Japanese Cream Stew — or kurīmu shichū — is a beloved Japanese home-style dish inspired by Western cream stews, but adapted to local tastes: lighter, adorned with colorful veggies, and beautifully balanced. Tender chicken, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli simmer in a silky white sauce that’s creamy without being heavy, rich without feeling over the top.

It’s the kind of everyday comfort food that shows up on family dinner tables, especially during cooler months — gentle, soothing, and deeply satisfying. In this recipe, you can take the convenient route with a classic and convenient Japanese cream stew roux mix, or go fully from-scratch with a homemade béchamel for a more luxe, old-school finish.

Either way, this is cozy, timeless comfort at its finest, so let’s get into it.

Japanese Cream Stew begins with prepping all the ingredients. It’s a small lesson in the economy and thoughtfulness of Japanese home cooking — vegetables are cut with care and consistency, not just for looks, but so they cook evenly and create a more balanced, satisfying bite in every spoonful.

Start by separating the broccoli florets off the stalks and cut them into bite sized pieces:

Then use a sharp knife to remove the tough outer skin on the stalks. If you think you don’t like broccoli stalks, peeling them can be a revelation:

Cut the stalks into pieces that are similarly sized to the florets:

Next I cut the carrots. I use a Japanese cut known as rangiri, or a rolling cut. This may seem like an extra step but the irregular shape helps the pieces cook evenly, absorb more flavor, and adds a bit of visual charm to the final dish.

Cut the carrots diagonally, turning them a quarter turn after each slice to create rolling, faceted pieces:

Cut the onion half, and then each half into 3 thick wedges:

Wash the potatoes well and then cut the potatoes into bite-sized, uniform chunks:

Trim off the stems of the mushrooms and slice the caps in half:

Once all the vegetables are cut it’s time to cut the chicken.  I use thighs because their higher fat content means they don’t dry out in a long simmer.  Just like with the vegetables, I take my time cutting them into consistent, uniform pieces.

When everything is prepped I quickly prep the broccoli. This helps it retain its bright green color and also gives it a pleasing crisp-tender texture. Bring a sauce pan of water to boil. Add the broccoli stems first and cook for a minute, and then add the florets and cook for another 2 minutes:

Then drain the broccoli and run cold water over it to stop the cooking:

Cooking Japanese Cream Stew

Now that everything is prepped it’s time to cook! Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use a Dutch oven) and add the butter and oil. Butter gives the stew rich flavor and the oil helps keep the butter from burning:

Then add the chicken:

Sauté for a couple minutes:

Add all the veggies, except for the blanched broccoli:

Cook for another minute:

And add the bay leaves and stock. Of course a homemade one is always sensational, but a store bought one will work beautifully too, just make sure to get a low sodium one.

Bring to a simmer and then cover the pot:

Traditionally, Japanese cream stew is thickened with a simple béchamel made from butter, flour, and milk, which gives the stew a silky, from-scratch richness. If you love a DIY moment (or just want full control over flavor and seasoning), this is the way to go.

That said… there’s zero shame in reaching for Japanese cream stew roux blocks. They’re convenient, consistent, and honestly delicious—packed with seasoning and designed to create that classic creamy texture with minimal effort. Whether you go homemade or boxed, you’ll still end up with a cozy, luscious stew. I’ve had excellent results with both. Choose your own adventure; there are directions for either method in the recipe card.

This time around I went with a homemade white sauce, which I made while the stew was simmering. I start by bringing the milk to room temperature, either by zapping it briefly in the microwave or briefly heating in a sauce pan.

Then I get started on the roux. A roux is a simple mixture of fat and flour that thickens sauces and stews, giving them body and a silky texture that coats the back of a spoon. I really use to rue the day I had to make a roux from scratch, (see what I did there?)  but it’s actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Low heat, constant stirring, and equal parts fat and flour are the rules of the day.

Start by melting the butter, and then add the flour:

Whisk the butter and flour together:

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. We want a light  roux, not a dark brown one. A pale blond roux still thickens while keeping the flavor mild and the color light—perfect for a creamy, delicate stew. While continuing to stir add in the garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper:

Then remove the roux from the heat and slowly add the milk:

Put the sauce back on the heat and keep stirring until it thickens. One trick I like to use whenever I’m making a thickened sauce made with roux is to use room temperature liquid, not hot. This is because hot milk, stock, etc. will immediately cause the starch molecules to engage and if you’re not whisking like a demon, you’ll end up with the dreaded clumps in your sauce. Using room temperature liquid takes a little longer for the sauce to thicken, but you’ll never have clumpy sauce:

After a few minutes it should be thick enough to coat a spoon:

The final Japanese Cream Stew Stretch. You are going to take this master class level béchamel you made and slowly introduce it to your stew. Instead of dumping the white sauce straight into the stew, we first whisk in a few ladles of hot broth. This loosens the sauce, brings it up to temperature, and guarantees a silky, seamless finish.

