The Best Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe
A flavorful and hearty Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken recipe featuring marinated chicken pieces simmered in a rich, aromatic tomato sauce with Caribbean spices, scotch bonnet pepper, and fresh herbs. This comforting stew is perfect for serving with rice and peas or plantains for a true taste of the islands.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes plus minimum 2 hours marinating
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes plus marinating time
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade and Chicken
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Jamaican ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8–9 chicken pieces (mix of legs & boneless/skinless thighs)
- 3 teaspoons browning sauce (Grace brand recommended)
For Cooking
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, plus more as needed
- 2 medium-sized carrots, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 4–6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole (do not cut)
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth
Instructions
- Prep & Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl or ziplock bag, combine chopped onion, bell pepper, scallions, minced garlic, brown sugar, smoked paprika, allspice, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Pat the chicken dry and add to the marinade with browning sauce. Massage the mixture thoroughly into the chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, stirring once if marinated overnight for even flavor.
- Browns Chicken Pieces: Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess aromatics but reserve marinade. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding. Sear chicken on all sides until deeply browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add more oil as needed. Set browned chicken aside and reduce heat to medium.
- Add Flavor Agents & Assemble Stew: In the same pot, add reserved marinade and sauté with a wooden spoon until vegetables are just tender and any browned bits release, about 2-3 minutes. Return browned chicken to pot, nestling on top of the sautéed marinade. Add chopped carrots, tomato sauce, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, whole scotch bonnet pepper, and chicken stock. Stir gently to combine.
- Stew the Chicken: Lower heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until chicken is tender and falling off the bone.
- Adjust Stew Gravy: Remove herb stems, bay leaves, and scotch bonnet pepper from pot. To thicken gravy, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring gently, until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Serve the brown stew chicken hot in shallow bowls alongside traditional sides such as rice and peas and fried plantains. Pour extra stew gravy over the dish for full flavor enjoyment.
Notes
- Marinate chicken overnight for best flavor infusion.
- Wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet pepper and do not cut it to avoid excessive heat; remove whole before serving.
- Browning the chicken properly creates richer flavor and color in the stew.
- Use dark or light brown sugar depending on your desired sweetness depth.
- Adjust the level of spiciness by omitting or substituting the scotch bonnet with a milder pepper if preferred.
- Serve with rice and peas and fried plantains for an authentic Jamaican experience.
Keywords: Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken, Caribbean chicken stew, brown stew chicken recipe, Jamaican chicken, stovetop chicken stew
