A cinch to throw together, this Japanese White Stew is comfort in a bowl. Easily made on the stove top or Instant Pot, you’re going to want to try this stew ASAP!
What Is White Stew?
White Stew, also known as Cream Stew, is a Japanese-style stew under the category of “Yōshoku” which means Western-influenced cooking which originated during the Meiji Restoration.
White Stew is filled with chicken, potatoes, and vegetables and made with béchamel sauce, giving it the lovely white colour. Perfect for lunch, dinner or as a meal prep, this cozy stew is going to warm you right up during the winter!
What You’ll Need To Make White Stew
- olive oil
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper
- minced garlic
- carrots
- onion
- potatoes
- mushrooms
- chicken broth
- bay leaf
- peas
For the béchamel sauce:
- butter
- flour
- milk
How To Make White Stew
Heat up olive oil in your dutch oven or large pot.
Add in chicken thighs, salt, and pepper. Sauté for up to 2 minutes or until the outside of chicken is cooked.
Add in minced garlic and sauté for another minutes before adding in carrots and onion.
Sauté for another 2 minutes before adding in the potatoes, mushrooms, chicken broth, and bay leaf.
Cover the pot and let the stew simmer for 15 minutes.
While the stew is simmering, make your béchamel sauce. In a small sauce pan, melt your butter and slowly whisk in flour. Once combined and looking like a paste, slowly incorporate milk. Whisk until fully combined.
Once done simmer, add a cup of the stew liquid into the béchamel sauce, stir and combine before adding it back into the stew.
Stir in the peas and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve with rice or bread if you desire.
If meal prepping, store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Using the Instant Pot for this Japanese White Stew
On the sauté function, add in olive oil and sauté the chicken until the outside of the chicken is cooked.
Add in minced garlic, carrots, onions, potatoes, mushroom, chicken broth, and bay leaf.
Place the lid on, set the valve to sealing, and press manual and pressure cook for 4 minutes. (It’ll take some time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure!).
Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 10 minutes before quick releasing.
While the stew is NPR-ing, make your béchamel sauce. In a small sauce pan, melt your butter and slowly whisk in flour. Once combined and looking like a paste, slowly incorporate milk. Whisk until fully combined.
Once you’ve quick released, open the Instant Pot and add a cup of the stew liquid into the béchamel sauce, stir and combine before adding it back into the stew.
Stir in your peas and simmer on sauté for another 5-10 minutes.
Tips and Notes on Making This White Stew
- This white stew is pretty customizable. Some days I add 2 potatoes and more peas, some days I add 3-4 potatoes and less carrots. It’s up to you on how much of each ingredient you personally want to add into the stew. Make it your own!
- I love making this stew as a meal prep as a hearty stew at lunch is just what I need some days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container.
- I use a Staub Dutch Oven on the stovetop and the Instant Pot Duo 60 in 6 QT.
Japanese White Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1"-1.5" pieces
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2-3 carrots, cut into 1"-1.5" pieces
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2-3 potatoes, cut into 1"-1.5" pieces
- 2 cups mushrooms
- 4-5 cups chicken broth, depending on the size of your pot, make sure the ingredients are mostly covered with broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups peas
For the Béchamel Sauce:
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions
- Heat up olive oil in your dutch oven or large pot.
- Add in chicken thighs, salt, and pepper. Sauté for up to 2 minutes or until the outside of chicken is cooked.
- Add in minced garlic and sauté for another minutes before adding in carrots and onion.
- Sauté for another 2 minutes before adding in the potatoes, mushrooms, chicken broth, and bay leaf.
- Cover the pot and let the stew simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the stew is simmering, make your béchamel sauce. In a small sauce pan, melt your butter and slowly whisk in flour. Once combined and looking like a paste, slowly incorporate milk. Whisk until fully combined.
- Once done simmer, add a cup of the stew liquid into the béchamel sauce, stir and combine before adding it back into the stew.
- Stir in the peas and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
- Serve with rice or bread if you desire.
- If meal prepping, store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Instant Pot Instructions
- On the sauté function, add in olive oil and sauté the chicken until the outside of the chicken is cooked.
- Add in minced garlic, carrots, onions, potatoes, mushroom, chicken broth, and bay leaf.
- Place the lid on, set the valve to sealing, and press manual and pressure cook for 4 minutes. (It’ll take some time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure!).
- Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 10 minutes before quick releasing.
- While the stew is NPR-ing, make your béchamel sauce. In a small sauce pan, melt your butter and slowly whisk in flour. Once combined and looking like a paste, slowly incorporate milk. Whisk until fully combined.
- Once you’ve quick released, open the Instant Pot and add a cup of the stew liquid into the béchamel sauce, stir and combine before adding it back into the stew.
- Stir in your peas and simmer on sauté for another 5-10 minutes.
MORE DELICIOUS SOUP RECIPES
- Traditional Québécois Pea Soup
- Tomato Garlic Soup
- Salsa Chicken Soup
- Roasted Corn and Tomato Soup
- Healthy Hamburger Soup
MORE INSTANT POT SOUPS TO TRY!
- Healthy Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Korean Inspired Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Healthy Instant Pot Turkey and Lentil Chili
- Roasted Tomato Garlic Soup
- Instant Pot Broccolini Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Other places to connect with me
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Sonya Lovine says
Is there anything we can use to substitute for the milk?
Carmy says
You can try for a dairy-free Béchamel Sauce but I’ve never tried it.