Take a couple ladlefuls of the hot stew broth, and stir it into the white sauce:

Once the two sauces have mingled a bit and gotten to know each other, it’s time pour it all into the stew:

Now add in a touch of heavy cream (nothing bad ever happens after that sentence!):

Gently simmer the stew for a few minutes to help the flavors meld, and then add in the blanched broccoli and cook for one more minute, just until the broccoli is heated:

Serve with some rice or some bread for dipping:

This is a slightly longer recipe than I usually post, but the rewards are so worth it. A warming, filling bowl of creamy goodness is just what this time of year needs. I hope it warms up your home too. Let me know what you think and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations!

For more warming bowls, check out my Lemongrass Shrimp Noodle Soup or this quick and easy Hot and Sour Soup.

Japanese Cream Stew

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: serves 6
• Category: soups/stews
• Cuisine: Japanese

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 head broccoli
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 large boiling potato (you can also use a handful of small ones. You’ll need about 3/4 pound. Do not use russet potatoes which will break apart and melt into the stew.)
• 8 cremini mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 ½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
• freshly ground black pepper

For the White (Bechamel) Sauce- If you are making this from scratch:

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (plain flour)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream (optional but amazing)

If you are using Instant White Sauce:

• 1 box of Japanese Cream stew mix

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients

Cut the chicken thighs into large 1 ½ inch pieces. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cut the broccoli into florets and stalk pieces: First, cut the head away from the stalk and into bite-sized florets. Then, peel the stem‘s tough outer skin and cut it into small pieces similar in size to the florets.

Trim, peel, and then cut the onion in half lengthwise and then into 6 wedges.

Peel and trim the carrots. Then cut the carrots at an angle into 1½-inch pieces, turning the carrots a quarter turn between cuts.

Scrub the potatoes well and then cut them into 1½-inch chunks, leaving the skin on to better hold the potato intact. If you are using small potatoes, just leave them whole or cut them in half.

Trim off the stems from the cremini mushrooms and slice them in half.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 2 teaspoons of salt and the stem pieces cook for 1 minute.

Then, add the florets and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender (the broccoli will cook a little more later). Drain into a colander and run some cool water over the broccoli to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Make the Stew:

In a large heavy pot (I used a 5 QT dutch oven), heat the unsalted butter and oil over medium high heat for a couple minutes.

Add the chicken and sauté for a couple minutes.

Add the onion, potatoes, mushrooms, and carrots and continue sautéing for another minute.

Then, add 2 cups of chicken stock and 2 bay leaves.

Bring the pot to a simmer, then cover with the lid. Lower the heat to medium to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, skimming off the scum and foam on the surface as needed.

Make the Homemade White Sauce

While the stew is simmering, make the homemade white sauce. (If using a store-bought cream stew mix, skip ahead to the next section). Heat the whole milk in the microwave or on the stovetop for a minute until it‘s room temperature.

In a small saucepan, heat the unsalted butter and let it melt completely on medium-low heat.

Add the all-purpose flour to the melted butter. Use a whisk or wooden spoon and stir to combine. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot constantly. You do not want the roux mixture to brown, it should remain a pale blonde color. Take the pan off of the heat for a minute if you see the roux starting to darken and then lower the heat when you return the pan to the stove. Next add the garlic, nutmeg, salt, and ground pepper and stir to bloom the spices in the hot paste. Put the pan to the side, off of the heat.

Slowly add the milk to the pan using your whisk to blend the milk into the butter-flour mixture. Take a minute to make sure there are no lumps of flour. The sauce will be thin at this point. Turn on the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a simmer, whisking regularly until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Set the white sauce aside until ready to add it to the stew.

Before adding the white sauce

Open the lid and check if the potatoes are done cooking. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer or the tip of a butter knife into a potato. It should be tender, but should not break easily. Next, it’s time to combine the white sauce and cooking broth.

