Brown Stew Chicken – This classic Jamaican stewed chicken dish is incredibly rich in flavor. 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 big 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.
Why Is It Called Brown Stew Chicken?
Browning sauce is one of the major flavor enhancers of this chicken stew recipe. And 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.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken – This recipe will need a decent-sized bird cut into 10 pieces. Alternatively, you can choose 3 to 5 pounds of your favorite chicken cut.
- Spices – This recipe really is all about spices. You’ll need minced garlic, ginger, white pepper, thyme, and paprika, just to mention a few of the leading players.
- Sauces – Hot sauce, browning sauce, and ketchup are all essential ingredients in the brown chicken stew.
- Veggies – Onion and bell pepper add flavor and texture to this Jamaican stew.
How to Make Brown Stew Chicken
Marinate the Chicken
- Prep the 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. (Photo 1)
- 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 2-3)
- Marinate – Cover tightly and set aside in the fridge. Marinate for at least an hour or preferably overnight.
- Ready to Cook – When ready to cook, remove any particles from the chicken and reserve the marinade for later use.
Cook the Brown Chicken Stew
- Sear Chicken – Heat a large pan (I used 12-inch cast iron) with about 2 tablespoons of oil, and then brown the chicken for about 3-4 minutes until it is golden brown. (Photo 4-5)
- Set Aside – Remove it from the pan and place it on a plate.
- Saute – Drain excess oil from the skillet, leaving 2-3 tablespoons of oil behind. 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. (Photos 6-8)
- Stir for about 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the leftover marinade from the chicken and deglaze the pan with water. (Photo 9)
- Add Chicken – Bring everything to a boil and return the brown chicken to the pan. (Photo 10)
- Simmer – Cover and cook for about 25 minutes, until the chicken cooks through and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Adjust Seasoning – Do a taste test and adjust salt, pepper, and the soup consistency as needed.
- Serve with rice, and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- In a hurry? You can make this recipe in the crock pot! I recommend throwing all the ingredients in the slow cooker after browning the chicken. Cook it on high for 3-4 hours and serve over rice.
- Leave out the hot sauce and white pepper for a mild version of brown chicken stew.
- Swap out the protein if you wish. Beef, pork, and even seafood taste amazing as a “brown stew.” Choose your meat and follow the recipe as is. Just be sure to adjust your cooking times accordingly.
Tips and Tricks
- 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, 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.
Make-Ahead Instructions
This stew will stay good for a few days in the fridge, so feel free to make it a couple of days ahead of time. Then you can just heat it up on the stovetop on medium-high heat until thoroughly warmed.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve brown stew chicken immediately after it finishes cooking. It tastes best hot off the stovetop, with warm white rice. Definitely use the stew as a gravy for your rice. 😉
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 always use the microwave if you need to heat it up in a hurry.
FAQs
You can buy it in Caribbean markets or even Wal-Mart, usually in pre-prepared or dry gravy mixes. Common brand names include Gravy Master, Grace, or Kitchen Bouquet.
Don’t sweat it if you can’t find any browning sauce at your local supermarket. You can easily make it at home. Simply mix 1/2 cup of brown sugar with 1 cup of water and cook it on low or medium heat until it turns nearly black. Remove from heat and add a teaspoon of beef or vegetable stock concentrate. Put it back on low heat while stirring until it’s thoroughly mixed.
You may have gone overboard with the browning sauce if you notice a bitter flavor. It’s delicious, but you can add too much. If you do, the caramelized sugar will give off a bitter taste.
The two sauces have a similar color and consistency, but flavor-wise, they are very different. Don’t substitute one for the other, or things will definitely not taste how you expected them to. 🙊
What Goes With Brown Stew Chicken
Honestly, this stewed chicken is fantastic all on its own. Still, if you’re asking me what my dinner table would look like if I served up all the fixings, you’d probably find us having some Caribbean rice and beans, some steamy coconut rice, fried plantains, and some 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 Peas and Rice
- Jamaican Easter Spice Bun
- Slow Cooker Curry Chicken
Conclusion
Head to the islands this week from the comfort of your own home by whipping up some Jamaican brown stew chicken for your family. What is your favorite way to please your family with chicken? Let me know how you like it in the comment section below! 😘
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
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Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 3½-5 pound 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)
- 1 ½ 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, 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 products used.
