Slow Cooker Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken — An incredibly rich-in-flavor all time Jamaican classic- Jamaican Brown Chicken Sauce right in your slow cooker.
Ok …so I know it’s not exactly pull out the crock-pot weather for some folks but I just can’t help but share this slow cooker brown stewed chicken with you. There is so much to love here. I can’t begin to tell you how much am in love with this brown stew chicken. The chicken marinate alone would have you hooked from the get go. This will make your taste buds happy and true to my kind of recipes, you don’t need napkins. Because you are going to lick your fingers clean and nibble on the bones.
Nobody is watching anyways! And who cares if they are watching. They will quickly follow your lead before the meal is over. Can you tell I have tons of experience in this domain? Grab a seat while I tell you about this classic Jamaican Brown stew. Chicken on the bone is marinated with an aromatic blend of spices (ginger, garlic, thyme, pepper, green onions, overnight (preferably) browned to enhance its flavor, then slowly simmered in a fragrant sauce of garlic, herbs, bell peppers, ketchup, onions. Yep! Really tasty! It’s straightforward and a snap to put together. Don’t be deterred by the ingredients.
Traditionally, it is made with whole parts of chicken.However, I prefer chicken thighs – ease of preparation, rich meaty flavor and most important they can easily withstand the longer cooking time and emerge meltingly tender.
If you don’t own a slow cooker, you can always make this on stove top too, it’s just that easy and practical. Just follow the same instructions and instead of adding everything into the pot, you add some stock, bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer. Easy! Pair it with this rice and peas or this coconut rice and you are all set. Want a quicker version? Check out this brown stew chicken here.
Celebrate this Holiday Season with this Sorrel drink here.
Tips and Notes:
- When adding chicken, it is a great idea to brown the chicken first, for a few minutes, sauté the garlic, onions stove top, before adding to the crockpot. Small step = huge flavors.
- If you want to throw everything in the crockpot and cook away, that’s fine too. I tried it and it wasn’t bad at all. But I prefer the former.
- Jamaican Browning sauce aka burnt sugar is a favorite West Indian condiment use in most households to add, sweetness and color in stews, soups, and even cakes.
- It’s available in Caribbean Markets, Wal-Mart and even some supermarkets. Don’t sweat it! You can certainly make this without burnt sugar
Watch How to Make It
Slow Cooker Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken - An incredibly rich-in-flavor all time Jamaican classic- Jamaican Brown Chicken Sauce right in your slow cooker.
- 5-6 5-6 chicken thighs bone-in trimmed of excess fat= , bone-in
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoons bouillon chicken powder
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 green onions , diced
- 2 tablespoons or more canola oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 large onion , diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon browning sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce , sub chili sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 small bell pepper, red or green , sliced
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ¾ cup chicken broth/water
- salt and to taste
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Place chicken thighs in a large bowl or slow-cooker insert. Then seasoned with all marinade ingredients- salt, chicken bouillon, garlic, ginger, paprika, white pepper, and thyme. Mix chicken with a spoon or with hands until they are well coated, cover tightly and set aside in the fridge Marinate for about an hour or preferably overnight
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When ready to cook heat up a skillet or large saucepan with about 2 tablespoons oil, and then brown the chicken about 3-4 minutes until chicken is a golden brown: remove and place in the crockpot. Drain any excess oil from the skillet and leave about 2 Tablespoons of oil.
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Add onions, garlic, hot sauce, smoked paprika, bell peppers and salt to taste. Stir for about 2-3 minutes until onions is translucent.
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Then add to crockpot, deglaze the pan with about ¾ cup of water add to slow cooker, together with ketchup, brown sauce and any remaining marinade from the chicken.
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Cover and cook on high for about 3-4 hours. Remove and serve with rice and beans
- When adding chicken, it is a great idea to brown the chicken first, for a few minutes, sauté the garlic, onions stove top, before adding to the crockpot. Small step = huge flavors.
- If you want to throw everything in the crockpot and cook away, that’s fine too. I tried it and it wasn’t bad at all. But I prefer the former.
- Jamaican Browning sauce aka burnt sugar is a favorite West Indian condiment use in most households to add, sweetness and color in stews, soups, and even cakes. It’s available in Caribbean Markets, Wal-Mart and even some supermarkets. Don’t sweat it! You can certainly make this without burnt sugar.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Heat up a skillet or large sauce pan with about 2 tablespoons oil, and then brown the chicken about 3-4 minutes until chicken is golden brown 
Drain any excess oil from the skillet and leave about 2 Tablespoons of oil. Add onions, garlic, hot sauce, smoked paprika, and bell peppers. Stir for about 2-3 minutes until onions is translucent. 
Add to crockpot, deglaze pan with about ¾ cup of water/stock then add to slow cooker, together with ketchup, brown sauce and any remaining marinade from the chicken. Cover and cook on high for about 3-4 hours.
