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Overview

Mie Ayam

Mi Ayam, Bakmi Ayam, Indonesian Chicken Noodles

This mie ayam recipe makes Indonesia's favourite street noodles: springy yellow wheat noodles tossed in fragrant chicken oil and soy sauce, piled with a sweet-savoury topping of diced chicken braised with mushrooms, and finished with mustard greens, spring onions and crisp fried shallots. A small bowl of clear chicken broth comes on the side, to sip or pour over. One serving is about 495 g.

Mie ayam is one of Indonesia's most popular street foods, sold from travelling carts, small warung eateries and restaurants across the country. It grew out of Chinese noodle traditions brought to Indonesia: yellow wheat noodles seasoned with chicken oil and soy sauce, topped with diced chicken. Unlike soto ayam, its turmeric-soup cousin, mie ayam is a noodle dish first — the broth is served in a small bowl on the side. Vendors offer it with extras such as meatballs (bakso) or dumplings (pangsit), and every region seasons the topping a little differently.

Pairs well with: Clear chicken broth, sambal & pickled chillies

Provenance

Indonesia flag Indonesia

Indonesian Street-Food Classic

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

55m

20m prep • 35m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

633 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 495 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Pasta & Noodles Occasions: Weekday lunches, family meals, casual gatherings, street-food nights Cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Savory Soup
A bowl of mie ayam with yellow wheat noodles, braised chicken and mushrooms, and green mustard leaves, with a small bowl of clear chicken broth beside it

Indonesian Street-Food Classic

Photo: Midori, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

A home-style mie ayam with tossed wheat noodles, a sweet-savoury chicken and mushroom topping, and clear broth on the side.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 55m
P

Prep Stage: Topping and Bowls

20 Mins • One Pot

Slice the mushrooms and ginger, mince the garlic, chop the spring onions and cut the pak-choi into short lengths. Measure out the kecap manis, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Loosen the noodle nests and set the sambal in a small dish for the table.

Maestro Tip: Have everything chopped before the pot goes on — mie ayam comes together in minutes once the noodles are cooked.

  1. 1

    Simmer the Chicken and Make the Broth

    25 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)

    Put the chicken thighs, water and ginger in a large pot and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, then lift the chicken out and set it aside. Season the broth with the salt and keep it hot.

    Skim the foam in the first 5 minutes — it keeps the broth clear and clean-tasting.

    Done when: The chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) inside and the broth is clear and lightly golden.

  2. 2

    Braise the Chicken and Mushroom Topping

    12 Mins Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)

    Dice the cooked chicken. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan, fry half the garlic for 1 minute, then add the chicken, mushrooms, kecap manis, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the sugar. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and the sauce is thick and glossy.

    Let the sauce reduce until it coats the chicken — a watery topping makes soggy noodles.

    Done when: The topping is dark, glossy and thick enough to sit on top of the noodles without running.

  3. 3

    Cook the Noodles and Greens

    5 Mins Rolling boil, about 100°C (212°F)

    Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the noodles for 3–4 minutes until springy and just tender, adding the pak-choi for the last 30 seconds. Drain well and shake off as much water as you can.

    Do not overcook the noodles — they soften further under the hot topping and broth.

    Done when: The noodles are springy with a slight bite; the greens are bright green and just wilted.

  4. 4

    Toss and Assemble the Bowls

    5 Mins Serve hot, about 70°C (158°F)

    Divide the hot noodles between four bowls. Toss each portion with a little of the remaining garlic, the sesame oil, the rest of the soy sauce and the white pepper. Top with the chicken and mushroom mixture and the blanched pak-choi.

    Toss the noodles while they are still steaming hot so they drink up the oil and soy sauce.

    Done when: Every strand is lightly coated and glossy, with the topping piled on top.

  5. 5

    Finish and Serve

    2 Mins Off the heat (broth about 75°C / 167°F)

    Scatter the spring onions and fried shallots over each bowl. Ladle the hot clear broth into small bowls and serve alongside, with the sambal on the table so everyone can season their own bowl.

    Serve the broth on the side, not poured over — that is what makes mie ayam different from a soup noodle.

