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    Home >> Jamaican

    Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

    Modified: Jun 14, 2022 · Published: May 20, 2022 by Analida · • Word count:1332 words. • About 7 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links ·

    230 shares
    • 88
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A red braising pan with Jamaican brown stew chicken and a bowl of rice.

    Another Jamaican recipe! This time it's Jamaican brown stew chicken, rich and hearty, perfect for cool Spring or Fall weather. And, guess what? This recipe is also from Cariel, my Jamaican co-worker, remember her? She gave me the recipe for Jamaican Toto, the super delicious coconut dessert I published a while back.

    A serving spoon and fork next to a red braising pan with Jamaican brown chicken stew.
    Jump to:
    • Brown Stew Chicken Background
    • What is browning seasoning?
    • Step by step photos
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Other great stew recipes from around the world
    • Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe

    Brown Stew Chicken Background

    While there is no coconut milk in Jamaican brown stew chicken, it is, however, cooked in a rich gravy with a hint of allspice. Take a serving of this stew and some rice, and you have a great meal. I asked Cariel about this dish, but she said she didn't really know. "You see, in Jamaica stews are not really that popular. Jamaican brown stew chicken is one of the only ones"  she told me. I was really surprised to hear that, but who am I to question her culinary heritage, right?

    Cariel told me that you can make this dish in the oven if you prefer. If you do this, however, you won't get any of the wonderful brown bits you get from scraping the pan. These scrapings make for a heavenly gravy, and this is what this dish is all about. If you add browning seasoning this will give is a deep rich color also, more on that later. This Jamaican brown stew chicken is usually made with a whole chicken. I opted to only use chicken thighs because then the pieces look uniform for the photography. I  know this is kind of neurotic of me, but that's just part of who I am.

    This is the first time I made this, and it turned out great. I also got rave reviews from my favorite critics, aka my family. I am really lucky they like trying new things; they're great guinea pigs. I used jalapeños instead of bell peppers because my family doesn't care for them. This is a great dish to prepare in the slow cooker. I like to serve this dish with rice.

    A red braising pan with Jamaican brown chicken stew and a black bowl with white rice.

    What is browning seasoning?

    You can get a deep rich dark brown color into your gravy by using a browning seasoning and sauce. This adds a nice color and a bit of rich flavor and you don't need much. This recipe calls for 1 teaspoon. One of the most popular browning sauces is Kitchen Bouquet which you can find in most grocery stores in the condiment section or where they have packets for gravy. The browning sauce can be added to soups, sauces or brushed on meats to give it a color boost. This technique works well for meat cooked in the microwave or slow cooker that tend to be more pale in color. A little goes a long way so measure carefully and if you use too much it may add a slight bitter flavor.

    Step by step photos

    A collage of photos show the steps to make Jamaican brown chicken stew in a braising pan on the stove.
    1. Gather your ingredients and have them measured, chopped and ready to go.
    2. Mix together the dry ingredients of the marinade in a small bowl: salt, pepper, brown sugar, paprika and allspice. Sprinkle this over the chicken and turn to coat evenly. Next mix in the garlic, habanero, ginger, thyme, oil and scallions. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. Overnight is even better.
    3. Heat a large skillet or braising pan on medium heat and cook the chicken pieces until brown and a bit crispy on both sides. This should take 3-4 minutes per side. Be sure to put all of the marinade ingredients in the pan. Remove the chicken and set on a platter.
    4. Discard half the oil, add the salt and use the remaining oil to sauté the onions, carrots, and jalapeño until the onions are translucent.
    5. Add chicken stock, hot pepper sauce and ketchup then stir.
    6. Cook the gravy for about 5-10 minutes on medium heat then add browning sauce and then add the chicken to the gravy. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes, until the gravy begins to thicken.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long can I store the Jamaican brown stew chicken?

    Once the chicken has cooled you can store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

    How do I reheat the chicken?

    Reheat the chicken in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and stop to stir every 30-45 seconds until hot.  Once reheated do not cool and store again in the refrigerator, consume it right away. So only reheat the amount you will consume.

    Can I freeze the Jamaican brown stew chicken? 

    Yes, allow the chicken to cool and you can freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.  Thaw completely in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave.

    Other great stew recipes from around the world

    • Moroccan lamb tagine and also Moroccan chicken tagine are two fantastic recipes that are easy to make in a slow cooker and the flavors are very unique.
    • Bo sot vang is a Vietnamese beef stew with French influenced flavors of red wine along with an Asian favorite star anise.
    • Guinness beef stew is a family favorite with a hearty dark brown broth, aromatic flavors and pairs nicely with Irish brown bread.
    • West African peanut stew is a great dish for vegetarians. The sweet potatoes combined with ginger, peanut butter, spinach, jalapeño and other ingredients make an incredible flavored dish.
    • Misir wot is an Ethiopian red lentil stew with ginger, garlic, onion, berbere spice, tomato paste and cilantro. This is so simple to make and usually take less than 1 hour.
    • Cassoulet is a popular French pork and sausage stew with beans that is great for cold winter nights.
    • Dublin coddle is a favorite Irish dish for Saint Patrick's Day in our house. Irish bangers ( sausage) and vegetables make a simple meal.
    • Baeckeoffe is a French oven roasted stew made with pork shoulder and beef baked under a layer of sliced potatoes.
    • Panamanian beef stew brings the great Latin flavors of recaito and sofrito. Simple ingredients make it a comfort food that is easy to make.

