The Best Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ mediumyellow onion
chopped
- 1 largebell pepper
chopped
- 4scallions
chopped
- 6 clovesgarlic
minced or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tbsppacked light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- ½ tspjamaican ground allspice
- ½ tspground ginger
- to tastekosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 8chicken pieces
i use a mix of legs & boneless/skinless thighs
- 3 tspbrowning sauce
i use grace brand
- 3 tbspvegetable or canola oil
plus more as needed
- 2medium-sized carrots
chopped
- 1can tomato sauce
- 4 sprigsfresh thyme
- 2bay leaves
- 1scotch bonnet pepper
left whole- do not cut
- 3 cchicken stock or broth
Directions
- 1
In a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag, add in the onion, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, brown sugar, paprika, allspice, ginger, and salt/pepper- to taste. Use your hands (fitted with disposable gloves, if desired) or a utensil to stir the ingredients together. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and then add the chicken pieces and browning sauce. Use your hands to massage all the aromatics and spices into the chicken, massaging very well to ensure the chicken pieces are nicely coated.
- 2
Cover the bowl with a lid/plastic wrap or seal ziplock bag and transfer to refrigerator to allow flavors to marinate for at least 2 hours or- more preferably, overnight (for the best results!). If marinating overnight, just be sure to go back and stir/massage the chicken at least once. This will ensure even flavor marination throughout.
- 3
Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade mixture, shaking off excess onion/bell pepper/scallion bits- but do not discard the marinade, set aside. Set the chicken aside on a medium baking sheet or large plate/platter.
- 4
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, dutch oven/braiser; heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, gently swirl the pot around to evenly coat the bottom. Add a few chicken pieces into the pot, working in batches, careful not to overcrowd. Sear the chicken on all sides until a deep brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned chicken onto a clean, medium baking sheet or large plate/platter and repeat the process until all the chicken pieces are browned- adding a slick more of oil in between batches, only as needed. Then set the browned chicken aside and reduce the heat to medium.
- 5
Add all the reserved marinade mixture into the same pot and use a wooden utensil to sauté until lightly tender, scraping up any caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot, about 2-3 minutes. Then add all browned chicken pieces back into pot, nestling them right on top of the marinade mixture, along with any residual juices that have collected. Add the carrots, tomato sauce, fresh thyme, bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper, and chicken stock. Gently stir everything together until well combined.
- 6
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the chicken to stew for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, covered- until the chicken pieces are meltingly tender and falling off the bone.
- 7
Discard the herb stems, bay leaves, and scotch bonnet pepper from the pot. If you’d like to thicken the stew liquid in the pot, place over medium-high heat. Cook, gently stirring, for a bit until the liquid reaches your desired consistency. Afterwards, taste and adjust with more salt/pepper, as desired.
- 8
this brown stew chicken immediately. I love serving this brown stew chicken in shallow bowls alongside some rice and peas (and plantains, too!) with extra stew gravy poured right over it all. Enjoy!
The Best Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
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About this Recipe
Craving a truly authentic taste of the Caribbean right in your kitchen? This recipe for The Best Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken brings that vibrant island flavor to your dinner table, promising incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken that's bursting with rich, savory goodness.
What makes this Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken truly shine is its masterful blend of aromatics and spices. The chicken pieces are braised to perfection, absorbing deep flavors from a medley of ingredients like bell pepper, scallions, and garlic, all balanced by a touch of brown sugar and the characteristic warmth of Jamaican ground allspice and smoked paprika.
Prepare for a hearty and flavorful chicken dinner experience. Each bite delivers succulent chicken enveloped in a thick, rich stew sauce, fragrant with fresh thyme and bay leaves. The subtle heat from a whole scotch bonnet pepper infuses the dish, creating a complex, satisfying warmth without overwhelming the palate, making this a truly memorable Caribbean favorite.
This versatile dish welcomes your personal touch. Swap chicken legs and thighs for other bone-in pieces, or even boneless cuts if you prefer, though bone-in adds more flavor to the stew. For a milder dish, you can omit the scotch bonnet pepper or prick it gently instead of leaving it whole. You can also experiment with adding other root vegetables like diced potatoes alongside the carrots for an even heartier meal.
Serve this robust Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken with classic Caribbean accompaniments like rice and peas or plain white rice to soak up every last drop of the flavorful sauce. It's an ideal centerpiece for a comforting family dinner or a vibrant gathering with friends.