Chin says
Incredibly delicious ! Thank you for sharing the recipe !
ImmaculateBites says
You’re welcome, Chin! Glad you loved it! 🙂
Tammie F says
My father in-law is from Kingston, Jamaica and I often make this recipe for my family and it is DELICIOUS. I love this brown stew chicken. This is my third time making it.
ImmaculateBites says
Three times? Yess! Thank you so much.
Josha says
I’ve I made this brown stew chicken many times always a hit in my house will continue to use thank you so much
ImmaculateBites says
Fantastic!! I am so glad this is a hit in your home, Josha :)!!
Cathy says
Hi…love your recipes!!!
Making the Brown Stew Chicken, but the recipe only mentions using 3/4 of water to deglaze…what about the 1-2 cups of the chicken broth…do use 3/4 of that and the balance if you need to?
Thanks,
Cathy
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Cathy. I have made corrections to the recipe is 1-2 cups of water adjust as you cook.
Justine says
I don’t normally leave comments on websites, but this is my favorite chicken recipe of all time! I have made it so many times. It’s soooooo warming when it’s raining. Thanks so much for sharing it with me!
ImmaculateBites says
This is one of my favorites too!! 🙂 I agree this is such a comforting dish! Glad you loved it. Thanks for stopping by!
CM3 says
I didn’t see when to use the brown sugar
ImmaculateBites says
At instruction #5 🙂
CM3 says
Thanks
Ched says
Hi do I add browning and ketchup twice ? I see it in two lines
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Ched. Add the browning sauce and ketchup just once. The recipe has been updated. Happy cooking 🙂 !
Amber says
I LOVE your site.
In the Instructions section, line number 6;
is brown sauce and he same as browning liquid?
Thank you for all you do!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it is. Thanks !
Christal says
So the review is better when you receive it from your family. So many rave reviews about this recipe. It was a huge hit with the men in the house. It compared to a Jamaican restaurant as being much much tastier.
Thanks Imma!
Belinda says
Thanks for this recipe. It was so tasty.
Ms Belle says
Hi, where can I get the browning sauce?
Thanks!
Imma says
Most international markets carry it and depending on your area, some local grocery stores carry it as well. Grace and Kitchen Bouquet are great brands. Here is option Amazon that is great!
Hope says
In my family we call this chocolate chicken, because of the brown color. Haha! I learned this from a Jamaican friend back in college. Can’t wait to try your version!
Robin says
Hello
Can you please recommend a brand or recipe for ” Browning sauce”? Thanks
Jenny Adkins says
Oh my Atlanta! I had a gentleman from Jamaica who made this one night and have been obsessed with it ever since. I made the thus with homemade Johnny cakes and coconut rice for 3 grown and hungry men and they absolutely loved it! They were only upset they couldn’t have thirds! Thank you for this my love this is now a staple and I almost had three marriage proposals. I made your porkchops and those were loved just as much and have been requested for future birthdays! Thank you for bringing flavor and exciting new things into my home. I have been following you since 2016 and it’s was the best decisions I ever made! This is my go to website. Bless you and keep the goodness coming. Mwah!
Tamar says
Hi there
Made this tonight and it was terrific. Served it with the coconut rice with red beans. Garnished with slivers of sweet red pepper and green onion. Like a trip to the Caribbean on my plate! Much less complicated than other brown stew recipes I have tried, but full of rich flavor.
When it’s chicken and rice night, I come to your website first to find a recipe!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for all the kind words, Tamar! You’re always welcome here. 😉
Sheila says
Can you bake this instead of stewing on the stove?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, you can . You might have to adjust stock/water , to desired consistency.
Brianna says
When do you add the chicken broth?
ImmaculateBites says
It’s listed in line 6 , together with the chicken.
Naomi says
It’s not. But I kinda figured it out. Thanks for the recipe.