    And finally, get ready to have an awesome Jamaican stew. Think sunny beaches, turn on some reggae and sink your teeth into delicious bites of Jamaican brown stew chicken. The tropics are closer than you think!

    Looking for more recipes?   Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week!  You can also find me sharing more inspiration in Pinterest and Facebook

    A red braising pan with Jamaican brown chicken stew and a black bowl with white rice.

    Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe

    A spicy Jamaican dish of pan seared chicken that is then simmered in a rich and flavorful gravy until fall apart tender.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main dish
    Cuisine: Jamaican
    Keyword: chicken stew, spicy chicken dish
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Marinate time: 4 hours hours
    Total Time: 4 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 572kcal
    Author: Analida Braeger

    Ingredients

    Chicken and Marinade

    • 3 lbs chicken thighs skins removed
    • 2 tsp salt kosher
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • ¼ tsp allspice
    • 1 tsp paprika sweet or smoked
    • 3 garlic cloves minced
    • 2 scallion stalks white part only minced
    • 2 habanero peppers cored, seeded, diced
    • 2 tbsp ginger fresh, minced
    • 2 tbsp thyme leaves, fresh,chopped
    • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

    Gravy

    • 1 large onion sliced
    • 2 jalapenos cored, seeded and diced
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 1 tsp hot pepper sauce tabasco or sriracha works nice
    • 2 tbsp ketchup
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 2 carrots sliced thin
    • 1 tsp browning sauce

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl mix together salt, pepper, sugar, paprika and allspice.
    • Place the chicken on a large glass baking dish or bowl and sprinkle the spice mixture over it. Add in the oil, garlic, ginger, habanero, thyme, and scallion. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours before cooking. If you can leave it overnight, even better.
    • In a large skillet or braising pan heat the oil on medium heat and fry pieces of chicken 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are brown. Be sure to put all the marinade ingredients in the pan. Transfer the chicken to a large platter.
    • Discard half the oil, add the salt and use the remaining oil to sauté the onions, carrots, and jalapeño until onions are translucent. Add chicken stock, hot pepper sauce and ketchup then stir.
    • Finally, cook the gravy for about 5-10 minutes on medium heat then add browning sauce and then the chicken to the gravy. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes, until the gravy begins to thicken.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 226mg | Sodium: 1825mg | Potassium: 747mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4003IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg

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    230 shares
    • 88

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patricia Vial

      May 20, 2022 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      Delicious and so easy to make.

      Reply
    2. Arturo de la Guardia

      May 20, 2022 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      Very nice

      Reply
      • Analida

        May 21, 2022 at 6:41 pm

        Thanks Arturo! I am glad you liked the recipe!

        Reply
    3. Olmedo

      May 22, 2022 at 8:20 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious dish. Another good one.

      Reply
    4. Gwynn

      January 16, 2024 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      This was the perfect recipe for a comfort food dinner on a cold and snowy evening. Yum!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 17, 2024 at 8:16 am

        Thanks Gwynn! The spicy heat in this dish will warm you up too!

        Reply
    5. Jamie

      January 20, 2024 at 2:26 am

      5 stars
      This is absolutely an amazing recipe! I love how easy and flavorful this dish is. So yummy!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 24, 2024 at 12:05 pm

        Thanks Jamie! This dish has a lot of unique flavors for sure!

        Reply
    6. Amy Liu Dong

      January 20, 2024 at 2:27 am

      5 stars
      With all the herbs and spices, I am pretty sure that dish has a good smell and tastes well. I can't wait to make this at home!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 24, 2024 at 12:05 pm

        Thank Amy! This is one our favorite spicy dishes at our house.

        Reply
    7. Kate Hahnel

      January 22, 2024 at 5:40 am

      5 stars
      Our chicken stew turned out so flavourful and tender! I cant wait to make this again!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 24, 2024 at 12:06 pm

        Thanks Kate! It really does just melt in your mouth!

        Reply
    8. Diana

      August 04, 2024 at 10:55 am

      5 stars
      This was delicious. I had the butcher cut up whole chicken, but I think the only-legs way is the way to go (because then it's easier to remove the skins). My son says this is the best chicken he ever ate.

      I bought two habaneros for this but at the end, I worried it may be too spicy for my husband, so I used only one. However, it was not at all too spicy and could definitely take two habaneros.

      The recipe was perfect. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Analida

        August 14, 2024 at 6:16 am

        Thanks Diana! I am so glad you and your family liked the stew!

        Reply
    9. Diana

      August 04, 2024 at 10:56 am

      5 stars
      I meant "only-thighs," not legs.

      Reply

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    Analida profile pictureI have been researching and creating ethnic recipes for over 20 years. I love to share "mostly healthy" easy and affordable ethnic recipes using fresh ingredients, with a bit of culture and food history sprinkled in.... Read more-->

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