Chicken and Root Vegetable Nimono

Nimono is a traditional Japanese cooking style where meat and vegetables are simmered in a traditional sweet dashi or soy sauce based broth. This version uses tender chicken thighs and crunchy root vegetables to create a tasty Japanese meal.

Chicken Japanese Veggies

Chicken and Root Vegetable Nimono is a dish that is very common in Japan. It’s often found as a side dish on Japanese bento boxes, as part of breakfast or dinner buffets, or as a course in a kaiseki (small plates) style meal. ‘Nimono” (煮物) is a style of cooking where food is simmered in a traditional sweet dashi or soy sauce based stock. The meats and vegetables in nimono can vary by location and season – there are many delicious types of nimono and tremendous ability for chefs to improvise with whatever ingredients are on hand,

There are three types of vegetables that are common in most nimono dishes – satoimo (taro), carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. Satoimo is extremely popular in Japan although it can be a challenge to work with. The skin irritates some peoples skin, and the sataimo is quite slippery when peeled and can be difficult to hold on to. Fortunately, it is possible to buy pre-peeled vacuum packed or frozen sataimo which can be used in cooking with no advanced preparation. Other root vegetables traditionally used include Takenoko (Bamboo Shoots), Kaboucha Squash, Jagaimo (Potatoes) and Renkon (Lotus Root). Nimono is a beautiful dish, and snow pea pods or green beans are often added in small quantities to give the dish color.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Nimono needs to cook evenly, so it’s important to cut all of the vegetables and meat into bite slice pieces approximately the same size. Even though you simmer the nimono for at least 30 minutes, it’s important to slightly undercook the vegetables and then let them sit for awhile off the heat where they will continue to cook internally.

I make the sauce using dashi flakes and water along with soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Although you could also use cooking sake as well, I find that the nimono tastes just as good without it,

Try out this traditional Japanese recipe and let me know what you think in the comments section, below.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Nimono

Chicken and Root Vegetable Nimono requires very little effort to prepare, and it takes about an hour and 30 minutes to cook. Be sure not to overcook the vegetables and cut them into large enough pieces so that the sataimo does not break up while cooking. Nimono can be enjoyed as a side dish, as an entree served with some white rice or a salad. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat on the stove over low heat.

PREP	COOKING	YIELD
10 minutes	90 minutes	Serves 8

PREP	10 minutes
COOKING	90 minutes
YIELD	Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken thighs
1 lb frozen Satoimo (taro)
2 Fresh Carrots
1 Renkon (Lotus Bulb)
12 shiitake mushrooms
12-16 Snow Pea pods
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup mirin
2 TBSP Sugar
1 pack of dashi flakes
5 cups water

Chicken and Root Vegetable Nimono ingredients Laid out on a wooden placemat

Instructions:

Remove stems from the shiitake and wash under cold water.
Peel and chop the carrots.

Carrots chopped into chunks on a cutting board

Peel and chop Renkon.
In a large pot, immerse the carrot, renkon and shiitake in the water. Sprinkle in the dashi flakes. Bring to a light boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Mushroom, carrot and renkon chopped up prior to cooking in the pot and ready add the dashi — Mushroom, carrot and renkon chopped up prior to cooking

While waiting for the vegetables to cook, chop the chicken. Remove the tops and the string from the bottom of the snap peas. Cut each satoimo in half.
Pour off half of the liquid. Stir in the remaining ingredients with the exception of the snow peas. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Carrot mushroom and renkon after simmering for 30 minutes still in the pot

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add in the snow peas and stir.

Nimono with snow peas just added before stirring

Remove from heat, cover, and let sit until at least 3o minutes.
Before serving, bring back to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat, simmer for 10 more minutes uncovered, and serve.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Nimono served on a wooden tray with a teacup, a soup bowl with the lid on, and decorative chopsticks

Notes:

Enjoy this traditional Japanese specialty in a small bowl. Arrange it so it looks colorful and delicious.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days. Reheat on a stove over low heat.

Jay H

Jay is a Project Manager for a U.S. Company that does business globally. He has worked and lived in many places and has spent time learning how to cook dishes from around the world. Currently based in Japan, he created the Mountain Plums website during the Covid pandemic as a way to express himself though cooking while staying active.

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