Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken braised in a rich, deeply spiced island gravy with vibrant Jamaican flavors.

# What You 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

# Steps:

01 - Rinse the chicken pieces with lime juice and vinegar, then rinse thoroughly with water and pat dry with paper towels.
02 - Combine the chicken with salt, black pepper, all-purpose seasoning, browning sauce, garlic, thyme, 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 - Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Shake off excess marinade from the chicken (reserve the marinade) and sear the pieces in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch.
04 - Remove the browned chicken and set aside. Add the bell pepper, carrots, and tomato to the same pot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened.
05 - Return the chicken to the pot along with the reserved marinade, tomato ketchup, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Stir everything together to combine.
06 - Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened to a rich gravy consistency.
07 - Taste the stew and adjust seasoning if needed. Discard the thyme stems before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The gravy alone is worth making this dish, thick and complex enough to soak through every grain of rice
  • Browning sauce gives you that restaurant-quality color without any tricky caramelization techniques
  • The Scotch bonnet adds a slow-building warmth that sneaks up on you in the best way
02 -
  • Do not skip the overnight marinade if you can help it because the difference in depth is remarkable
  • Browning sauce is not the same as soy sauce and substituting one for the other will completely change the dish
  • Keeping the pot covered during the long simmer is what creates that sauce consistency you want
03 -
  • Pat the chicken aggressively dry after cleaning because moisture is the enemy of a good sear
  • Let the pot get ripping hot before adding the first piece of chicken and do not move it for at least three minutes

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