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    Home » Recipes » Poultry

    Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

    Published: Jan 22, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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    Brown stew chicken is a popular Jamaican chicken dish. Chicken is stewed until bone tender in a stew with a deep rich color and bold flavors. If you love Jamaican food, you will love this brown stew recipe. It's a great alternative to oxtail stew, which is another classic Jamaican stew, because it's quicker and will be least expensive and easily accessible for a weeknight meal. Similar stews like this is pollo guisado which is a Puerto Rican stewed chicken.

    Brown Stew Chicken Ingredients

    overhead shoot of brown stew chicken ingredients

    Chicken- You can use a whole chicken for this recipe but I used the dark meat, chicken legs and chicken thighs. Skin on is preference but I prefer skin off because I don't like the skin of chicken in stews. I leave the bone in because that is more flavor.

    Scotch Bonnet Pepper- If you can not find this hot pepper, another you can use is a habanero pepper. Do not slice, leave it whole.

    Browning Sauce- Used in a lot of Jamaican recipes with stews and gravies. Also helps with the brown color like in jerk chicken.

    Warm Spices- Perfect for stews there are seasonings like ginger, allspice, and black pepper. There is also brown sugar, paprika, thyme, and bay leaf.

    Let's Make This Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe

    chicken marinating in large silver bowl

    In a large mixing bowl, add chicken pieces, green bell pepper, chopped onions, green onions, garlic cloves, all the spices, and browning. Combine well so that the chicken is fully coated in the marinade. Set for at least 30 minutes.

    plated marinaded chicken pieces removed from marinade in large silver bowl

    Remove the chicken from the marinade, making sure not to have the vegetables attached the to the chicken. Keep the marinade to the side.

    browning chicken thighs in a large dutch oven

    Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the marinated chicken for 2-3 minutes per side then remove. Cook in batches to not over crowd the pot.

    marinade added to large dutch oven

    Lower to medium heat and add reserved marinade to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Scrap the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

    all ingredients for the brown stew added to the dutch oven

    Add chicken broth, ketchup, bay leaf, and scotch bonnet to the pot and sir to combine.

    chicken added to the brown stew in dutch oven coming to a boil

    Place the browned chicken pieces into the pot and bring the stew to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cover cooking for 1 1/2 hours.

    cooked brown stew chicken in large dutch oven

    Remove the lid and continue to cook for 10 minutes to reduce the rich brown stew gravy.

    close up of served brown stew chicken with rice and peas

    Serve with white rice or rice and peas as shown.

    Other Recipes You May Enjoy

    • Jamaican Oxtail Stew
    • Jamaican Rice and Peas
    • Spicy Jamaican Beef Patties
    • Jamaican Curry Chicken
    • Caribbean Jerk Chicken
    Jamaican brown stew chicken feature image

    Jamaica Brown Stew Chicken

    Chicken is stewed until bone tender in a stew with a deep rich color and bold Caribbean flavors.
    3 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Jamaican
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 505kcal

    Equipment

    dutch oven
    Mixing Bowls

    Ingredients

    • 4 skinless chicken drumsticks
    • 4 skinless chicken thighs
    • 1 scotch bonnet pepper
    • 1 green bell pepper diced
    • 1 onion diced
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp browning
    • 2 tbsp ketchup
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1/2 tsp all spice
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp paprika
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 3 green onion sliced
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 cups chicken broth

    Instructions

    • In a large mixing bowl, add chicken pieces, green bell pepper, chopped onions, green onions, garlic cloves, all the spices, and browning. Combine well so that the chicken is fully coated in the marinade. Set for at least 30 minutes.
    • Remove the chicken from the marinade, making sure not to have the vegetables attached the to the chicken. Keep the marinade to the side.
    • Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the marinated chicken for 2-3 minutes per side then remove. Cook in batches to not over crowd the pot.
    • Lower to medium heat and add reserved marinade to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Scrap the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
    • Add chicken broth, ketchup, bay leaf, and scotch bonnet to the pot and sir to combine.
    • Place the browned chicken pieces into the pot and bring the stew to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cover cooking for 1 1/2 hours.
    • Remove the lid and continue to cook for 10 minutes to reduce the rich brown stew gravy.
    • Serve with white rice or rice and peas!

    Video

    Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

    Nutrition

    Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.8g | Protein: 51.9g | Fat: 23.8g | Saturated Fat: 5.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 162.5mg | Sodium: 811.1mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 12.2g
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jamaican Queen says

      January 25, 2023 at 10:21 am

      3 stars
      Though you have some of the ingredients correct and some of the procedures. It's better to say that this is your take on the Jamaican Dish but this is not typically how Jamaicans make their "brown stew chicken." It was a good attempt though. I see where you definitely put in a lot of effort.

      Reply
      • Itaira says

        January 29, 2023 at 9:00 am

        Yes it is definitely my take on it. Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply

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