Meat, South and Southeast Asian
Soto ayam with rice
Soto ayam is an Indonesian chicken soup with a golden broth, flavored with turmeric, lemongrass and ginger. This recipe serves 4, takes 50 minutes, is rated easy and costs about €2.50 per person. The key to success is cooking the spice paste in oil before adding the water, which gives the broth its deep flavor.
Soto ayam tonight, Indonesia's golden chicken soup, with rice noodles, a hard boiled egg and a little rice on the side.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €2.50
- Calories per person
- 540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Winter, Fall
- The kids
- They generally like it
Soto ayam is the kind of soup that warms you up without weighing you down. The clear golden broth carries the scent of turmeric, lemongrass and ginger, and the shredded chicken mingles gently with soft rice noodles. A hard boiled egg and a squeeze of lime at the end add just the right amount of brightness to every spoonful.
It's a great dish for a cool fall or winter evening when you want something comforting without spending the whole night in the kitchen. Kids usually love the mild broth and the rice on the side, and you can turn up the heat for the adults if you want more punch in your bowl. Mon Chou suggests it for the nights when a good bowl of soup is exactly what the family needs.
The ingredients
Butcher
- Chicken thighs 4
Fruits and vegetables
- Eggs 4
- Lemongrass stalks 2
- Shallots 3
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Fresh ginger 20 g
- Bean sprouts 200 g
- Green onions 3
- Lime 1
Pantry
- Rice vermicelli 100 g
- White riceoften in the pantry 200 g
- Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
- Neutral oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Allergens Eggs, Soy
The step by step recipe
-
Blend the shallots, garlic, ginger and turmeric, then cook this paste in the oil with the crushed lemongrass. 6 min
Cook the paste until it smells fragrant, without letting it brown.
-
Add the chicken thighs and 1.5 liters of water, bring to a simmer and cook gently. Season with salt and pepper. 30 min
Skim the surface at the start, the broth will stay a beautiful clear yellow.
-
Remove the chicken, shred it, return the bones to the broth and strain. Hard boil the eggs at the same time. 10 min
Once cooked, run the eggs under cold water, they'll peel cleanly.
-
Soak the rice noodles in hot water, cook the rice in salted water. 12 min
The noodles barely need to cook, a few minutes of soaking is enough.
-
In each bowl, arrange noodles, chicken, bean sprouts and half an egg, pour over the hot broth and add green onions and lime. Serve with the rice.
A squeeze of lime right before eating wakes up the whole soup.
Our tips to get it right
- Blend the spice paste until it's smooth, otherwise stringy bits of lemongrass will end up floating in your broth.
- Keep the chicken at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, the meat will stay tender and the broth will stay clear.
- Taste the broth right before serving and adjust the salt, since it mellows out after simmering a long time with the bones.
The variations
- Swap the chicken thighs for chicken breast if you prefer leaner meat, just cut the cooking time slightly.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and firm tofu instead of chicken, the spices work just as well.
- For kids, serve the broth separately from the rice and noodles, some prefer to dip a little at a time instead of mixing everything together.
What to serve it with
- Hot jasmine tea
- Crispy shrimp crackers
- A vinegared cucumber salad
Storage
The broth and shredded chicken keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, kept separate from the rice and noodles. The broth freezes well for up to 2 months. Reheat it gently in a pot and add fresh noodles right before serving.
Questions about this dish
Can you make soto ayam broth ahead of time?
Yes, the broth actually tastes better made a day ahead. Keep it in the fridge and reheat it gently before assembling the bowls with chicken and noodles.
Can you substitute fresh lemongrass?
You can use frozen or tubed lemongrass in the same amount. The flavor will be slightly less intense, but the broth will still be fragrant.
What's the easiest way to peel hard boiled eggs?
Run the eggs under cold water right after cooking, the temperature shock loosens the shell. Peel them under a thin stream of water for easier results.
Why strain the broth before serving?
Straining removes small bits of spice and impurities that rise during cooking. This keeps the broth clear and pleasant to sip straight from the spoon.
How long does it take to make a soto ayam, Indonesian turmeric chicken soup, with rice?
Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a soto ayam, Indonesian turmeric chicken soup, with rice?
About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a soto ayam, Indonesian turmeric chicken soup, with rice cost?
About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains eggs, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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