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.