My Easy Cream Stew recipe makes a quick and comforting dinner on a busy weeknight. Here, I use store-bought Japanese cream stew mix for a simple yet satisfying one-pot meal with tender chicken thighs and colorful vegetables.
If you want to make a quick and delicious dinner on a busy weeknight, look no further than my Easy Cream Stew (クリームシチュー) recipe. Like many home cooks in Japan, I use boxed cream stew mix for a fuss-free shortcut that delivers layers of flavor. This one-pot recipe is chock full of tender chicken, colorful veggies, and savory mushrooms for a nourishing and comforting meal that your entire family will love.
If you love Japanese stews, try my Japanese Chicken Curry, Nikujaga, and Hayashi Rice recipes next!
Table of Contents
What is Cream Stew?
Cream stew first debuted in Japan in 1947 when the US government began supplying powdered milk to combat children’s malnutrition after World War II. The Japanese used the dry milk to create a yoshoku or Western-style white stew (ホワイトシチュー) with chicken and vegetables. It soon became a popular offering in Japan’s school lunches. In the mid-1960s, House Foods introduced boxed cream stew mix so that home cooks could quickly and easily make this beloved and comforting meal at home.
Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s so simple: Cook the ingredients in a pot and dissolve the creamy roux into the stew. That’s it!
- Silky and light: The creamy béchamel sauce with butter and milk adds richness without heaviness.
- Easy clean up: This recipe cooks up in just one pot, so there are fewer dishes to wash!
Ingredients for Easy Cream Stew
- Boxed cream stew mix
- Chicken thighs
- Salt and black pepper
- Onion
- Potato – I used Yukon gold
- Carrot
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Oil – for sautéing
- Water
- Milk
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Jump to RecipeSubstitutions
- Boxed cream stew mix – The Japanese often use packaged creamy white sauce roux for convenience. If you can’t find it or prefer homemade, check out my Japanese Cream Stew or Instant Pot Cream Stew recipes for a from-scratch version.
- Chicken thighs – Chicken is the classic protein for this dish, and flavorful thighs stay moist and tender. You could substitute breast (with less cooking time) or skip the meat and add more mushrooms or vegetables.
- Potato – I use Yukon Gold potatoes for their smooth, slightly waxy, and firm texture. You can use russets, but their starchy, crumbly texture doesn’t hold its shape well.
- Mushrooms – I use crimini mushrooms, but white button, shimeji, or maitake work too. I don’t recommend shiitake, as their strong flavor overpowers the dish.
- Milk – This adds creaminess to the stew, but you can substitute it with water if you prefer.
How to Make Easy Cream Stew
Preparation
Step 1 – Chop the carrot and potato into chunks. Soak the potato chunks in water until ready to use.
Step 2 – Slice the onion and mushrooms. I cut the onion into wedges and the mushrooms into thin slices.
Step 3 – Prep the broccoli and chicken. Blanch the broccoli pieces in boiling water and drain. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and season with salt and pepper.
Cooking
Step 4 – Sauté the ingredients. In the same pot, cook the onion and the chicken until no longer pink. Add the carrot, potato, mushrooms, and water. Bring it to a boil and simmer until tender.
Step 5 – Stir in the creamy roux. Dissolve the roux cubes in a ladleful of hot broth, then stir it into the stew. Add the milk and simmer to thicken and heat through, stirring occasionally.
Step 6 – Finish the cream stew. Add the blanched broccoli to the thickened stew, briefly reheat, then turn off the heat.
Assemble
Step 7 – Plate and serve. Portion hot Japanese rice on one half of an individual bowl or plate, then ladle on the cream stew. Alternatively, it’s delicious served with crusty bread.
Nami’s Recipe Tips
- Completely dissolve the roux cubes – I put one or two cubes in a ladleful of hot cooking liquid and stir it with chopsticks to dissolve fully. Then, I release the béchamel sauce to the stew. If you add the cubes directly to the pot, you could end up with chunks of undissolved roux.
- Don’t overcook the potato – Set a timer because the potato can easily overcook. Once boiling, simmer the stew for 10 minutes. A skewer should easily pierce the tender potato. If cooked too long, the potato will break easily and fall apart.
- Add the blanched broccoli at the end – This will help retain the beautiful green color and keep it from overcooking.
Variations and Customizations
Japanese cream stew is highly customizable with your favorite ingredients or what you have in the fridge. Below are my favorite suggestions.
