Japanese Cream Stew (White Stew with Chicken)

i. Swirl a thin layer of neutral oil into your nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken pieces skin-side down if using skin-on thighs.

ii. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let them sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. You’ll hear a gentle hiss, not an aggressive sizzle. We’re rendering fat and developing the faintest golden tint, not creating a dark crust. Once the chicken shows pale beige color around the edges, give the pieces a flip and sear on the other side.

i. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms with another pinch of salt, then sauté over medium-low heat until the onion turns glossy and slightly soft.

ii. Stir frequently. You’ll notice the onions turning translucent and glossy, the garlic releasing that telltale fragrance, and the mushrooms shrinking as they release their liquid.

iii. When the chicken is seared all over and the onions are softened, pour in white wine. Simmer until reduced by more than half and the sharp alcohol smell softens. Keep the reduction steady, not raging, so the wine mellows instead of turning harsh.

iv. Turn off the heat and set aside.

i. In a separate large pot, combine water, white wine, salt, chicken bouillon powder, and one bay leaf, then give it a mix.

ii. Add the carrot and potato to the pot, gently bring them to a boil over medium heat and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Heating the root vegetables together with the broth helps them cook more evenly to the core, rather than over cooking the outside while the middle is still raw.

iii. Keep a gentle simmer for about 3 minutes. Gentle simmering softens vegetable pectin gradually, so the broth stays creamy instead of turning cloudy from the starch from the potatoes.

i. Slide your chicken pieces and that aromatic onion-mushroom-garlic mixture into the pot with the vegetables. Give everything a gentle stir to distribute, then cover with a lid and gently simmer.

ii. Set a timer for 5 minutes.

During this phase, steam builds inside the pot, gently cooking the chicken through while the vegetables soften. The covered environment keeps moisture from escaping, which matters when you’re building a sauce later. We need that liquid volume.

i. While the pot simmers, grab a small bowl and add cake (or all-purpose flour), your softened unsalted butter (it should feel like soft clay, not melted or hard), and white miso paste.

ii. Use a fork, spoon, or small spatula to work them into a smooth paste. It’ll look slightly like a tan butter cream.

This French technique (beurre manié means “kneaded butter”) is your lump-prevention insurance. The butter coats each flour particle, preventing them from clumping when they hit hot liquid.

i. Uncover and pierce a potato and carrot with a bamboo skewer. It should slide in with only slight resistance. This check prevents adding dairy too early, which can slow vegetable softening and increase graininess risk. If the center is hard, cover again and simmer a couple of minutes more until all pieces are fork tender.

i. Turn the heat off and whisk in half the beurre manié until fully melted.

ii. Then add the rest and whisk until smooth. If lumps form, take the pot off heat and whisk hard; strain if needed.

iii. Turn the heat back on gentle simmer, keep stirring for about 2 minutes. You’ll notice the sauce transforming from brothy to velvety as the starch granules swell and gelatinize.

i. Once thickened, stir in heavy cream and milk in small splashes to keep the dairy proteins stable. Warm 3 minutes on the very lowest heat and never boil.

This is critical: never let the dairy boil. Add your heavy cream and whole milk in three stages, stirring after each addition until fully blended. The sauce will thin slightly as the cold dairy cools it, then thicken again as you return it to gentle heat.

ii. Dip your spoon in the sauce, then run your finger across the back. If the line holds clean without the sauce running back together, you’ve achieved the ideal consistency.

i. Stir in Parmesan (or other hard cheese like Pecorino or Grana padano) and a pinch of nutmeg.

ii. Then taste and adjust salt a little at a time until it tastes savory to your liking.

iii. Serve the stew with steamed broccoli (optional) and a pepper finish. In Japan, cream stew is often served over white rice or with crusty bread (my preference) on the side. Both soak up that luxurious sauce beautifully. Consider toasted baguette slices or fluffy short-grain rice for the best experience.