IndonesianMedium · Hot
Warming Soto Ayam with Shredded Chicken
A fragrant Indonesian chicken soup with turmeric-spiced broth, tender poached chicken, and aromatic rice. Every family has their own version of this soul-warming dish from Yogyakarta — the sambal and lime are non-negotiable at the table.
Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Rest
5 min
Total
1h
Method
Make the Spice Paste (Bumbu)
Build the Broth Base
Poach the Chicken
3
After the broth has simmered with vegetables for 10 minutes, carefully add the raw boneless chicken breast and thighs to the pot. Ensure chicken is fully submerged. Maintain a gentle simmer (160-165°F/71-74°C) and cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F/74°C internal temperature. Remove the chicken pieces to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes, then use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Cook the Jasmine Rice
4
Cook according to package directions until fluffy and aromatic. Keep warm until serving.
Finish and Season the Broth
5
Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir gently and let everything warm together for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Assemble and Serve
6
For the full Dewi experience, serve with extra lime wedges, sliced chili, and a small dish of kecap manis mixed with a drop of soy sauce for dipping the chicken.
Grade pending
Nutri-Score
Estimated nutrition
Grade pending · 100% ingredient coverage
Calories
1029
per serving
Protein
84g
Carbs
107g
Fat
29g
Sat. fat
15g
Fiber
8g
Sugar
14g
Sodium
1111mg
Gluten FreeDairy FreeWhole30Heart HealthyAnti InflammatoryDiabetes FriendlyLow CholesterolHigh ProteinBalanced MealMuscle Recovery
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
Grade pending
Environmental impact
Estimated footprint
Grade pending · 100% ingredient coverage
kg CO2e
2.9
per serving
Water
2.3m³
Land
97Pt
Runoff
0.3g P
Chicken Breast drives 51% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
7
Umami
4
Sweet
5
Salty
3
Sour
1
Bitter
6
Spicy
Textures
SilkyTenderSoftFluffySmooth
Aromas
EarthyAromaticSpicyHerbalCitrusy
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
WokCounter FootprintMedium
Safety & Storage
[{"classification":"cooking-temperature","text":"Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) internal temperature before consumption. Add raw chicken to simmering broth and cook for 15-20 minutes until thermometer confirms safe temperature. Never skip this step."}]
High Risk Population
Elderly, pregnant, immunocompromised, and young children require fully cooked chicken to 165°F/74°C minimum. Avoid serving rare or pink portions to these groups.
Cross Contamination
Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken and vegetables. Wash all surfaces, knives, and forks with hot soapy water after handling raw poultry before using for other ingredients.
Handling
Refrigerate chicken at 40°F/4°C or below until ready to use. Do not leave raw chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours total (including prep time). Wash hands thoroughly with soap for 20 seconds after handling raw chicken.
Storage
Cool soup to 70°F/21°C within 2 hours, then refrigerate. Consume within 3-4 days. Rice can be stored separately in airtight container for up to 5 days refrigerated. Reheat all components to 165°F/74°C before serving.
Allergen Warning
When serving with kecap manis and soy sauce as suggested condiments, note that these contain soy and wheat/gluten respectively. Omit or substitute with gluten-free soy sauce for celiac guests.
Pro Tips
Technique
The spice paste is everything in Soto Ayam — if you rush it, your broth will taste flat. Grind until the bumbu is almost smooth, almost like a wet paste, releasing all those essential oils from the shallots and ginger. A food processor works, but a mortar and pestle? That's the difference between good and grandmother-good.
Substitution
Never swap kecap manis for regular soy sauce — the caramel-like sweetness and thickness of the real thing is non-negotiable. If you can't find it, reduce regular soy sauce with a bit of palm sugar until it coats your spoon, but please, please don't skip this step.
Flavor Boost
Add a small piece of shrimp paste (terasi) when you fry your bumbu — just a tiny bit, fried briefly in the coconut oil before adding the paste. This adds an umami depth that makes people ask, 'What is that secret flavor?'
From the chef
Soto ayam starts with a bumbu of shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cumin ground to a paste and fried until deeply fragrant before the broth ever goes in. That step is what separates a great soto from a thin soup — the spices need oil and heat to unlock everything they carry. Bone-in chicken poaches in the golden broth, then gets shredded and returned so every strand absorbs the flavor. Finish with fresh cilantro, scallion, a generous squeeze of lime, and a drizzle of kecap manis. Sambal on the side is non-negotiable — this bowl needs that heat to be complete.
TagsTurmeric Spiced
AllergensFishGluten
Source: generated · June 10, 2026