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Loved it! I added some potatoes and it turned out delicious . Thank you 🙂
Awesome!! Glad you loved it, Karolina! 🙂
Hi, this recipe looks great! I just ya done question. Step 3 stares “ Add onions, garlic, hot sauce, smoked paprika, sugar, browning sauce, ketchup, bell peppers and salt to taste. AND THEN. Step 4 says to add ketchup, brown sauce and any remaining marinade from the chicken. Am
I adding the same measurements again of ketchup and brown sauce in step 4? I’m confused :/
Sorry for the typos— “0ne question”
And states
No worries. Happens to the best of us :).
Hi Devin. Add the said ingredients just once. Sorry for the confusion caused. Recipe updated 🙂
Made this and it turned out great. Thinking of getting a 6.5l would i just double on on all ingredients(including liquids)
Great!! Glad you loved it, Laisue.
hello I would like to know if you can give the recipe for the burnt sugar
Hi Renee! Sorry, I do not have a recipe for the burnt sugar. It’s available in Caribbean Markets, Wal-Mart, and even some supermarkets. Don’t sweat it! You can certainly make this without burnt sugar. Happy Cooking!
Thanks can you cook this in the instant pot
Thank you how can you cook this in the instant pot
Yes, you can. Adjust your instant cooker to “high” on the slow cooker function and cook for as long as the recipe states PLUS an additional 15 minutes for every hour.
I do not love to cook but I have been making your recipe for over 2 years and love it every single time! Even my very picky teens look forward to it when I make it! There are lot of ingredients but most are already in my cabinet/fridge and it really is a cheap meal and easy to prepare but delicious!! I allow chicken to marinate at least 24 hours and the flavors are incredible and even better as leftovers the next day. I am finally going to try other recipes from your site (dont know why I haven’t done that yet). Any favorites that you would suggest? Thank you so so much for one of my all time favorite recipes!
Aww, I am so glad this is a hit with your family! I can’t wait for you to try out other recipes. As for favorites… it is soo hard for me to choose lol!! I would say, start with what you have at hand, especially in the midst of all that is going on, and go with something easy.. something you feel comfortable with. I know you will do great! Let me know how it works out!
Thanks to Covid I was home and desperate to find something different to do with chicken breasts. This was the first recipe I found although I did not use a slow cooker. The list of ingredients looks long it is very easy and quick to pull together especially using a cast iron pan to brown the chicken. I used a separate saucepan to cook the onion/pepper mix. I gave it four stars because my husband felt it needed something. He added some sriracha and thought it made a great addition but he likes everything with heat. I will definitely make this on a regular basis- my gut feeling is pineapple would be an amazing finish on the dish–or maybe put pinepapple in the rice once it is cooked. Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Add a habanero pepper next time, only one, and don’t forget to take seeds out of the pepper
Great Tip. Thanks Victoria
My family loves this recipe. How would I adjust it for an instant pot?
Hello Dee. I am so glad this recipe is a hit with your family. Please check out this link https://amindfullmom.com/pressure-cooker-as-a-slow-cooker/ . on how to use your instant pot as a slow cooker. I hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by!!
I would like to freeze it so I can prepare before my company arrives. Is this possible?
Thank you,
Jeanne Menefee
Hi Jeanne, Do you mean freezing the stew after cooking it?
Authentic and DELICIOUS! My parents are Jamaican so we ate brown stew chicken for dinner most Sundays. I didn’t realize that’s what it was though, my mom always called it “cook up chicken”. Tasting this brought back so many memories. Definitely adding this to my rotation!
I made this dish and served it with Imma’s Caribbean Rice and Beans…goodness gracious! I enjoyed every bit of this dish. Very delicious! Thanks so much!
Wonderful! I cooked on low for 6 hours since I was going to be out of the house all day. It went wonderful with the Carribean rice, and the house smelled soooo good. It also makes excellent leftovers—a great meal prep idea. Definitely follow Imma’s advice to marinate the meat and to first brown the ingredients suggested.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback.
This was outstanding. The chicken (bone in, skin on) literally fell off the bones. And very flavorful. I found Jamaican browning sauce at Ingles. Served with Caribbean confetti rice and drinks called Jamaican Me Crazy! Quite a meal.
Great recipe! This is my second time around. I added potatoes. Please share out more crockpot recipes for us working moms.
Hello Kendall. I am glad you loved it. And thanks for sharing on the tip on potatoes. More crockpot recipes coming soon!:)
If I want to make this for about 15-20 people; would I have to increase the cook time in the crock-pot? ( i know i will need to increase the ingredient amounts)
Thanks
Hi Viojon,
No you don’t have to. The cooking time remains the same.
Can you use boneless thighs?
Yes, you can, but please adjust cooking time.
Greetings!
Can you make this with boneless breast? That’s all I have right now?
Hi, it’s more flavourful with the bone for next time.
do i really only put a half teaspoon of each seasoning in the marinade for SIX pieces of chicken? or do i multiply by chicken pieces help!!
Hi Terry, you use half a teaspoon of each seasoning . Do not multiply – 3 teaspoons all together.
