Chikuzen-ni (Japanese Simmered Chicken and Vegetables)

Colorful Chikuzen-ni with Chunky Vegetables

“Easy to make with a dashi packet, yet full of professional flavor. The natural sweetness of the vegetables and the richness of chicken are gently brought together in harmony.”
【Ingredients】(Serves 5–6)
  • Chicken thigh・・・1 piece
  • Burdock root・・・1/2
  • Carrot・・・1
  • Lotus root・・・5cm
  • Taro・・・6–8 small pieces (or 3–4 large pieces)
  • Shiitake mushrooms・・・5–6
  • Konjac・・・1 slab (or 1/2 large slab)
  • Green beans・・・5–6
  • Water・・・300ml
  • Dashi packet・・・1 packet
  • Sugar, mirin, sake, and light soy sauce (dark soy sauce is also OK)・・・2 tbsp each
  1. Prepare the ingredients. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Wash the burdock root thoroughly to remove dirt, then cut into rough chunks. Cut the carrot and lotus root into bite-sized chunks, peeling the lotus root thinly beforehand. Peel the taro and cut into bite-sized pieces. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms; leave small ones whole and cut large ones into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Remove the bitterness from the konjac. Tear it into 1–2cm pieces by hand, place in a pot with water (not included in the ingredient list), bring to a boil, and cook for 2–3 minutes. Drain in a colander.
  3. Remove the strings from the green beans and cut into 3cm lengths.
  4. Place all vegetables except the green beans, along with the chicken, dashi packet, sugar, mirin, sake, soy sauce, and water into a pot. Cover with a drop lid (aluminum foil or parchment paper works well) and bring to a boil.
  5. Once boiling, reduce the heat so the simmering liquid lightly covers the ingredients, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  6. When the taro becomes tender, add the green beans and simmer for another 3 minutes.
  7. Turn off the heat, let rest for about 10 minutes, then serve.
☆Tips☆
① Leave the skins on vegetables whenever possible. The skins contain extra sweetness and nutrients.
② Letting the dish rest after turning off the heat allows the vegetables to absorb the dashi flavor.

※ This recipe uses the freshly made dashi packet “Izu Blend.” Other types of dashi may also be used.