Indonesian Chicken Noodle (Mie Ayam) Recipe

Indonesian Chicken Noodle (Mie Ayam)

Ingredients

For the Chicken Topping (Ayam Kecap):

• 500g chicken breast or thigh, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 1 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt and white pepper to taste

For the Noodles:

• 400g fresh egg noodles (mie basah) or instant egg noodles

For the Chicken Broth/Soup:

• Chicken bones or carcass (from chicken topping or separate)
• 1 liter water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

For the Oil Mixture (per serving):

• 1 tbsp chicken oil (minyak ayam - rendered chicken fat with garlic/shallots)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• A pinch of white pepper

Garnish/Condiments:

• Chopped spring onions
• Fried shallots
• Chili sauce (sambal)
• Blanched mustard greens (sawi hijau/bok choy)

Instructions

1. Prepare Chicken Oil: If making from scratch, render chicken fat (from skin) in a pan over low heat until oil is extracted. Add a few slices of garlic or shallots to the fat as it renders for flavor. Strain and set aside.
2. Make Chicken Topping (Ayam Kecap):
   1. Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a wok or large pan. Sauté minced garlic and chopped onion until fragrant and translucent.
   2. Add the diced chicken and cook until it changes color and is lightly browned.
   3. Stir in sweet soy sauce, regular soy sauce, salt, and white pepper. Mix well to coat the chicken.
   4. Pour in water or chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly. Set aside.
3. Make Chicken Broth:
   1. In a separate pot, combine chicken bones/carcass with 1 liter of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes (or longer for more flavor). Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
   2. Season the broth with salt and white pepper to taste. Keep warm.
4. Prepare Noodles and Greens:
   1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
   2. Quickly blanch the mustard greens (sawi hijau) for about 30 seconds until tender-crisp. Remove and drain.
   3. Cook the egg noodles according to package instructions (fresh noodles usually take 1-2 minutes). Drain well.
5. Assemble Mie Ayam (per serving):
   1. In each serving bowl, add 1 tbsp chicken oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil (if using), and a pinch of white pepper. Stir to combine.
   2. Add the drained cooked noodles to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat them with the oil mixture.
   3. Arrange a generous portion of the chicken topping (Ayam Kecap) over the noodles.
   4. Add blanched mustard greens to the side.
   5. Garnish with chopped spring onions and fried shallots.
   6. Serve immediately with a small bowl of hot chicken broth on the side. Add chili sauce as desired.