Description
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken is a flavorful, tender, and richly seasoned dish featuring bone-in chicken pieces marinated in a blend of garlic, ginger, scallions, brown sugar, and spices. The chicken is browned and then simmered in a savory sauce with bell peppers and Scotch bonnet pepper, resulting in a comforting stew with a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and aromatic Jamaican spices. This classic Caribbean recipe pairs wonderfully with rice and peas or coconut rice for a hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup sliced scallions (about 4 scallions, white and green parts)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or crushed
- 1 tablespoon peeled and finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 teaspoons browning sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground Jamaican allspice
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
For Cooking
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper (left whole)
- ¼ cup ketchup
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl or gallon-size plastic bag, combine the chicken with onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, browning sauce, salt, paprika, allspice, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir well to coat all the chicken pieces evenly, gently massaging the marinade into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best flavor.
- Prepare for Cooking: Remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping off excess bits of vegetables and herbs. Reserve the marinade for later use. Let the chicken rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot, Dutch oven, or braiser over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down if applicable, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Brown each piece for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden to dark brown. Remove the browned chicken and set aside. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.
- Sauté the Marinade: Add the reserved marinade to the pot and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and softening. Then pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Add Peppers and Chicken: Stir in the sliced bell pepper, whole Scotch bonnet pepper, and ketchup until the sauce is smooth. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot, stirring to coat them evenly with the sauce.
- Simmer the Stew: Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for about 45 minutes. Flip the chicken occasionally to ensure even cooking and tenderness. For a thicker sauce, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
- Finalize and Serve: Discard the bay leaves and whole Scotch bonnet pepper to avoid excessive heat. Taste the stew and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve hot, ideally with Jamaican rice and peas or coconut rice for an authentic Caribbean meal.
Notes
- Marinating overnight enhances flavor and tenderness but a minimum of 1 hour also works.
- Handle the Scotch bonnet pepper carefully; leaving it whole allows heat infusion without overpowering the stew, but avoid breaking it unless you want extra spiciness.
- Use bone-in chicken for more flavor and juiciness.
- Adjust the level of browning to control the richness of the stew’s color and flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure the browning sauce is gluten-free or omit it.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with rice and peas or plain coconut rice.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with other neutral oils like canola or sunflower oil.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Keywords: Jamaican brown stew chicken, Caribbean chicken stew, Jamaican chicken recipe, brown stew, spicy chicken stew, traditional Jamaican food
