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Indonesian

Soto ayam

Non-vegetarian

A golden, turmeric-and-lemongrass-scented chicken broth served over glass noodles with shredded chicken, boiled egg, bean sprouts and a squeeze of lime.

Soto ayam is an Indonesian soup, ready in about 1 hour 25 minutes and made with chicken pieces, skin-on and turmeric. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
A bowl of traditional Indonesian soto ayam with fresh vegetables and crackers, perfect for a savory meal.
Photo: Fariz Albar / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
25 min
Cook
1 h
Total
1 h 25 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
582

Ingredients

6 servings

For the broth

For the spice paste

To serve

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Bring the chicken and water to the boil, skim, then simmer gently.

  2. Step 2

    Blend the shallots (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, turmeric (opens in a new tab), coriander, white pepper (opens in a new tab) and candlenuts (opens in a new tab) with a splash of water to a paste. Fry in the oil until fragrant and no longer raw-smelling.

  3. Step 3

    Stir the paste into the broth with the lemongrass (opens in a new tab), galangal (opens in a new tab), lime (opens in a new tab) leaves, salt and sugar (opens in a new tab). Simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

    • 40 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cook chicken until no pink remains and the juices run clear (74 °C in the thickest part).

  4. Step 4

    Lift out the chicken, shred the meat and discard the bones. Remove the aromatics.

    • 5 min

  5. Step 5

    Put glass noodles (opens in a new tab), shredded chicken, bean sprouts (opens in a new tab), cabbage (opens in a new tab) and egg (opens in a new tab) in each bowl, ladle over the hot broth and top with celery (opens in a new tab) leaves. Serve with lime (opens in a new tab) and sambal.

    • 5 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Java, Indonesia · Well documentedCountless regional versions exist across Indonesia; similar soups are eaten in Malaysia and Singapore.Also popular in Malaysia, SingaporeMore food from Indonesia
Dish
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner · Soups · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered, Boiled
Taste
aromatic / warmly spiced, savoury, earthy, fresh
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Batch cooking · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Chicken pieces, skin-on · Turmeric · Shallot · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Ground coriander
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • May contain: Tree nutsfrom candlenut
  • Contains: Celeryfrom celery

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

582 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 674 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 26%
  • Carbohydrate 20%
  • Fat 54%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy582 kcal86 kcal
Protein38 g5.6 g
Carbohydrate29.7 g4.4 g
Net carbohydrate26.5 g3.9 g
Sugars5.4 g0.8 g
Added sugars0.7 g0.1 g
Fibre3.3 g0.5 g
Fat34.7 g5.2 g
Saturated fat8.8 g1.3 g
Trans fat0.2 g0 g
Cholesterol249 mg37 mg
Sodium965 mg143 mg
Salt equivalent2.4 g0.4 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
672 mg
Calcium
123 mg
Iron
4.5 mg
Magnesium
73 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
125 µg
Vitamin C
23 mg
Vitamin D
1 µg
Vitamin B12
0.8 µg
Folate (DFE)
71 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: fresh red chilli.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): makrut lime leaves.
  • Candlenut: English walnuts (FDC 170187) used as a stand-in: candlenuts are similarly oil-rich (about 60–65 % fat); no candlenut entry exists in FDC SR Legacy.
  • Galangal: Fresh ginger used as a stand-in: no galangal entry in FDC SR Legacy, and galangal is a closely related rhizome used in similar small amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Fried shallots and prawn crackers are popular toppings.

Common mistakes

  • Under-frying the spice paste leaves the soup tasting raw and sharp.

Serve with

  • Serve with steamed rice or compressed rice cakes (lontong).

Storage

  • Refrigerate broth and chicken separately for up to 3 days; freeze the broth for 3 months.

Reheating

  • Bring the broth back to the boil; assemble bowls fresh.

Variations

  • Soto Madura: A richer version from Madura, sometimes with a little coconut milk and beef.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The spice and seasoning backbone

For the spice paste

Used in step 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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