Soto ayam is an Indonesian chicken soup with a fragrant golden broth, fresh garnishes, noodles, and a balance of savory, citrusy, and spicy flavors.
A spice paste of shallot, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriander is fried before the chicken stock goes in, creating a bright and aromatic base.
Fry the spice paste until it smells toasted and the oil turns golden; this step makes the broth taste rounded rather than raw.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with sambal, lime, sweet soy sauce, fried shallots, and extra cabbage or bean sprouts.
Recipe Notes
Keep noodles and garnishes separate for storage. Refrigerate the broth and chicken for up to 3 days and reheat before assembling.
Indonesian Soto Ayam
A fragrant Indonesian turmeric chicken soup with rice noodles, cabbage, egg, lime, scallions, and fried shallots.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Blender or mortar
- Small skillet
- Fine sieve
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
Broth and Chicken
- 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken thighs
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 6 medium shallots roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger chopped
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 stalks lemongrass bruised
- 3 leaves kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Garnishes
- 2 cups rice vermicelli cooked
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 4 large eggs hard-boiled and halved
- 1/4 cup scallions sliced
- 1/4 cup fried shallots
- 2 medium limes cut into wedges
Instructions
Make the Spice Base:
- Blend or pound the shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, and a splash of water into a paste.
- Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the paste for 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant and golden.
Cook the Broth:
- Add the stock, lemongrass, lime leaves, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the chicken and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate, shred it, and strain the broth if desired. Return the chicken to the pot.
Assemble the Bowls:
- Divide noodles and cabbage among bowls. Ladle in the hot broth and chicken.
- Top each bowl with half an egg, scallions, fried shallots, and lime. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use fresh turmeric if available, but reduce it to about 2 tablespoons grated.
- Cook the noodles separately so they do not cloud the broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 31gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 920mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5g