The Best Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe
This authentic Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken recipe delivers tender, flavorful chicken simmered in a rich, spiced tomato sauce infused with allspice, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper. The chicken is marinated with a blend of aromatics, browned for a deep crust, and then slow-cooked to a meltingly tender finish, making it perfect served over rice and peas or with fried plantains for a classic Jamaican meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours to overnight marination)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes to 1 day (including marination)
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade and Main Ingredients
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 6 cloves 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 and boneless, skinless thighs)
- 3 teaspoons browning sauce (Grace brand recommended)
- 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, left whole (do not cut)
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth
Instructions
- Prep & marinate chicken: In a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag, mix chopped onion, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, brown sugar, smoked paprika, allspice, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Pat chicken dry and add it along with browning sauce. Massage marinade thoroughly into the chicken pieces to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, stirring once to ensure even marination.
- Brown chicken pieces: Remove chicken pieces from marinade, shaking off excess vegetables but reserving the marinade. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Brown chicken in batches, 2-3 minutes per side, until deep brown crust forms. Add more oil as needed. Set browned chicken aside.
- Sauté marinade mixture: Add reserved marinade to the pot and sauté with a wooden utensil for 2-3 minutes until lightly tender, scraping up caramelized bits from the pot’s bottom.
- Assemble the stew: Nestle browned chicken pieces back into the pot 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: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until chicken is tender and falling off the bone.
- Adjust stew consistency: Remove herb stems, bay leaves, and scotch bonnet pepper. To thicken the sauce, increase heat to medium-high and cook gently, stirring, until desired thickness is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Serve the brown stew chicken hot with rice and peas and/or fried plantains, spooning extra stew gravy over the dish. Enjoy!
Notes
- Marinating overnight enhances flavor and tenderness.
- Do not cut the scotch bonnet pepper; leaving it whole adds heat without overwhelming the stew.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven for even heat distribution and better browning.
- Browning the chicken properly is key for flavor development.
- Adjust the stew thickness by reducing the liquid to your preferred consistency.
- For less heat, remove the scotch bonnet pepper early or substitute with milder pepper.
- Serve with traditional Jamaican sides like rice and peas and fried plantains.
Keywords: Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken, Brown Stew Chicken, Jamaican Chicken Recipe, Caribbean Chicken Stew, Spiced Chicken Stew
