Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

4.8
(51)

This brown stew chicken is delicious served over steamed rice with green peas, garnished with fresh thyme. I've wanted to make this for a while since I love braised or stewed chicken recipes, especially ones with similar ingredients as jerk chicken. While I might make a few adjustments next time, this came out amazingly well.

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a bowl of white rice, topped with brown stew chicken
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Prep Time:
40 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Additional Time:
4 hrs
Total Time:
6 hrs
Servings:
8

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • ½ cup sliced green onions, white and green parts separated, divided

  • 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon minced habanero pepper

  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice

  • 8 (5 ounce) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

For the Rest:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 1 large yellow onion, diced

  • 1 pinch kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 4 cups chicken broth

  • cup ketchup

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 cup sliced carrot

  • 1 cup quartered baby bell peppers

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    ingredients gathered to make Jamaican brown stew chicken

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Whisk together garlic, white parts of green onions, brown sugar, thyme, habanero, vinegar, ginger, salt, pepper, paprika, and allspice in a large mixing bowl.

    marinade ingredients combined in a bowl

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Make 2 cuts, about 1-inch apart, into the skin side of each thigh, perpendicular to the bone, cutting all the way down to the bone.

    cut made in the chicken thighs

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. Add chicken thighs to marinade; mix until evenly coated. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate, at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. If possible, flip thighs several times while marinating.

    chicken evenly coated with marinade

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Remove chicken from marinade. Scrape off any chunks of marinade from chicken into the bowl and reserve for later.

  6. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Working in batches, brown the chicken all over, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to the marinade bowl; set aside.

    chicken browned and placed back in the marinade bowl

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  7. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt; cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cook until onions are dark brown and caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes more.

    onions caramelizing in the same pan used for the chicken

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. Add chicken broth, ketchup, and bay leaves to the pan; bring to a boil. Add carrots, bell peppers, browned chicken thighs, and reserved marinade.

    all ingredients added to the pan and coming to a boil

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  9. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center and sauce has reduced and thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Skim excess fat that floats to the top; baste chicken occasionally with sauce.

    simmering until chicken is no longer pink and sauce has thickened

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  10. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in green parts of green onions. Serve and enjoy!

    a bowl of white rice, topped with brown stew chicken

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Chef's Notes

If you prefer a less sweet flavor profile, use only 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the marinade.

You can get away with marinating chicken for only 4 hours, but longer is better.

You can use diced tomatoes instead of ketchup.

Use any seasonal vegetables that you like.

If chicken finishes cooking before sauce reduces, remove thighs and keep them warm while sauce continues to simmer. Alternatively, if sauce reduces and thickens before chicken cooks, add a splash of water and continue to cook until chicken is done.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

343 Calories
20g Fat
14g Carbs
25g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 343
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 91mg 30%
Sodium 1319mg 57%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 25g 51%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 381mg 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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