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Indonesian Soto Ayam (Chicken Soup with Noodles, Ginger, & Turmeric)

Try out this wonderfully warm Indonesian chicken soup recipe on the next rainy day.

Ingredients

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 2-5% fat content
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 3 Tbsp fresh garlic, finely minced
  • Zest of 2 limes
  • 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying and cooking shallots
  • 4 shallots, cut into thin rounds and pan-fried in oil for garnish
  • 2 quarts chicken stock
  • 3 stalks of fresh lemongrass, pounded with back of knife
  • 10 shallots, large dice
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 12 Fresh kaffir lime leaves, if available
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 Tbsp fish sauce
  • Salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp fresh mint, finely sliced
  • 6 oz glass noodles
  • Sambal oelek, as garnish
  • Lime wedges, as garnish
  • Cooked white rice, as garnish
  • Hard-boiled eggs, stored in soy sauce, as garnish

Instructions

  • The day before you plan to cook this dish, cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks.
  • Mix the chicken thighs with the ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, 3 Tbsp fresh garlic, and lime zest.
  • Marinate in the fridge overnight.
  • To make the crispy shallot garnish, cut shallots into thin rounds and separate the rings of the shallot pieces with your fingers.
  • Pat shallots dry on a paper towel and add to 1 cup of vegetable oil in a pot where the oil has been pre-heated to 350F and is hot.
  • Cook shallots until golden, avoiding any overly dark coloration.
  • Remove shallots from oil when they are just turning golden and reserve on paper towels to drain.
  • As you take the shallots out of the oil to drain them, season them with salt.
  • When you are ready to make the soup, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil you used to fry the shallots to the bottom of a soup pot and add the 10 remaining diced shallots and stalks of lemongrass.
  • Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent.
  • Add the turmeric powder, coriander, and cumin.
  • Cook for an additional five minutes, adding a splash of chicken stock if the onions get too dry.
  • Add the kaffir lime leaves and chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
  • Broil chicken pieces in the oven on parchment paper on a sheet tray until the chicken pieces have taken on some dark color, roughly 15 minutes.
  • Once the chicken is lightly charred and has taken on dark color in some places, remove from oven and add to simmering soup.
  • Season soup with lime juice, fish sauce, and salt & pepper is desired.
  • Add the chopped cilantro and sliced mint to the soup, reserving a small amount of each for garnish at the end.
  • Taste soup and adjust to add more lime or fish sauce if desired.
  • Cook noodles according to directions written on Noodle packaging.
  • Prepare soup bowls and ladle in soup, add glass noodles to each bowl.
  • Garnish soup with hard-boiled eggs, cut in half, a large spoonful of cooked white rice, sambal oelek, and wedges of lime.