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.
Incredibly delicious ! Thank you for sharing the recipe !
You’re welcome, Chin! Glad you loved it! 🙂
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.
Three times? Yess! Thank you so much.
I’ve I made this brown stew chicken many times always a hit in my house will continue to use thank you so much
Fantastic!! I am so glad this is a hit in your home, Josha :)!!
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
Thanks Cathy. I have made corrections to the recipe is 1-2 cups of water adjust as you cook.
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!
This is one of my favorites too!! 🙂 I agree this is such a comforting dish! Glad you loved it. Thanks for stopping by!
I didn’t see when to use the brown sugar
At instruction #5 🙂
Thanks
Hi do I add browning and ketchup twice ? I see it in two lines
Hi Ched. Add the browning sauce and ketchup just once. The recipe has been updated. Happy cooking 🙂 !
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!
Yes it is. Thanks !
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!
Thanks for this recipe. It was so tasty.
Hi, where can I get the browning sauce?
Thanks!
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!
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!
Hello
Can you please recommend a brand or recipe for ” Browning sauce”? Thanks
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!
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!
Thank you for all the kind words, Tamar! You’re always welcome here. 😉
Can you bake this instead of stewing on the stove?
Yes, you can . You might have to adjust stock/water , to desired consistency.
When do you add the chicken broth?
It’s listed in line 6 , together with the chicken.
It’s not. But I kinda figured it out. Thanks for the recipe.