If you’re using the Japanese Cream Stew Mix (from a box)

Break up the cubes of roux and add it to a bowl. Cover it a couple ladlefuls of hot cooking liquid and let it sit for a minute to soften. Then use a whisk or spoon to dissolve the cubes into a sauce. Pour the mixture into the stew.

If you made the homemade white sauce

Scoop a ladleful of hot cooking broth and add it to the pot of white sauce and whisk to blend it completely. Add another ladleful of broth and do the same. Next, pour the diluted white sauce back into the stew pot. Gently mix to blend it completely with the rest of the cooking liquid.

Finish the stew

Once you‘ve added the homemade white sauce or store-bought mix, add the heavy cream. Stir it in and taste the stew. Adjust seasoning with salt and ground white pepper to taste.

Simmer, uncovered, for another 5–7 minutes on low heat. For the last minute of cooking, add the blanched broccoli to the stew to reheat. Once everything is hot, serve the stew together with steamed rice in a shallow bowl or with some bread on the side.

---

Notes

*As with all stews, this cream stew tastes better as it sits. For the best flavor, finish the stew (keeping the broccoli separate) before you want to eat, like earlier in the day, and let the stew sit on the stove or countertop uncovered to cool to room temperature. The stew will naturally thicken as the moisture evaporates and the flavors will blend. Then, reheat before serving, adding the broccoli. You can also make it ahead of time and refrigerate it in the fridge. Reheat gently over low heat, making sure to not burn the bottom as you reheat it. Add the broccoli in the last couple minutes of heating.

*You can store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

*If you would like to make this vegetarian, substitute the chicken for extra firm tofu or other vegetables like sweet potato, squash like kabocha or butternut, or even more wild mushrooms. If you use tofu, do not saute it. Add it to the stew when you add the stock, to keep it from falling apart and use vegetable stock instead of chicken.

Keywords: white stew, cream stew, Japanese, winter, comfort food

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to wander through a Taiwanese night market in Chiayi county, you would recognize the smell of hū jī ròu fàn—Taiwan’s beloved turkey rice—hitting you long before you see the stall. It’s humble, comforting, and wildly satisfying for something so simple: tender shreds of turkey over hot rice, drenched in a glossy garlic-soy sauce and finished with crispy shallots. Taiwanese Turkey Rice is a popular dish, year round. Americans may only invite turkey to the table once a year, but in this small area of Taiwan, it’s an everyday superstar—juicy, savory, and nowhere near as fussy as our holiday bird.

And I’m not going to lie, this is a doozy of a recipe with lots of steps. But, I’m taking the liberty of assuming that you are facing down a mountain of leftover turkey, and Taiwanese Turkey Rice is an absolutely transcendent way to make use of it. I give you all the steps to make each element from scratch, but this is a choose your own culinary adventure. Have leftover turkey you want to use up? Great, you get to skip cooking the turkey. Don’t want to make stock from scratch? Don’t! Use your favorite store bought stock. Too tired from all the Thanksgiving chaos to fry shallots? No problem, buy fried shallots. You can make every part of this dish from scratch, or you can streamline it and still have that deeply comforting, savory bowl of turkey goodness, so let’s get into it.

What is your favorite part of traveling? Mine is exploring local foods and racking up an embarrassingly long list of places to eat. I’ve been known to make trips solely for the purpose of eating- hello Austin barbecue! And to get ready for a trip, I like to get inspired by binge watching travel shows, YouTube videos, clips I’ve saved, you get the idea. I know, don’t judge. So when I scrolled across a show about Asian street food, I knew I was about to lose a couple hours. And how interesting that Taiwan of all places would have street food using a bird that most people think of as the quintessential American poultry-huge, bland, and mass produced. Well color me intrigued. Tell me more.

Although some people think Dutch colonists are responsible for introducing turkeys initially in the 17th century, the more likely reason for the proliferation of the turkey in Taiwan is the United States. After World War II, American troops were stationed in Taiwan and as part of US aid, taught farmers to breed these large birds to boost nutritional intake within the population. Either way, it’s another fascinating example of foreign foods being absorbed and changed to meet local needs.

When I’m making this Taiwanese Turkey Rice during the year, and not trying to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, I start by dry brining some turkey thighs. This creates tender, more flavorful meat. I rub salt and white pepper on both sides of the things:

I let them chill up to a day on a wire rack (so air can circulate) in the fridge. Then I start making the turkey stock. Making stock is so much easier than you think, I promise. If you are using leftovers and still have the turkey carcass, use it here instead, and make good use of something that would otherwise be waste.