My whole family LOVES this recipe with your rice! So much flavor. I just discovered your blog and am going to be trying a ton more recipes! This was my first and I can’t wait to try more.
Giving it a try tonight in the dutch over. My chemo ran waaayyy long so I’m tryong to speed it up some. Looks and smells delicious so far. Thanks for the recipe!
I am an Latina woman with a African fiance and let’s just say I have been following your recipes and it’s a hit EVERYTIME!! THANK YOU IMMA..
more crockpot ideas please.
Hi, I’ve cooked this recipe before and it was delicious, what can I use instead of chicken bouillon? As I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
Thanks Anouska
Hi Anouska .Leave it out if you can’t find it.
I found it in the Chinese section of an international market. Hope that helps
Hello imma actually i did not try any jamaican food in my whole life but i will definitely give it a try and the good part is i love chicken.
Omg, I made this and let’s just say my family thought we was at a Caribbean restaurant thanks for this recipe ❣️
I made this and I’m making it again Saturday. I also added a can of coconut milk and potatoes during the last hour in the crock ….served over a bed of rice with a side of cabbage and vegetables.
That sounds delicious! So happy to hear it worked out well for you.
I made this dish for the first time tonight, along with the rice and peas recipe (recommended to go alongside) and it went down a treat. Me, my partner and daughter loved it ! This is a brilliant recipe and look forward to following and cooking more of your tasty recipes. A big up from me in the UK.
Yay! Thank you so much Chelcie. Can’t wait to hear which ones you try out.
I just tried your recipe last night and it was a HIT!! I am soooooo proud of my self because this was my first time ever making a Jamaican/Carribean dish!!!! Needless to say , my husband was HAPPY and FULL!!! This is going in my recipe files.
Thanks Imma!!!
That’s terrific to hear Evita! Glad to hear you nailed it .
Hi.
Can I use Soya sauce instead of browning sauce?
I cannot wait to try this recipe, it looks delicious.
Delicious, the whole family loved it. Will be making more of your recipes going forward!
Wohooo! Can’t wait for you to try my other recipes.
Delicious. Thanks
I love it very flavorful
What is browning sauce?
Hi Mary. Browning sauce aka burnt sugar is a condiment use in most Caribbean households to add sweetness and color in stews,soups, and even cakes. You can find it in Caribbean markets and even in Walmart.
Your recipes make my husband fall more in love with me! It’s not even 6 am and I am dreaming of what I will cook tonight. Bless you for sharing your knowledge with us, I feel like you are my Internet Auntie. Much love from Philadelphia
Awww, you are too sweet Cristina.That is such a nice thing to say .
Your husband is very lucky to have you to cook such amazing food for him. All my love !!!
Made this tonight for myself girlfriend and kids…was a total hit especially with my 2 yr old and 10 yr old….sick girlfriend said it was delicious….followed recipe but cooked in dutch oven. On stove top….great recipe highlt recommended…great job #chefsheen
Glad to hear it was a hit to the kids,Chef Sheen. Send my warm regards to your girlfriend. Happy cooking! 🙂
Followed the recipe except for Browning sauce and green onions. It still turned out great! Hubby requested this dish and he liked it.
I’m so glad you both liked it! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
Hi there! I recently found your food blog & i am so happy that i did……I made this recipe last Friday and it was huge hit! It has definitely been added to my recipe book. I plan to try many more of your recipes in the very near future, more like this Friday lol!……… I’m not sure if you have a recipe for Jollof Rice the Ghana way, if you do could share it please?
HI, Natasha. Thanks for the kind words. I don’t have it exactly the “Ghana” way but this is the closest (and easier) I have >>> https://www.africanbites.com/jellof-riceoven-baked/ and https://www.africanbites.com/jellof-rice/ . Please let me know how it turns out for you. 🙂
I’m not sure how to get rid of the 2 stars on my rating! That was an accident. I haven’t tried the dish yet, but it seems like a 5 star to me
Hi, Jill. I’ve tried dumping everything in the crockpot too and it wasn’t bad at all. As for missing those two ingredients, there’d be a slight difference in flavor and aroma. But it’d work fine.
No crockpot how would I go about cooking it on the stove top
Check out this other recipe here https://www.africanbites.com/jamaican-browned-chicken-stew/, no crockpot needed.
This recipe looks great. I am cooking your Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew right now. I have a question. When I cook with thighs, it takes so long for the prep because my boneless & skinless chicken thighs always have so much fat that I trim off as best I can. Am I being to fussy about trimming the fat or is their a trick to trimming the fat that will reduced the prep time? I’m thinking about using chicken breasts next time.
It happens to me too! I usually trim the visible fat , to avoid excess oil. Then pan brown the chicken on each side, discard the excess fat and scoop out excess oil , if any after cooking . With that said, if you discard the skin it would make a HUGE difference. Hope this helps
This looks delicious and will definitely give this a go this week! Can you pressure cook instead and if so for how long?
Thanks ! Cook it for about 7 minutes or more , depending on how well you like your chicken – The recommended time is between 8-10 minutes.