Description
A flavorful and tender Jamaican brown stew chicken simmered in a rich, savory sauce made with allspice, Scotch bonnet pepper, and vegetables.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (4 ½ to 5-pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tablespoons browning sauce (such as Grace)
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice (or 10–12 pimento berries)
- 1 large (12 oz) white onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 small scallions, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- For Cooking:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, stem removed
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock or water
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. Add chicken pieces, browning sauce, and allspice. Stir and toss to coat the chicken evenly. Stir in onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, thyme, and ginger. Mix until well-distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours to marinate.
- Cook the Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess marinade drip off (reserve marinade). Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add chicken pieces to hot oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Make the Stew: Reduce heat to medium. Add Scotch bonnet pepper and reserved marinade to the Dutch oven. Stir occasionally, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add browned chicken back into the pot along with chicken stock and ketchup. Stir until ketchup dissolves (about 30 seconds). Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Final Steps: Spoon off and discard any fat. Discard thyme stems and Scotch bonnet pepper. Serve the brown stew chicken with your favorite sides, like rice and peas or steamed vegetables.
Notes
- Adjust the spiciness by removing the seeds from the Scotch bonnet pepper or using less.
- If you don’t have Scotch bonnet, habanero can be substituted, though it will be a bit milder.
- Serve with traditional Jamaican sides like rice and peas or fried plantains for a full meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Jamaican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
