Ultimate Japanese Cream Stew Recipe with Saikyo Miso and Chicken

Last updated: April 2026

The visual below illustrates the finished Japanese cream stew with saikyo miso and chicken.

What Is Japanese Chicken Cream Stew?

Stew reminds me of winter. It’s always warm and hearty. This dish is the perfect answer to winter’s bitter cold, especially in Japan and the regions where it snows.

For the chicken, I normally brown it before cooking the vegetables and making the roux. But today, I cheated. I had made a pork-chicken stock for another recipe and saved the chicken pieces. Yes they didn’t have much flavor, but I hate to waste food (which is why I made some posts on not to waste okara which you may or may have not read in the past). So I saved a step by using those chicken wing pieces just for this demo though.

I understand saikyo miso may be difficult to find, but you can substitute with white miso.

What is Saikyo Miso?

Saikyo miso is a mild, sweet white miso with less sodium, best for creating delicate, umami-forward cream stews and light soups. It’s a type of white miso, so if you have a hard time finding this ingredient or it is unavailable, white miso is the next best thing—best for everyday cooking when you want a milder miso flavor.

Also, if you enjoy the umami flavor you get from miso, I have made a separate post about that which you can read on my blog too!

Should You Make Stew from Scratch or Use Premade Mixes?

Making stew from scratch delivers superior flavor and quality while taking nearly the same amount of time as using premade mixes. It wasn’t until the last few years that I began cooking stew, curry and mapo tofu from scratch. The reason being that these Japanese (style) dishes often come in super convenient sauce mixes that are ready to use.

All you need for those is the meat, vegetables and water and you have your dinner. I hate to say it but, those premade mixes have a lot of preservatives and color additives that aren’t so healthy for you. Now, I’ve eaten my fair share of those boxes and mixes and am happy to say that for the most part those days are over, especially after discovering how simple it is to make these dishes from scratch.

You can make just as good if not better tasting version of stew, curry and mapo tofu in the same amount of time (almost). The 5-10 minutes of extra prep in my opinion is worth it. And I’m sure that’s why you’re here. You’re not looking to cook from a box now, are you?

As shown in the following recipe overview, each step builds toward a richly flavored finished dish:

Anyways, here’s the live impromptu broadcast replay of me making the Japanese cream stew with miso recipe. I’m telling you, this is one creamy, delicious tasting and easy-to-make stew that is sure to impress. If you get a chance to try this recipe, let me know what you think!

Let me know your thoughts!

Japanese Cream Stew with Saikyo Miso and Chicken

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 review

Cream stew is one of my favorite winter time dishes. Adding in saikyo miso makes this an extremely rich yet delicate stew, that is full of umami. If you’ve never tried Japanese cream stew before, this is absolutely one I’d recommend starting with. With few ingredients and minimal preparation, the results are outstanding. But don’t take it from me, try it out yourself! 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 people 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1.5 cups chicken (cooked, if uncooked brown in the pan first)
• 1 bunch komatsuna (roughly 2 cups, chopped into 1/2in pieces)
• 2 small carrots (peel and sliced 1/4in thick)
• 3 cups small potatoes (just over 1 cup worth)
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup saikyo miso ((or as a substitute, white miso paste + 1-2 Tbsp of sugar to taste))
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2-4 tsp soy sauce (to taste)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. If using raw chicken, on medium high heat prepare a large pot or deep pan and add butter and olive oil.
2. Cut chicken into small pieces and saute with salt and pepper until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
3. Add in onions, a dash of salt, and saute for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, cook carrots and potatoes in the microwave for 3 minutes to soften.
4. Add in potatoes and carrots to the pot and allow to slightly brown.
5. Once vegetables begin to brown, add in 1/4 cup flour and mix to prevent burning.
6. Once flour has begun to turn a light brown color, add in milk and batches, roughly 1 cup at a time.
7. After all the milk has been added, add in komatsuna and simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. Turn off heat and add in soy sauce and miso paste and mix thoroughly to dissolve all the miso paste.
9. Taste and add in additional soy sauce or salt to taste.
10. Serve with white rice!