Name: Authentic Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 3–4 lb chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on for best flavor); 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste); 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder; 1 tbsp minced ginger; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried); 1 tsp paprika; 2 green onions (scallions), chopped; 1 tsp browning sauce (Grace brand or homemade); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 medium onion, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp fresh thyme; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 1 green bell pepper, sliced; 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (optional); 2 tbsp ketchup; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1–2 tsp browning sauce (to deepen color); 1 cup chicken broth (or water); Salt and pepper, to taste

Description

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken is a classic Caribbean comfort dish made with chicken thighs marinated in garlic, ginger, thyme, and browning sauce, then browned and simmered in a rich, dark gravy with peppers and onions. Perfect for family dinners and best served over rice and peas.

Ingredients

Scale

For the marinade:

3–4 lb chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on for best flavor)

2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

1 tbsp minced ginger

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 tsp paprika

2 green onions (scallions), chopped

1 tsp browning sauce (Grace brand or homemade)

For the stew:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp brown sugar

1–2 tsp browning sauce (to deepen color)

1 cup chicken broth (or water)

Salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.

2. Combine chicken with all marinade ingredients in a large bowl, mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight (or at least 1 hour).

3. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and brown chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden; work in batches.

5. Remove browned chicken and set aside.

6. Reduce heat to medium; add sliced onion, minced garlic, and thyme, then sauté 2–3 minutes until softened.

7. Stir in bell peppers, scotch bonnet (if using), ketchup, brown sugar, and extra browning sauce; cook 2 minutes.

8. Pour in reserved marinade and chicken broth; scrape up browned bits to deglaze.

9. Bring to a boil, then return chicken to the pot, nestling pieces into the sauce.

10. Cover and simmer 25–30 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce thickens.

11. Uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes more to thicken; taste and adjust salt, pepper, sugar, or browning sauce.

12. Rest 5 minutes, then serve hot over rice and peas (or coconut rice).

Notes

Marinate overnight for the deepest flavor, but 1 hour works if you’re short on time.

Browning sauce is key for the signature dark gravy; start small and add more to reach your preferred color.

Use bone-in dark meat (thighs/drumsticks) for the juiciest results.

For a mild version, skip the scotch bonnet; for more heat, leave some seeds.

If gravy is thin, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes; if too thick, add a splash of broth.

Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Main Dishes, Chicken
Method: Stovetop, Simmering
Cuisine: Jamaican, Caribbean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 thigh with sauce
Calories: 420
Sugar: 8g
Sodium: 850mg
Fat: 25g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 18g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 35g
Cholesterol: 140mg