Indonesian
Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup)
A golden turmeric chicken soup with glass noodles, sprouts and boiled egg — fragrant comfort in a bowl in 30 minutes.
About this recipe
Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup) is a indonesian lunch for 2 that is a gentle, mostly hands-off simmer. It’s built around chicken and egg, and it takes about 30 min total but only ~20 min of hands-on work — the rest is waiting. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 300g chicken thigh
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 thumb ginger
- 2, boiled egg
- 800ml water
- 1 tsp turmeric buy
- 2 shallot buy
- 1 stalk lemongrass buy
- 50g glass noodles buy
- 1 cup bean sprouts buy
- 1/2 lime buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Finely chop garlic, shallot, ginger and turmeric; fry with bruised lemongrass until fragrant.
~5 min
- 2
Add the chicken and water; simmerSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → until cooked, 18 min, then shred the chicken and return it.
~19 min
- 3
Serve over soaked glass noodles with sprouts, boiled egg and a squeeze of lime.
~4 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Chicken thigh
- chicken breast (cook a touch less so it stays juicy), or firm tofu.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
- Shallots
- half a small red onion — milder, but close.
- Ginger
- a pinch of ground ginger, or galangal if you have it.
- Lemon
- lime, or a small splash of vinegar.
- Noodles
- whatever you have — rice, instant noodles, or even pasta in a pinch.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Peel ginger with the edge of a spoon — it hugs the knobbly bits and wastes far less than a peeler. How to prep ginger →
- Roll the lime firmly on the bench before juicing — you’ll get noticeably more juice out of it. How to juice a lime →
- Slice chicken thinly across the grain — it cooks faster and stays tender. How to slice chicken thinly →
Storage & leftovers
This keeps well — store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavour often deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if it’s thickened.
Frequently asked
How long does Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup) take to make? +
About 30 min from start to finish, but only roughly 20 min of that is hands-on — the rest is cooking or resting time.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Chicken thigh → chicken breast (cook a touch less so it stays juicy), or firm tofu; Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push; Shallots → half a small red onion — milder, but close. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup) ahead of time? +
This keeps well — store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavour often deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if it’s thickened.
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