Chikuzenni (Simmered Chicken and Root Vegetables)
筑前煮
https://japanese-kitchen-brothers.com/pages/recipe-chikuzenni-simmered-chicken-and-root-vegetables
Chicken and chunky root vegetables are fried, then simmered and glazed. It tastes even better the next day.
👨🍳"My grandmother made a huge pot every New Year. The lotus root went first."
Ingredients
Serves 4Main
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300 g (~10 oz)3 cm pieces
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Color Carrot1 (~150 g)roll-cut
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Color Snow peas8for the top
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Fat Vegetable oil1 tbsp
Vegetables (Local)
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Umami Fresh shiitake or button mushrooms100 g (~3.5 oz)halved
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Canned bamboo shoots optional100 g (~3.5 oz)
Vegetables (Authentic)
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Bitter Burdock root½ (~100 g)roll-cut
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150 g (~5 oz)1 cm half-moons
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½ block (~125 g)torn by spoon
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Umami Dried shiitake4soaked in 250 ml cold water
Broth (Local)
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Water300 ml (1¼ cups)
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Umami Instant dashi granules1 tsp
Broth (Authentic)
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Umami Shiitake soaking liquid200 ml (~¾ cup)
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Umami Awase dashi100 ml (~⅓ cup)
Taste & Texture Profile
The Local pot is softer and simpler, with carrot and mushrooms. The Authentic pot has more crunch and a deeper, earthy taste.
Taste Profile
Texture Profile
Sensory Notes
Sweet soy and chicken, with a light smell of dashi.
A soft bubble under the drop lid.
Glossy brown chicken with bright orange carrot.
Good warm or at room temperature, even in a lunch box.
Earthy burdock and deep shiitake under the sweet soy.
Lotus root still gives a crisp snap after simmering.
White lotus rings, dark burdock, and green snow peas on top.
Even better the next day at room temperature.
Instructions
Stir the instant dashi into 300 ml of water. Set it aside.
Soak the dried shiitake gills down in 250 ml of cold water. Leave them for at least 3 hours.
Cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces. Roll-cut the carrot into 3 cm chunks.
💡 Why the carrot gets a roll cut
Each roll-cut piece has two or three angled faces. That means more cut surface for the broth to enter. The pieces also match in size, about 3 cm. So they all turn tender at the same time.
Why not just slice the carrot into rounds?
Rounds have two faces. Roll cuts have more.
So more faces means more flavor inside.
Scrape the burdock skin with the back of a knife. Roll-cut it and drop it into water. Slice the lotus root 1 cm thick. Soak it in water with 1 tsp vinegar.
💡 Water for burdock, vinegar for lotus
Both roots turn brown within minutes once cut. An enzyme uses the air to darken them. Water blocks the air, so 5 minutes is enough for burdock. Vinegar also slows the enzyme and keeps lotus root white and crisp.
Should I soak the burdock for an hour to be safe?
No. Five minutes. Longer washes the flavor out.
So the soak is short, and the lotus gets vinegar.
Halve the mushrooms. Drain the bamboo shoots if you use them.
Tear the konjac into bite-size pieces with a spoon. Boil for 2 minutes and drain. Squeeze the shiitake and cut them in half. Keep the soaking liquid.
Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken skin side down for 2 minutes. Add all the vegetables and toss for 2 more minutes.
💡 Why everything gets fried first
A thin coat of oil seals each cut face. The pieces keep their shape through the simmer. The chicken fat also adds a rich, round taste to the broth. Two minutes is enough, so do not brown the vegetables.
Fry first. That is what makes it chikuzenni.
So without oil, it becomes a different dish?
Yes. Then it is nishime.
Add the dashi, sake, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Skim off the gray foam.
After 5 minutes, add the mirin and soy sauce. Cover with a drop lid. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes.
💡 Give the sugar a 5 minute head start
Sugar is a large molecule and moves in slowly. Salt is small and fast, and it firms the surface. Soy added first makes it hard for sugar to enter. Five minutes apart is enough.
Does the order really matter in one pot?
It does. Sugar first, then soy.
That is the sa-shi-su-se-so rule, right?
Remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-high. Toss gently until the sauce is glossy. Stop when about 2 tbsp of liquid remain.
💡 How the glaze forms at the end
As water boils off, sugar and soy grow thick. The syrup coats each piece in a shiny film. Keep about 2 tbsp of liquid in the pot. Past that point, the sugar starts to scorch.
How do I know when to stop?
Tilt the pot. A little syrup should still run.
So no liquid at all means I went too far.
Boil the snow peas in salted water for 1 minute. Cut them on the diagonal. Scatter them on top to serve.
Did you make it?
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Can I make chikuzenni ahead?
Yes. It tastes better the next day. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What if I cannot find burdock or lotus root?
Leave them out and add more carrot and mushrooms. That is the Local version of this recipe.
Why is my chikuzenni too salty?
You cooked the sauce down too far, or added soy too early. Stop glazing while a little syrup still runs.
Is chikuzenni the same as nishime?
They are close cousins. Chikuzenni fries everything in oil first. Nishime simmers the vegetables without oil.
Is chikuzenni gluten-free?
No. Regular soy sauce contains wheat. Swap in tamari to make it gluten-free.
