gradually adding hot broth and whisking until the mixture is hot and the outside of the bowl feels warm

Slowly pour the tempered avgolemono mixture back into the soup while stirring continuously

Return the pot to low heat and gently cook, stirring, until the soup is silky and slightly thickened, heating to at least 160°F without boiling

Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice

If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little hot water or chicken stock until it reaches your preferred consistency

Garnish with fresh dill or parsley and serve with toasted bread and lemon wedges