Brown Stew Chicken

Forking into freshly cooked chicken in a Jamaican brown stew.

This classic Jamaican stewed chicken dish is incredibly rich in flavor. Sweet, spicy, and savory notes are easy to whip up for a crazy weeknight meal or weekend entertaining.

Course Main

Cuisine Caribbean

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Marinating Time 1

Total Time 1 50

Servings

Calories 254kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

1 3½-5 pound (1.75-2.5k) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
salt and black pepper to taste (see notes)
1 teaspoon (2g) chicken bouillon powder
1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) minced ginger
1 teaspoon (5g) minced garlic
½ teaspoon (1g) white pepper
1 teaspoon (2g) fresh thyme (¼-½ teaspoon dried thyme)
½ teaspoon (2g) paprika
2 green onions, finely sliced

Brown Stew Chicken

2 tablespoons (30ml) canola oil (more if needed)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1¼ cups)
2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
1 teaspoon (2g) fresh thyme (¼-½ teaspoon dried thyme)
1 teaspoon (5g) hot sauce (or sub chili sauce)
1½ teaspoons (5g) paprika
1 tablespoon (12g) brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons (5-10ml) browning sauce
2-3 tablespoons (30-45g) ketchup
2 small bell peppers, sliced (red or green)
1-2 cups (236-470ml) chicken broth (or water)

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then place it in a bowl and season it with salt and pepper (see notes on how much salt).
Add the chicken bouillon powder, ginger, garlic, white pepper, thyme, paprika, and green onions. Thoroughly mix the chicken with a spoon or your hands until well coated, cover tightly, and marinate in the fridge for about an hour (or overnight).
When ready to cook, remove excess marinade from the chicken and reserve it for later. Heat a large pan (mine was a 12-inch cast-iron skillet) with about 2 tablespoons of oil.
Brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, remove it, and set it aside. Drain excess oil from the skillet, leaving 2-3 tablespoons.
To the same pan, add the onions, garlic, thyme, hot sauce, paprika, sugar, browning sauce, ketchup, bell peppers (if desired, add some or all of the bell peppers towards the last 10 minutes of cooking), and salt to taste. Stir for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. Then, add the reserved chicken marinade.
Deglaze the pan with the broth or water. Bring to a boil and return the brown chicken to the pan.
Cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (no pink showing) and the sauce thickens slightly. Adjust the seasonings and consistency to taste.
Turn off the stove, and serve the stew with fried plantains and Caribbean rice and beans.

Notes

While the amount of salt and pepper is up to personal tastes, ½-¾ teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken is a good start. Then add a pinch at a time while cooking as needed, tasting as you go.
You don't have to brown the chicken and sauté the onions and spices before making the stew, but this small step results in big flavor. I recommend you don't skip it!
When you deglaze your pan with cool water (or broth), stir frequently. The cool water on the hot pan, combined with your stirring, will lift any flavorful bits sticking to the pan, prevent them from burning, and make your stew incredibly tasty.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition