Chikuzenni
Simmered chicken and root vegetables in dashi soy.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 400 g Chicken thighs
- 200 g Lotus root
- 2 Carrot
- 30 g Dried shiitake
- 1 Kombu (dried kelp)
- 4 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 3 tbsp Mirin (optional)
- 2 tbsp Sake (optional)
Method
- Soak the dried shiitake in warm water until softened, then drain (save the soaking water for the broth).
- While the shiitake soak, chunk the chicken, lotus root, and carrot into bite-size pieces.
- Fry the chicken and vegetables in oil, then add dashi, soy, mirin, and sake.
- Cover the surface with a small lid or a round of parchment that sits directly on the food, and simmer gently until the chicken and vegetables are tender and glossy, about 22 minutes.
- Rest off heat and serve.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Chikuzenni
Chikuzenni is a classic Japanese nimono — a simmered dish — of chicken and root vegetables braised in a seasoned dashi, traditionally associated with the Chikuzen region and a fixture on New Year's tables. What defines it is the combination of textures and the restrained, umami-driven broth: lotus root for its crisp, lacy crunch, carrot for sweetness, rehydrated shiitake for depth, and chicken thighs for richness, all glazed rather than drowned in liquid. The shiitake soaking water is saved and folded into the broth, so nothing of that mushroom flavor is wasted.
The seasoning is quintessentially Japanese — dashi with kombu and shiitake, rounded with soy, mirin, and sake into a sweet-savory braise that reduces to a glossy coat on each piece. The signature technique here is the otoshibuta, a small lid or parchment round set directly on the food, which keeps everything gently submerged and evenly seasoned as it simmers without stirring it to pieces. The dish comes out balanced and homey, the vegetables tender-crisp and the chicken glazed, and it's meant to be eaten at room temperature as readily as hot. Resting it off the heat before serving lets the flavors settle in — this is a dish that tastes considered rather than rushed, even at 45 minutes.
Chikuzenni: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Chikuzenni?
One serving of Chikuzenni has about 404 calories, with 20g of protein, 25g of carbs, 24g of fat and 4g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Chikuzenni high in protein?
Yes — each serving delivers about 20g of protein, which lands it among our high-protein recipes. That's 20% of its 404 calories coming from protein.
Is Chikuzenni gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu). You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Chikuzenni take to make?
About 45 minutes start to finish, but only around 17 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Chikuzenni?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out mirin, sake — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Chikuzenni make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.