Japanese Cream Stew With Chicken and Broccoli

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a freelance food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
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Updated on 06/7/22
Japanese Cream Stew With Chicken and Broccoli

The Spruce / Andrew Bui

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Cream stew is a popular Japanese dish that is often served at home as well as at family-style restaurants and cafes. In Japanese cuisine, a cream stew is considered yoshoku, which refers to a style of Western cuisine that has been adapted with a uniquely Japanese twist.

Japanese cream stew, aka white stew, is characterized by a cream- or dairy-based broth that is slightly thickened and includes traditional proteins, such as chicken or pork. Other proteins that may be included are fish (white fish or salmon), or seafood (shrimp), and vegetables. Commonly used vegetables are potatoes, carrots, and onions. Broccoli is a popular addition to Japanese cream stew.

Homemade cream stew can easily be made from scratch using the recipe below. However, it can also be made with any brand of cream stew roux that is premade and available at Japanese grocery stores.

Serve this stew as is or with steamed white rice or crusty homemade bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 large boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite-size pieces

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces

  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes

  • 2 1/2 cups water

  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup milk

  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese

  • 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Japanese Cream Stew With Chicken and Broccoli ingredients

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

    Chicken with salt and pepper in a bowl

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  3. In a deep stew pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the chicken until browned.

    Chicken cooking in a stew pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  4. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat until soft and translucent.

    Cook onions with chicken in a pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  5. Add the carrot and potatoes and stir-fry quickly.

    Add carrots and potatoes to the chicken and onions in the pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  6. Pour 2 1/2 cups of water into the pan with the vegetables and bring to a boil.

    Add water to the chicken and vegetables mixture in the pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  7. Reduce the heat to low and add the consommé (or bouillon) cubes. Simmer until carrots and potatoes are softened.

    Add bouillon cubes to the chicken and vegetables mixture in the pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  8. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan make the white sauce: Melt the butter on low heat and stir in the flour.

    Butter in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  9. Cook the flour until it bubbles, making sure to mix well continuously.

    Butter and flour in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  10. Pour the milk into the flour mixture and cook on medium heat, stirring quickly until it begins to thicken slightly.

    Milk, butter and flour mixture in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  11. Reduce heat to low and cook until the sauce is thick, making sure to stir constantly. Turn off the heat and set aside.

    White sauce in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  12. In a small bowl, take about 1/3 cup of the soup broth from the chicken and vegetable stew and mix with cream cheese until it melts.

    Soup broth with cream cheese in a bowl

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  13. Add the cream cheese and soup broth mixture back into the stew.

    Cream cheese mixture added to the stew in the pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  14. Add the white sauce to the stew and stir lightly.

    White sauce added to the stew in the pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

  15. Add broccoli and simmer for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Enjoy.

    Broccoli added to the Japanese Cream Stew With Chicken in the pot

    The Spruce / Andrew Bui

Recipe Variations

  • Feel free to add other vegetables, such as celery, mushrooms, or corn, to the stew. 
  • Use green beans or peas in place of the broccoli.

How to Store

  • This cream stew can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
385 Calories
18g Fat
35g Carbs
22g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 385
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 570mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 25mg 125%
Calcium 125mg 10%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 495mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)