When I was little, Easter in our house meant lamb, red eggs, tsoureki—and magiritsa. The scent of dill and lemon filled the kitchen while the soup simmered, and my parents would lovingly stir it until it turned silky and comforting. Traditionally, magiritsa is made with lamb offal as a symbolic dish to break the Lenten fast. However, for a modern twist, Chicken & Spinach Magiritsa is a delicious alternative that retains all the comforting flavors.
My wife Chris, though? She’s never been too keen on the traditional version. But something changed when we got married. One Easter, my mother introduced her to her own kokkinisti magiritsa, full of deep tomato flavor and that nostalgic depth. To my surprise—and honestly, hers too—Chris loved it. Since then, it’s become part of our Easter table in some form or another. Even our son enjoys it. That’s when I realized that tradition evolves not just through time, but through love and shared taste.
So this year, after doing some research, I decided to cook a lighter, cleaner version—chicken instead of lamb, spinach instead of romaine—but still full of spring herbs and finished with lemony avgolemono. It’s a balance between old and new, comforting and fresh. Chicken & Spinach Magiritsa truly represents that blend. And once again, Chris had two bowls. We’re calling that a win.
A Bit of History
Magiritsa has deep roots in the Greek Orthodox Easter table. Traditionally made with lamb innards and cooked on Holy Saturday, it’s the first dish eaten after 40 days of fasting—warm, rich, herby, and tangy with avgolemono (egg-lemon sauce). It’s a soup full of symbolism and seasonality, welcoming spring and new life.
This version swaps the lamb offal for whole chicken and chicken liver, keeping the richness and protein but with a more familiar flavor. The avgolemono still plays a starring role, adding creaminess and a lemony finish. Chicken & Spinach Magiritsa serves this purpose beautifully.
My Modern Chicken Magiritsa
I use 1.5 kg of whole chicken to make the broth, adding celery stalks, leeks, and aromatics for depth. Once it’s simmered, I dice 800g of the meat for the soup. It’s combined with sautéed chicken livers, spinach, rice, and a generous handful of fresh dill.
And at the end? The avgolemono sauce brings it all together with a silky, tangy touch. That’s the moment it truly becomes Chicken & Spinach Magiritsa.
Tips & Notes On Chicken Magiritsa
- Only 1 bouillon cube is used—no need for more with a whole chicken in the broth.
- If you’re nervous about avgolemono curdling, let the soup cool slightly before adding it, and never boil after adding it.
- This soup keeps well in the fridge and reheats gently (but don’t boil it again!).
- A 250g serving of this magiritsa is around 375–385 kcal, including 3 tbsp olive oil across the whole pot.
🧺 Serve With:
- Rustic village bread or tsoureki toast
- Red-dyed Easter eggs
- A light white wine like Moschofilero or even a crisp beer
🫶 Final Thoughts
Traditions evolve, and sometimes you have to meet them halfway. This Chicken & Spinach Magiritsa might not be what my grandmother made, but it hits the same notes of comfort, ritual, and spring freshness. It still smells like home.
Chris, who usually gives magiritsa a hard pass, had two bowls of Chicken & Spinach Magiritsa this time. I think we’ve found our Easter night tradition—just a little lighter, a little brighter, and 100% ours.
Mission accomplished.
Chicken Magiritsa – Greek Easter Soup with Chicken & Avgolemono
Ingredients
For the Broth (makes ~4 liters)
- 1.5 kg whole chicken
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 4 liters water
- 1 onion halved
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 leek white & light green part, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
For the Soup
- 800 g cooked chicken meat from above, diced
- 250 g chicken livers cleaned and chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 leek white + light green part, sliced
- 3 scallions chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup medium-grain rice
- 400 g spinach chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh dill chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Avgolemono (egg-lemon sauce)
- 2 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp corn stach
- Juice of 2 lemons
- A ladle or two of hot broth to temper the egg
Instructions
Make the Broth
- In a large stockpot, add the whole chicken, bouillon cube, and all broth ingredients. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, and reduce to a simmer. Let it cook uncovered for 1.5 to 2 hours.Remove the chicken and strain the broth. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, dice 800g of meat for the soup (store the rest for another meal!).
Cook the Livers
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Sauté the chicken livers for 2–3 minutes until lightly browned but not overcooked. Remove and set aside.
Build the Flavor
- In the same pot, sauté the onion, leek, scallions, and garlic until soft. Add fennel seeds and cook for another minute. Deglaze with the white wine and let it reduce slightly.
Add the Chicken & Rice
- Add the chopped chicken, livers, rice, and spinach. Pour in about 2.5–3 liters of the broth. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until the rice is tender.
Prepare the Avgolemono
- Take three to four ladles of the soup and set aside, allow to cool a bit.
- Take a medium sized bowl, place two whole eggs and one egg yolk at room temperature into the bowl, whip them.
- While whipping, slowly add in the juice of two lemons.
- Slowly add in the cooled broth, whipping to incorporate.Slowly add the avgolemono to the pot of soup which has been removed from the heat.
- Pour in slowly and shake the pot to mix, do not stir until the soup is boiling again
- If you want a thicker avgolemono, add some corn starch. There is a method to it, make a slurpy with two tablespoons of cold water and one tablespoon of corn starch.
- This would be added to the pot with the rest of the soup.Place the pot back onto a heat source, medium heat, for two minutes, stir until well heated. Ready to serve!
Finish and Serve
- Stir in chopped dill. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon if needed.
