The classic Jamaican brown stew chicken recipe is incredibly flavorful. All the complementary sweet and spicy notes you’ll want to whip 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 stew. The aromatic blend of garlic, ginger, pepper, thyme, and green onions makes my mouth water long before serving up a plate.
This recipe is 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’s favs.
Why It’s Called Brown Stew
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 enhances the flavor of meat and darkens the broth in soups and stews.
How to Make Brown Stew Chicken
- Season with salt and pepper according to your taste, then add the chicken bouillon powder, ginger, garlic, white pepper, thyme, paprika, and green onions. (Photos 1-4)
- Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
- Sear the chicken, reserving the marinade for later, for 3-4 minutes until golden. Set it aside. (Photo 5)
- Sauté the 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 6-8)
- Add the leftover marinade from the chicken, and deglaze the pan with the chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil. (Photo 9)
- Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for about 25 minutes or until it becomes fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce thickens slightly. (Photo 10)
- Add the rest of the bell peppers and scotch bonnet if desired, adjust seasonings to taste, and adjust the sauce consistency as desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Make this recipe in a slow cooker or Instant Pot for an even easier meal! Just brown the chicken and sauté the seasonings, then toss all the ingredients into the crock pot (on high for 3-4 hours) or pressure cooker (10 minutes on high, then natural release for 10 minutes).
- You can also make this in an Instant Pot following the same instructions as the slow cooker.
- Leave out the hot sauce for a mild version of brown chicken stew.
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
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Q0ocT7zc” upload-date=”2020-10-28T11:24:33.000Z” name=”Brown Stew Chicken” description=”Brown Stew Chicken – incredibly rich in flavor Jamaican classic stewed chicken that’s primarily sweet and spicy. So easy to make and it comes together quickly. Great for regular weeknights or when entertaining!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]
This post was first published in May 2014 and has been updated with a new recipe, photos, tips, and a video.
Leave a Reply