    Done when: The shallots are crisp, the greens are bright, and the broth is steaming.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the mie ayam at once, with the clear broth in small side bowls and sambal on the table, so everyone mixes their own bowl.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

633

kcal / serving

Protein

35g

Complete AA

Carbs

75g

Complex

Fats

21g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 495 g)
Energy633 kcal
Protein35 g
Carbohydrates75 g
Fat21 g
Fibre4.1 g
Sugar12.9 g
Sodium1342 mg
Per 100g
Energy128 kcal
Protein7.1 g
Carbohydrates15.1 g
Fat4.3 g
Fibre0.8 g
Sugar2.6 g
Sodium271 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Niacin and vitamin B6 (chicken), vitamin A and folate (mustard greens), vitamin D and B vitamins (mushrooms), iron (chicken, mushrooms), potassium (mushrooms, greens).

High-Protein Lunch

About 35.1 g of protein per serving from chicken, egg noodles and mushrooms helps keep you full through the afternoon.

Fresh Greens in Every Bowl

Pak-choi and spring onions add fibre, folate and vitamin A to a satisfying noodle bowl.

Lighter Than Fried Noodles

The noodles are boiled and tossed, not fried, so the dish stays lighter than mie goreng while still tasting rich.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Soups

Clear Chicken Broth

The light broth served on the side balances the sweet-savoury topping and lets you loosen the noodles as you eat.

Sauces

Sambal and Pickled Chillies

Chilli heat cuts through the sweet kecap manis and wakes up the whole bowl.

Vegetables

Prawn Crackers (Kerupuk)

Crisp, salty crackers give the soft noodles something crunchy to break into them.

Drinks

Hot Sweet Tea

Sweet tea is the everyday Indonesian accompaniment to a savoury lunch — its sweetness rounds off the soy and spice.

Complete menu

Mie ayam with clear chicken broth, sambal, prawn crackers and hot sweet tea.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Extra Soy Sauce on Top of the Broth

The dish already carries about 1,342 mg of sodium per serving; pouring more soy sauce over the broth pushes it much higher without adding flavour. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

Leaving Cooked Noodles at Room Temperature

Cooked noodles and chicken are perishable — cool and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, and reheat the chicken to 74°C (165°F). This is general food-safety information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA balanced, high-protein lunch; watch the salt if you eat it often.
  • ChildrenMild and easy to eat; shred the chicken finely and go light on the sambal.
  • ElderlySoft noodles and tender chicken are easy to chew; serve the broth warm rather than piping hot.
  • Pregnant womenFine when the chicken is fully cooked and the dish is served hot; ask your clinician if unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenA nourishing, protein-rich lunch; keep portions moderate and the sambal light.
  • AthletesAbout 35 g of protein and 75 g of carbohydrate per serving supports recovery after training.
  • Weight gainAdd an extra egg or a side of rice to raise the energy of the meal.
  • Weight lossA filling noodle lunch; keep the fried shallots modest and skip extra crackers.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 74.9 g of carbohydrate per serving; count the noodles and the sweet kecap manis, and ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureAbout 1,342 mg of sodium per serving; use less soy sauce and kecap manis, and ask your clinician if you are on a low-sodium plan.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein and moderate in potassium; ask your clinician whether this portion suits your plan.
  • GoutChicken and mushrooms are moderate in purines; the broth is the bigger concern if you are sensitive — ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesThe noodles are gentle, but chilli sambal can irritate a sensitive stomach — serve it on the side.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLean chicken and vegetables are a reasonable choice; the fried shallots add fat, so keep them modest.
  • Fatty liverA noodle bowl with little frying; keep the fried shallots small and avoid extra crackers.
  • Food allergiesContains wheat and egg (noodles), soy (soy sauce, kecap manis) and sesame; check labels if you have an allergy.
  • Special therapeutic dietsFollow your clinician's guidance on sodium, carbohydrate and chilli; this is general information, not medical advice.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool the topping, noodles and broth separately, then store in airtight containers.
In the fridge
Topping and broth 3 days in the fridge; cooked noodles 1 day.
In the freezer
Topping and broth up to 2 months; do not freeze the cooked noodles or greens.
How to reheat
Reheat the broth to a rolling boil, about 100°C (212°F), and the topping to 74°C (165°F); cook fresh noodles for serving.
Freezing recommended
Yes — the topping and broth freeze very well for up to 2 months.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy noodles, or mould on the topping.

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