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–+ servings

Japanese Cream Stew (White Stew with Chicken)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 4 portions

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 tsp cooking oil neutral
  • 300 g boneless chicken thigh skin-on or skinless
  • salt for seasoning chicken
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ onion
  • 5 button mushrooms white variety preferred
  • 3 tbsp white wine for chicken mixture
  • 300 ml water
  • 3 tbsp white wine for sauce
  • 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder or consomme powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 potatoes waxy or all-purpose variety
  • 150 g carrots medium sized
  • 2 tbsp cake flour or all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp white miso paste
  • 100 ml heavy cream I used 35% fat
  • 100 ml whole milk
  • ¼ head broccoli steamed separately, for optional topping
  • 1 pinch nutmeg powder
  • 1 tsp grated hard cheese Parmesan, Pecorino, Grana padano
  • ground black pepper or white pepper, to taste
  • baguette toasted, optional

Instructions 

  • Heat a non-stick pan over medium low heat and swirl in 1 tsp cooking oil. Place 300 g boneless chicken thigh with the skin side facing down and sprinkle the top with a touch of salt. Sear for 2-3 minutes on each side or until pale beige all over (no more pink, but be careful not to brown).
    skin-on chicken thigh frying skin-side down in a frying pan on the stove top
  • Add 1 clove garlic, ½ onion and 5 button mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and turn translucent.
    chicken, onion, mushrooms and garlic frying in a pan on the stove top
  • Once the onions have softened, pour in 3 tbsp white wine and simmer until reduced by half and the alcohol aroma mellows out. Once reduced, turn off the heat.
    chicken and vegetables simmering in stock in a pan on the stove top
  • In a separate pot, add 300 ml water, 3 tbsp white wine, 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder, ¼ tsp salt and 1 bay leaf. Mix it well, then add 2 potatoes and 150 g carrots (roughly cut into similar size pieces). Heat on medium until it reaches a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
    carrot and potatoes simmering in chicken stock in a Japanese yukihira pot on the stove top
  • Pour the contents of the frying pan into the pot and gently stir. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
    chicken and vegetables simmering in broth in a Japanese yukihira pot on the stove top
  • While you wait, place 2 tbsp cake flour, 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tsp white miso paste in a small bowl and mix until it forms a smooth paste. This is the beurre manié.
    softened butter, white miso and flour mixed together in a small steel mixing bowl
  • Check that the root vegetables are softened to your liking, if they're still hard then cover and cook for a few minutes longer. Then, turn off the heat and whisk in half of the beurre manié.
    adding butter, flour and miso roux to pot of chicken cream stew
  • Mix well until fully melted, then add the other half and mix again. Use a whisk to incorporate it until smooth. Return to a low heat and stir continuously for about two minutes or until it starts to thicken.
    whisking roux into chicken cream stew
  • Pour in 100 ml heavy cream and 100 ml whole milk in small splashes while mixing. Continue to stir over the low heat until slightly thickened and warmed all the way through, then turn off the heat. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Finish with 1 pinch nutmeg powder and 1 tsp grated hard cheese and mix.
    pouring cream and milk into chicken cream stew in a Japanese yukihira pot on the stove top with black silicone whisk
  • Optional: Cut ¼ head broccoli into bitesize pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl with a splash of water. Cover with a lid, plate, or plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes at 600W.
    Broccoli florets in a glass bowl
  • Divide into serving bowls and top with the steamed broccoli and ground black pepper to taste. Serve with warm toasted baguette or Japanese white rice, and enjoy!
    Japanese chicken cream stew in a white bowl with blue and white block patterned rim, next to sliced baguette and a light wooden spoon

Notes

A nonstick skillet helps you control browning so the stew stays "snow white."
Keep browning deliberately light as cream stew's signature look comes from minimal Maillard color, not deep searing.
Make sure the root vegetables are tender before adding dairy.
After dairy goes in, treat the pot like a "no-boil zone": a hard boil is the fastest way to cause graininess or oily separation.
On IH, scorching happens faster at the base. Use the lowest effective heat and scrape the bottom steadily once the stew thickens.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days (3 max). Freezing isn't recommended (potatoes go grainy), and reheat gently on low (stirring and never boiling) to keep it smooth.
Serving ideas: Kinpira Gobo, Japanese Cucumber Salad, Shiso Pesto Pasta, Japanese Style Avocado Salad