Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then toss in your onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are fragrant, softened, and the onion turns translucent.

Add the garlic and bay leaves. Stir and cook for another moment—just until the garlic becomes fragrant but isn’t browned.

Stir in the chicken breast pieces, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until the outside of the chicken just turns opaque—the pieces don’t need to be fully cooked yet.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring the whole mixture to a gentle simmer. Make sure to scrape up any brown bits stuck at the bottom for deeper flavor.

Add the orzo. Let the soup gently bubble until the orzo is almost cooked through and the chicken is tender. The aroma should be herby and savory at this stage.

Reduce the heat. Ladle a small amount of hot soup broth into a bowl with your egg yolks and lemon juice, whisking briskly to combine and temper the yolks. The mixture should look creamy and lemon-yellow.

Slowly pour the egg-lemon mixture back into the pot, stirring the soup the entire time for a smooth, velvety finish. Avoid boiling at this point to keep the soup creamy and lump-free.

Stir in the fresh dill and dried oregano. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon if needed. Fish out the bay leaves.

Ladle steaming soup into bowls and serve right away, garnished with a few extra sprigs of dill or a grind of black pepper if you like.