Brown Stew Chicken
This classic Jamaican brown stew chicken dish is incredibly flavorful. All the complementary sweet and spicy notes will make you want to whip this up for a weeknight meal and entertaining. And besides being delicious, it’s an absolute breeze to make!
I love spicy things in general (just in case you haven’t figured that out yet 😜). I come from a lengthy background of spice-loving people, which is one reason I am so in love with this chicken stew. The aromatic blend of garlic, ginger, pepper, thyme, and green onions makes my mouth water long before serving a plate of this stew.
Honestly, this stew is just downright comforting! It makes your house smell amazing and will remind you of long weekends spent at home with family while your mom cooked everyone’s favorite meals. In fact, don’t be surprised if this dish turns into one of your own family favorites.
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Content… Why It’s Called Brown Stew |
Why It’s Called Brown Stew Chicken
Browning sauce is one of the major flavor enhancers of an authentic Jamaican brown stew chicken recipe. Thus, the name of a popular Caribbean condiment that blends caramel color, vegetable concentrates, and seasonings. This sauce deepens the flavor in meat and darkens the broth in soups and stews.
How to Make Brown Stew Chicken
Marinate the Chicken
- Prep Chicken – Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Next, place the chicken in a bowl and season it with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Season – Then add the chicken bouillon powder, ginger, garlic, white pepper, thyme, paprika, and green onions. Thoroughly mix everything with a spoon or your hands until every piece of chicken is well-coated. (Photo 1)
- Marinate – Cover tightly and set aside in the fridge. Marinate for at least an hour or overnight. (Photo 2)
- Ready to Cook – When ready to cook, remove particles from the chicken and reserve the marinade for later.
Make the Stew
- Sear Chicken – Heat the oil in a large pan (I used 12-inch cast iron), then brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes until golden. (Photos 3-4)
- Set Aside – Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
- Saute – Drain excess oil from the skillet, leaving 2-3 tablespoons of oil behind. Add onions, garlic, thyme, hot sauce, paprika, brown sugar, browning sauce, ketchup, bell peppers (if desired, add some or all of the bell peppers towards the last 10 minutes of cooking), and salt to taste. A scotch bonnet pepper is also a nice addition for more heat. (Photos 5-6)
- Stir for about 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the leftover marinade from the chicken and deglaze the pan with the chicken stock or broth. (Photo 7)
- Add Chicken – Bring everything to a boil and return the browned chicken to the pan. (Photo 8)
- Simmer – Cover the pot and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chicken becomes fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Adjust Seasoning – Do a taste test and adjust salt, black pepper, and the soup consistency as needed.
- Serve with rice, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- In a hurry? Make this recipe in the crock pot! Just toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker after browning the chicken. Cook it on high for 3-4 hours and serve over rice.
- Leave out the hot sauce for a mild version of brown chicken stew.
- Browning the chicken and sautéing the onions isn’t necessary, but this small step results in colossal flavor. So, I recommend not skipping it.
- When you deglaze your pan with cool water, stir frequently. The broth combined with stirring lifts flavorful bits sticking to the pan, prevents it from burning, and makes your stew incredibly tasty.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers
This stew will stay good for a few days in the fridge, so feel free to make it a couple of days ahead. Then, you can heat it up on the stovetop on medium-high heat.
Store your leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep for 3-5 days. I prefer reheating this stew on the stovetop on medium heat, but you can microwave it if in a hurry.
What Goes With Brown Stew Chicken
Honestly, this stewed chicken is fantastic all on its own. Still, if you’re asking me what’s on my dinner table, you’d probably find coconut rice, fried plantains, and steamed veggies.
I’d also be serving sorrel drink over ice because it is another island classic that is beautifully refreshing. And for dessert? Rum raisin cake with rum glaze for dessert. 🤤
More Soul-Satisfying Jamaican Recipes to Try
- Jamaican Oxtail Stew
- Callaloo
- Jamaican Meat Pie
- Gungo Rice and Peas
- Jamaican Easter Spice Bun
- Slow Cooker Curry Chicken
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This post was first published in May 2014 and has been updated with a new recipe, photos, tips, and a video
Brown Stew Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 3½-5 pound (1.5-2.5k) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon (2g) chicken bouillon powder
- 1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon (5g) garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon (1g) white pepper
- 1 teaspoon (1g) fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon (1g) paprika
- 2 green onions, diced
Brown Stew Chicken
- 2 tablespoons (28ml) canola oil, or more as needed
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1¼ cups)
- 2 teaspoons (10g) garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon (4.7g) hot sauce (or sub chili sauce)
- 1½ teaspoon (3g) paprika
- 1 tablespoon (12.5g) brown sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons (5-10ml) browning sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons (32-48g) ketchup
- 2 small bell pepper, sliced (red or green)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 cups (235-475ml) chicken broth (or water)
Instructions
- Pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
- Then place chicken in a bowl and season with salt and pepper according to preference.
