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Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Make the best Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken with tender chicken, vegetables, and rich Caribbean-style gravy. An easy one-pot comfort food recipe.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Chicken
  • 3 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons browning sauce optional
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • For the Stew
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper whole, optional
  • 2 medium potatoes cubed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Fresh thyme sprigs
  • For Garnish
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • Fresh thyme

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, browning sauce, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, allspice, black pepper, and salt.
  3. Mix well and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for the best flavor.
  4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  5. Brown the chicken on all sides, working in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
  6. In the same pot, cook the onion, carrots, and bell peppers for about 5 minutes until softened.
  7. Add the garlic and green onions and cook for another 30 seconds.
  8. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  9. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  10. Add the potatoes, bay leaves, fresh thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper if using.
  11. Return the browned chicken to the pot.
  12. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 45 to 55 minutes until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
  13. Remove the bay leaves and Scotch bonnet before serving.
  14. Garnish with chopped parsley and fresh thyme.

Notes

  • Marinating overnight gives the richest flavor.
  • Browning the chicken adds depth to the gravy.
  • Leave the Scotch bonnet whole for mild heat.
  • Do not skip scraping the browned bits from the pot.
  • Simmer gently for tender, juicy chicken.