Add the turkey, scallions, ginger pieces, star anise, and smashed garlic cloves to a large stockpot:

Add water to cover the turkey:

Bring to a boil and skim off any protein and foam that cooks off.

Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer for 75 minutes, occasionally skimming to remove foam. There will be a lot of fat that also rises, but I actually leave the fat so I can use it later in the recipe to fry the shallots.

Take out the cooked turkey and strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve:

Let the turkey cool enough to handle, then shred the meat with your hands or 2 forks. You can either save the skin to render fat for frying the shallots, or if you’re skipping that step you can either discard it or chop it up and mix it with the meat.

Now we’re going to do one of those completely option steps-render the turkey skin and use the fat to fry shallots. If you want to skip this entirely and use purchased fried shallots, your Taiwanese Turkey Rice will still be delicious.

Start by putting the strained broth through a fat separator.

Keep the stock,  you will need it to cook the rice and make the sauce.

Put the turkey skin in a small dry skillet and heat over medium heat with any fat you’ve poured off from the stock. At first, the skillet will bubble furiously as any remaining water from the turkey skin and the fat from the stock cook off. But once the water is gone, the bubbling will stop:

Cook for about 30 minutes to render all the fat out of the turkey skin. The skin will be dry and crunchy when done:

Pour off the fat in the skillet. You will need half a cup of rendered fat to fry the shallots. If you’re short, use a neutral oil like avocado or canola to make up the difference.

Thinly slice the shallots with either a mandolin or a knife:

Heat the rendered fat and add half the shallots, you don’t want to overcrowd the pan:

Fry until golden brown, about 4-7 minutes. At first the pan will sizzle from the moisture in the shallots, but then the bubbling will stop as the shallots crisp and caramelize. If you see your shallots turning dark brown, turn your heat down and maybe take the pan off the heat for a minute to lower the heat of the oil.

Drain the fried shallots and repeat with the other half. Hold on to the rendered fat though, we’re going to use that in the sauce.

Once all of the shallots are fried it’s time to make the sauce. Heat a tablespoon of the reserved fat and then add the minced garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 20 seconds:

Add the wine:

Add the soy sauce:

Add the sugar:

Adding white pepper:

Add 1 1/2 cups stock:

Add half the fried shallots:

Bring the sauce to a boil:

Lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half and glossy:

Make the rice while the sauce is reducing with 2 cups of the stock. (If you didn’t make the stock use a store bought one). Once the rice is done, it’s time to put your masterpiece together! Ladle the rice into serving bowls:

Add the turkey on top:

Drizzle sauce on top:

Load them up with those heavenly fried shallots. Don’t be shy, these glorious crispy bits are part of Taiwanese Turkey Rice’s magic:

Add a pop of color with some chopped scallions:

Whether you decided to tackle each component of this recipe from scratch, or you made excellent use of leftovers and store bought ingredients, you are going to be thrilled with the rich, indulgent flavor of this Taiwanese classic. And what a great way to try something familiar like turkey, with all new flavors. If you love it as much as I do, you can also make it throughout the year using chicken.  I can’t wait to hear how yours turned out, and to see your bowls tagged @funkyasiankitchen.

Looking for more ways to use up leftover turkey? Check out my Turkey Congee, these Croquettes, of my popular Turkey Salad!

Taiwanese Turkey Rice

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 80 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: serves 4-6 1x
• Category: entrees
• Cuisine: Taiwanese

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Turkey:

• 1 (3-4-lb.) skin-on, bone-in turkey thigh (you can use breast if preferred) or 2 lbs. leftover cooked turkey plus turkey carcass (if you’re making the broth)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ½ cup store bought chicken broth (if you are not making the broth)

If making the broth:

• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
• 2 (2″) piece ginger, peeled, sliced ¼” thick
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 whole star anise 

If making fried shallots:

• ½ cup high-quality lard, turkey fat, duck fat, or neutral oil
• 5 shallots (about 6 oz.), shaved on a mandoline or very thinly sliced by hand

For the Sauce:

• Fried shallots from above recipe or 1 cup store bought fried shallots plus 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 2 Tablespoons michiu (Taiwanese rice wine), shaoxing wine, or sake
• 2 Tablespoons light colored soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 ½ cups turkey broth from recipe above or store bought chicken broth 

For the Rice:

• 2 cups raw rice
• 2 cups turkey broth from recipe above or store bought chicken broth

 

Garnish:

• Minced scallion

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

If starting with leftover turkey and you want to make the broth with carcass:

Break the carcass into manageable pieces that will fit into a large pot. Add the scallions, ginger, star anise, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered with a lid, skimming foam from the surface as needed. Do not skim the fat if you want to use it to fry the shallots. Simmer for 60 minutes.

Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heatproof bowl; discard solids. If you want to use the fat from the stock, either spoon it off, or pour it into a separator first and pour it off. Set it aside for frying the shallots. Pour 1 ½ cups stock into a large heatproof measuring glass and set aside for sauce; reserve remaining stock for cooking the rice (2 cups) and re-heating the turkey (½ cup).

Shred turkey with a fork or your hands, removing any skin or chop it up and use it with the meat if you prefer). Set aside or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brine the turkey if using raw
If using a raw turkey, sprinkle turkey all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper; place on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. (This dry brine will result in more tender, flavorful meat.)

 

Cook the turkey and make the stock
Place the turkey, scallions, ginger, star anise, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a stockpot. Pour in 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium, partially cover with a lid, skim foam from surface as needed, and simmer for 75 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let it sit until cool enough to handle. Shred turkey with a fork or your hands, removing and discarding skin if you are not going to render the fat for frying the shallots (or chop it up and use it with the meat if you prefer).

Strain the stock through a mesh sieve into a large heatproof bowl; discard solids. If you want to use the fat from the stock, either spoon it off, or pour the stock into a separator, letting it sit for a couple minutes until the liquid and fat separate. Then pour off the stock and the remaining liquid will be the fat. Set it aside for frying the shallots. You will need 1 ½ cups of stock for the sauce, 2 cups for the rice, and ½ cup to heat up the turkey if you need to reheat it.

Make the turkey fat** (completely optional, you can also use any saved fat or neutral oil)

Peel the cooked skin off of the turkey and place it into a small dry skillet.

Then add the fat from the stock into the skillet with the skin. Turn the heat to medium. At first the skillet will bubble as any remaining water evaporates. Once the bubbling stops, turn the heat to low and cook slowly. The turkey skin will crisp as the fat renders. This takes about 30 minutes. Take the turkey skin out and either eat or discard. You will need ½ cup of fat. Use neutral oil to make up any difference. 

 

Fry the shallots (also optional)*:

Heat lard/oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add ½ of the shallots and fry, using chopsticks or tongs to tease apart into separate pieces. Continue to cook, until golden brown, about 4-7 minutes total. If your shallots are browning too quickly, turn the heat down and pull the pan off the heat for a minute to cool it off.
Drain the shallots in a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof bowl. Repeat with the remaining shallots, reserving the oil to make the sauce. Transfer shallots to paper towels to finish draining; set aside. Shallots will crisp as they cool.

Make the Sauce:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved shallot oil (or regular oil if you did not make the fried shallots) over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant and just starting to color, about 20 seconds. Add the michiu wine (or shaoxing which is easier to find), soy sauce, sugar, ground white pepper, half of the fried shallots, and the reserved 1 ½ cups stock (if you haven’t made the turkey stock use chicken broth instead). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half and glossy, about 25 minutes. 

Cook the rice either using a pot or rice cooker (Pot method is below):

Rinse the rice and drain it, placing it in a heavy pot (I put the rice in the pot and fill with running water to cover the rice. Swish the rice around with your hands. Repeat twice more, draining the water.) Add 2 cups of the reserved stock or chicken stock. Let the rice sit for 30 minutes. Put the rice on the stove and bring the rice to a simmer over medium heat. Cover with a tight fitting lid and lower the heat to medium low. Cook for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 10 minutes. 

Reheating cold turkey if you’ve made it ahead: 

Put the turkey in a skillet/pan and drizzle with ½ cup turkey stock. Cover with a lid. Heat on low until the turkey is warmed through, about 15 minutes. You can also microwave the turkey for a couple minutes.

Plate the turkey rice:

Use a spatula to divide the rice among bowls and pile shredded turkey onto. Spoon 3 tablespoons of sauce over each bowl and top with reserved fried shallots and a little minced scallion.

---

Keywords: rice, turkey, Taiwanese, leftovers, Thanksgiving, comfort food,