- Then season with the chicken bouillon powder, ginger, garlic, white pepper, thyme, paprika, and green onions. Thoroughly mix the chicken with a spoon or hands until it is well coated, cover tightly, and set aside in the fridge. Marinate for about at least an hour (preferably overnight).
- When ready to cook, remove excess marinade from the chicken and reserve for later. Heat up a large pan (mine was a 12-inch cast iron skillet) with about 2 tablespoons oil.
- Brown the chicken about 3-4 minutes until chicken is a golden brown, remove and place on a plate. Drain excess oil from the skillet, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons of oil.
- In the same pan, add onions, garlic, thyme, hot sauce, paprika, sugar, browning sauce, ketchup, bell peppers (if desired add some or all of the bell peppers towards the last 10 minutes of cooking), and salt to taste. Stir for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the reserved chicken marinade.
- Deglaze pan with the broth or water. Bring to a boil and return the brown chicken back to the pan.
- Cover and cook for about 25 minutes, more or less or until chicken is cooked through (no pink showing) and sauce thickens, slightly. Adjust for salt, pepper, and consistency with more broth or water as you cook.
- Turn off the stove, remove the stew, and serve with Caribbean rice and beans.
Tips & Notes:
- You don’t have to brown the chicken and sauté the onions and spices before making the stew, but this small step results in big flavor. I recommend you don’t skip it!
- When you deglaze your pan with cool water (or broth), stir frequently. The cool water on the hot pan combined with your stirring will lift any flavorful bits sticking to the pan, prevent them from burning, and make your stew incredibly tasty.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
I have been meaning to try other cuts of meat and/or protein. I will soon. How I wish I had the time to cook every day- just too much happening!!! Thanks once again for the feedback!
It’s a winner in our home!
I may try it with stewed beef pieces once I get a hang of these spices.
I cook daily so variety is necessary. I appreciate your blog. I wish I had the time to photograph my meals like you do.
Will definitely cook this for my husband tomorrow. Will reply afterward. Looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Gwendolyn. Can’t wait to hear what hubby thinks about it.
Best recipe ive come across in a long time. Im usually useless in the kitchen cooked this for family they all loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the glowing review – glad it was a hit with your family.
I just want to say that this recipe was so delicious.I have to say that it actually was better than all of the jamaican restaurants versions I had in the pass i love it ,ilove it I LOVE it…….Couldn’t believe I prepared it !
Better than Jamaican restaurants? Thanks Cassy, glad you loved it girl! It really is easy to prepare.
Hi can I make this with chopped up chicken instead of on the bone?
Yes you can.
This is a keeper- Super Flavorful!
add chicken cook for about 4-5 minutes until chicken has been fully cooked
Chicken doesn’t fully cook in 4-5 min did you mean 40-50 min?
Charles, recipe updated 4-5 minutes until fully brown.Thanks
Made this the same day I found this recipee! I have to say AMAZING!
I did not see bell peppers on the list of ingredients, but did see them in the pic. I added one of each to mine when I tried this. YUMMY!!!
Made this with your linked recipie for Creole Caribbean Rice and Beans. Just AMAZING!! I would eat it over plain rice too. It is really that good. And the rice could easily be a stand alone meal. Thanks for the unexpected flavors. These are all new combinations to me.
I have gone over this recipe a lot and did not see my omission. Thanks. I have updated the recipe. Thanks again for trying both recipes and glad you liked them both. I really appreciate your feedback!
Gazelle , I did not use a full teaspoon- ran out.
Tried this today. Very yummy. Just wondering why your pic are not as dark as the actual stew? You did not use the sauce?
THIS RECIPE IS THE BEST one I’ve ever tried for stewed chicken. THANK YOU for sharing it with us. 🙂
Aww, thank you Toya-it means a lot to me. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Made this chicken using whole chicken and it was delicious! I added a more broth because I like my stew saucy.
Kendra, thanks for the feedback.
This is a really flavorful chicken stew. I will be making it again and again. Thanks for the recipe
This looks so flavorful. I will be trying this one. However I have question, what is browning sauce? And where would you recommend I buy it?
Browning sauce in a nutshell is used to darken sauces, stews, or meat. It is made primarily out of sugar. Worcestershire sauce or Dark soy sauce can be a good substitute. It is available at Caribbean Markets and at Wal-Mart .You can successfully make this chicken without the sauce( it would not significantly affect the taste.
Browning sauce is made by grace like most of the jamaican seasoning is
Kristen , nowadays everyone is making browning sauce. There are so many varieties out there, you just have to look.