- Use pork or seafood. Thin slices of pork are a common substitute for the chicken. Shrimp or a seafood mixture also work beautifully.
- Add sweet corn. Corn kernels add a lovely sweet taste, crisp texture, and bright color.
- Make it extra creamy. Swap heavy cream for the milk for more richness and silkiness.
- Try other vegetables. Instead of broccoli, you could swap green peas, blanched green beans, snap peas, or snow peas. Kabocha squash is another popular addition.
- Skip the protein. Add more mushrooms or hearty vegetables in place of the chicken.
- Make rice gratin. Repurpose the leftovers to make doria (ドリア), a comforting Japanese rice casserole. Simple ladle the white stew over a bed of steamed rice, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella or your favorite cheese, then broil it in the oven until melty and golden brown on top. See how in my Seafood Doria and Curry Doria recipes.
What to Serve with Cream Stew
Japanese cream stew with a side of crusty French bread is a complete meal on its own. You could also serve it with dishes that I recommend below.
- With a salad – Try a green salad with my refreshing Japanese Wafu Dressing.
- With rice – See How to Cook Japanese Rice in a Rice Cooker for instructions to make the classic accompaniment to cream stew.
- With a side dish – Miso Butter Mushrooms in Foil is so savory and delicious.
Storage and Reheating Tips
To store: Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you plan to freeze it, remove the potatoes (their texture will change) and freeze for up to a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! In fact, you can improve the flavor by letting it rest after it’s cooked. I highly encourage you to let the stew sit, uncovered, on the stove or countertop and cool to room temperature. The stew will naturally thicken as the moisture evaporates and the flavors will meld as the stew cools. You can reheat it again to serve, or store it in the fridge to serve over the next day or two.
Easy Cream Stew
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli (small; 3 oz, 85 g)
- 1 carrot (3 oz, 85 g)
- 1 Yukon gold potato (6 oz, 170 g)
- ½ onion (7 oz, 200 g)
- 4 cremini mushrooms (3 oz, 85 g; or use white mushrooms)
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh (large; 6 oz, 170 g; the size can vary, so go by weight)
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil (plus more, if needed)
For the Cream Stew
- 2 cups water
- 4 cubes Japanese Cream Stew Mix (2.8 oz, 80 g)
- ⅓ cup milk (you can use any kind)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Vegetables and Chicken
- Cut 1 head broccoli into bite-sized florets.
- Cut ½ onion into 6 wedges.
- Peel 1 carrot and 1 Yukon gold potato.
- Cut the carrot into bite-sized chunks. I rotate the carrot a quarter turn between cuts. To learn this Japanese cutting technique, see How to Cut Rangiri.
- Cut the potato into 1½-inch chunks and soak them in a bowl of water until ready to use.
- Cut the stems off 4 cremini mushrooms and cut the caps into thin slices.
- Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 3 minutes until barely tender and still crisp. Remove from the water and let cool. Tip: Don’t overcook the broccoli now as it will cook a bit more when we reheat it in the stew.
- Cut 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh into into 1½-inch pieces of even thickness. I tilt the knife back and slice at a diagonal. The slanted surface gives each piece a flatter and more open area so the chicken cooks evenly and faster. To learn this Japanese cutting technique, see How to Cut Sogigiri. Next, season the chicken pieces with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To Cook
- Preheat a pot over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of oil. Add the onion to the hot oil and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the pot and cook until no longer pink.
- Add the drained potato and carrot. Stir to coat with oil.
- Add the mushrooms and coat with oil. Then, add 2 cups water.
- Push the ingredients into the liquid to submerge them and cover the pot with a lid. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the potato is tender. Meanwhile, skim off the scum and fat from the surface of the broth. Tip: Set a timer so you don't overcook the potato.
To Add the Roux
- Pierce a potato with a bamboo skewer to see if it goes in easily. If it does, turn off the heat and add 4 cubes Japanese Cream Stew Mix. Add 1–2 roux cubes to a ladleful of hot broth, mix it with chopsticks to dissolve completely, and stir it in to the stock. Repeat with the remaining roux cubes.
- Turn on the heat again and add ⅓ cup milk. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
To Serve
- Add the broccoli and let it warm through. Serve in individual shallow bowls and enjoy it with steamed rice in the bowl or crusty bread on the side.
To Store
- You can store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you plan to freeze it, remove the potatoes (their texture will change) and freeze for up to a month.
