Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken (Print View)
Tender chicken in a rich, deeply spiced gravy with vibrant island flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 2 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken pieces
02 - 2 tbsp lime juice
03 - 1 tbsp vinegar
04 - 2 tsp sea salt
05 - 2 tsp black pepper
06 - 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning
07 - 1 tbsp browning sauce
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
10 - 2 scallions, chopped
11 - 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and chopped
12 - 1 small onion, chopped
13 - 1 tsp paprika
→ Sauce & Vegetables
14 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
15 - 1 large bell pepper, sliced
16 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
17 - 1 large tomato, chopped
18 - 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
19 - 1 cup chicken broth
20 - 1 tsp soy sauce
# Method:
01 - Rinse the chicken pieces with lime juice and vinegar, then rinse thoroughly with water and pat completely dry with paper towels.
02 - Combine the chicken with sea salt, black pepper, all-purpose seasoning, browning sauce, minced garlic, fresh thyme, chopped scallions, Scotch bonnet pepper, onion, and paprika. Massage the marinade evenly into each piece, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.
03 - Add vegetable oil to a large heavy pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
04 - Shake off excess marinade from the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade. Sear the chicken in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch.
05 - Remove the browned chicken and set aside. Add the bell pepper, carrots, and chopped tomato to the same pot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened.
06 - Return the chicken to the pot along with the reserved marinade, tomato ketchup, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Stir thoroughly to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
07 - Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Braise for 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened to a rich gravy consistency.
08 - Taste the stew and adjust seasoning as needed. Discard the thyme stems before serving.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The gravy alone is worth making this and you will want to spoon it over everything in your kitchen
- The marinade does most of the heavy lifting so the hands on time is surprisingly low
02 -
- Do not skip the browning sauce because it is the single ingredient that separates this from a regular chicken stew
- Letting the chicken marinate overnight transforms the dish from good to the kind of thing people ask for by name
03 -
- A splash of dark rum stirred into the sauce in the last five minutes adds a depth that people will notice but not be able to identify
- Searing in batches instead of crowding the pot is what creates the fond on the bottom that makes the gravy taste like it came from a restaurant