Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup)

About This Recipe

Soto Ayam is arguably the most universally loved dish across Indonesia's 17,000 islands — each region has its own version, from the thick coconut-enriched soto of Betawi (Jakarta) to the clear, intensely spiced soto of Lamongan (East Java). The common thread is the golden, turmeric-yellow broth built from a paste of shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, turmeric and candlenut, and the obligatory garnishes: bihun (rice vermicelli), hard-boiled egg, fried shallots, and lime wedges. The garnishes transform a simple soup into a complete, texturally varied meal. Soto Ayam is eaten for breakfast, as a street snack, and at family celebrations.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgwhole chicken legs(or 600g bone-in thighs)
• 1.5 litreswater
• 3lemongrass stalks(bruised)
• 3kaffir lime leaves
• 2 cmgalangal(sliced)
• 5shallots(for spice paste)
• 4garlic cloves(for spice paste)
• 2 cmfresh turmeric(or 1 tsp turmeric powder)
• 2candlenuts or macadamia nuts
• 1 tspground coriander
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 200 gdried rice vermicelli (bihun)(soaked in hot water until soft)
• 4eggs(hard-boiled and halved)
• 4 tbspcrispy fried shallots(shop-bought or homemade)
• 2limes(cut into wedges)
• 4 tbspfresh celery leaves(or spring onion, to garnish)
• sambalchilli sauce(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make spice paste

   Blend or pound shallots, garlic, turmeric, candlenuts and coriander into a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Fry the paste

   Heat oil in a large pot. Fry spice paste over medium heat for 5–6 min, stirring, until it turns golden and smells deeply fragrant — the oil will separate.

3. 3

   Simmer the broth

   Add chicken, water, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then simmer 40 min.

4. 4

   Shred and strain

   Remove chicken, shred meat discarding skin and bones. Strain broth — discard solids. Season broth with salt. Return strained broth to pot.

   Straining removes the fibrous lemongrass and galangal, giving the classic clear, golden soto broth.

5. 5

   Assemble bowls

   Divide softened vermicelli among deep bowls. Add shredded chicken. Ladle hot golden broth over. Top with halved hard-boiled egg, fried shallots, celery leaves and a squeeze of lime. Serve sambal on the side.

Variations

• •

  Soto Betawi: stir 100ml coconut milk into the broth for a richer, milkier Jakarta-style version

• •

  Add perkedel (fried potato patties) as an additional topping

• •

  Soto Kudus: a Northern Java style using buffalo meat

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Broth keeps 4 days refrigerated. Store vermicelli and toppings separately — add fresh for each bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions