Soto Ayam

4.58 from 40 votes
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Soto Ayam is a chicken soup popular in Malaysia and Indonesia. This soto ayam recipe is easy, authentic and the best recipe you will find online. Serve with rice noodles or rice cakes for a meal.

Soto ayam recipe with chicken and spices in a soup.
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Soto Ayam Recipe

Soto Ayam is a chicken noodle soup popular in Malaysia and Indonesia.

There are many adaptations and recipes of Soto Ayam in the region but I love this recipe the best.

In Indonesia, this dish is called Soto Resah. The yellow-color soup is infused with coconut milk, turmeric and spices.

It tastes utterly delicious with a flavor profile that is complex due to the spices in the soup and sambal as a condiment on the side.

It’s hearty and mouthwatering, especially on colder nights.

Soto ayam, ready to serve.

How To Make Soto Ayam

Resep soto ayam.

It’s very easy to make authentic Soto Ayam at home, as long as you have all the ingredients.

First, you make the spice paste. Next, you make the soup by combining chicken broth, coconut milk and spices together.

To serve, cook the rice noodles, bean sprouts and then add the soup and chicken to a serving bowl.

Add the toppings of hard-boiled egg, chopped scallion and fried shallot crisps and serve immediately.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use turmeric powder instead of turmeric root?

Yes, absolutely. Turmeric root can be hard to find if you are in the United States.
You can find turmeric powder in the spice aisle of regular grocery stores or Asian stores.

Can I serve the soup with rice cakes (ketupat)?

Yes, you can. Instead of using rice noodles, you can serve with rice cakes or ketupat.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is 523 calories per serving.

Soto ayam in a bowl.

What To Serve With Soto Ayam

Soto ayam.

Serve this dish as a main noodle dish. For a healthy Malaysian-Indonesian meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

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4.58 from 40 votes

Soto Ayam

Soto Ayam is a chicken soup popular in Malaysia and Indonesia. Easy, authentic and the best soto ayam recipe. Serve with rice noodles or rice cakes!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients  

  • 1/2 pack rice noodles
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 skinless and boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 3 strips
  • 13.5 oz (385g) coconut milk
  • 14.05 oz (400g) chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt, to taste

Spice Paste:

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 4 shallots, peeled
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 piece turmeric, 2-inch (5cm), peeled or 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
  • 1 piece galangal, peeled and sliced
  • 1 piece ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Toppings:

  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • 2 cups sliced cabbages, optional
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges
  • 1 stalk spring onion, cut into rounds
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges
  • Fried shallot crisps

Instructions 

  • Soak the rice noodles in warm water to soften them. Set aside.
  • Blend the spice paste in a food processor, adding water if needed.
  • Add the oil to a pot over medium-high heat. Add the spice paste and stir with a spatula back and forth until aromatic.
  • Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, lemongrass, and water. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken breast cubes, cover the pot, and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.
  • Blanch the rice noodles, bean sprouts, and cabbage (if using) in another pot of boiling water. Transfer them to a bowl once cooked. Add the toppings of hard-boiled eggs and spring onions, then pour the hot chicken broth into the bowl.
  • Serve hot with lime wedges and shallot crisps on top of the noodles.

Notes

This recipe yields 4 individual servings of Soto Ayam.

Nutrition

Serving: 4people, Calories: 523kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 176mg, Potassium: 773mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 240IU, Vitamin C: 36mg, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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Recipe Rating





16 Comments

  1. Margaret Tanutama says:

    How big is each shallot for the “4 shallots, peeled”

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Medium size.

  2. Ceslie Rossi says:

    I just made this tonight and it was incredible!!! Very authentic, I lived in Bali for a few years and this is the real deal from that wonderful part of the world! Thank you for making it easy. Enak sekali!

  3. Duncan Moore says:

    Absolute Yum !!!
    An alternative way to utilise chicken breasts…Thank you Bee

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Duncan thanks for your comment. Yes, please try!

  4. Yeh Ximin says:

    5 stars

  5. Mark says:

    Hi,
    You mentioned that you took Soto ayam to a potluck. I want to do that as well but I am finding it difficult to figure out how to carry all of this. Any suggestions on the lifisty?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Just put in big tupperwares.

      1. Didi says:

        I like using 1/2 pint mason jars because you can prepare individual servings, and the jars are microwaveable. If there’s not a microwave, add jars to a large container of hot water.

        1. Didi says:

          Love this recipe too! Such a vibrant color, and there are many health benefits associated with Turmeric!

        2. Rasa Malaysia says:

          Sounds like a good idea.

      2. Paul says:

        How much galangal paste can I use as replacement for fresh galangal?

        1. Bee Yinn Low says:

          Just skip.

  6. Contoh Plakat says:

    Soto ayam is very delicious food, I Like to eat it with gorengan :)

  7. ezy says:

    soto ayam recipe is very delicious, we like and i hope can to eat agains
    great article boz