Soto Ayam
Soto ayam is considered one of Indonesia's national soups, a dish that varies enormously from island to island but shares a common thread: a golden broth fragrant with turmeric and tender shredded chicken. There are dozens of regional variants — soto Lamongan from East Java, soto Betawi from Jakarta made with coconut milk, or soto Padang from Sumatra made with beef — each with its own distinct identity. Like many soups from the archipelago, soto ayam carries the imprint of the spice trade that defined the region's history for centuries: turmeric, ginger, and galangal were among the most valuable commodities exported from the Spice Islands. Today, soto ayam is found on every street corner, from morning snacks to full lunch meals, often accompanied by rice, spicy sambal, and prawn crackers (krupuk).
Tender poached chicken
A whole chicken simmers slowly in an aromatic broth, then gets hand-shredded into strips.
Golden broth
Turmeric, ginger and galangal give the soup its golden color and signature aroma.
Rice noodles
Thin rice vermicelli soak up the fragrant broth.
Fresh garnishes
Served with shredded cabbage, boiled egg, crispy fried shallots and lime.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.2kg)
- 2 liters water
- 4 garlic cloves
- 5cm fresh turmeric
- 3cm ginger
- 3cm galangal
- 3 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)
- 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
- 100g thin rice noodles (bihun)
- Salt to taste
- Shredded white cabbage, for serving
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- Crispy fried shallots, for serving
- Lime, for serving
How to make it
- 1POACH THE CHICKEN: Place the whole chicken in a large pot with cold water, bring to a boil and skim off the foam.
- 2MAKE THE PASTE: Pound garlic, turmeric and ginger into a fine paste.
- 3Sauté the paste in a pan with a little oil 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- 4ADD AROMATICS: Add the sautéed paste, galangal, bay leaves and lemongrass to the pot with the chicken.
- 5SIMMER: Let the chicken simmer over low heat 45-50 minutes, until the meat easily comes off the bone.
- 6REMOVE THE CHICKEN: Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, then shred the meat into strips, discarding the bones and skin.
- 7STRAIN THE BROTH: Strain the broth, season with salt to taste.
- 8PREPARE THE NOODLES: Soak the rice noodles in hot water 5 minutes, then drain.
- 9ASSEMBLE: Place the noodles and shredded cabbage in bowls, add the shredded chicken, pour the hot broth over.
- 10SERVE: Garnish with boiled egg, fried shallots and lime wedges.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
