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Brown Stew Chicken

Brown stew chicken is a Jamaican main dish where marinated chicken is browned in caramelized sugar and simmered until fall-apart tender in a deep mahogany gravy. Expect deeply golden chicken, soft peppers, and a thick, savory sauce finished with fresh thyme.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
marinating 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Jamaican
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and vegetables
  • 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks Use skin-on for best browning and flavor.
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, minced (optional) Omit for mild heat.
Marinade
  • 2 tsp browning sauce For the classic deep color.
  • 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning Use a Jamaican all-purpose seasoning if you have one.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 salt and pepper Season to taste; include in the marinade.
Stew
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar (for browning) Caramelizes into golden-brown cooking oil.
  • 0.25 fresh thyme for garnish Finely strip leaves for serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate
  1. Combine all marinade ingredients and rub them over the bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks. Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
Caramelize and brown
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven, then add sugar and cook until it caramelizes to a golden brown. Keep an eye on it so it turns amber without burning.
  2. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook until deeply golden on all sides, turning as needed. Remove the chicken to a plate while you cook the vegetables.
Build the stew
  1. In the same pot, sauté onion, bell peppers, garlic, green onions, and scotch bonnet for 4 minutes. Stir frequently until fragrant and slightly softened.
  2. Return the chicken to the pot and add chicken broth, then bring everything to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits for a thicker, richer gravy.
  3. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the gravy is thick. Uncover for the last few minutes if you need more reduction.
Serve
  1. Serve the brown stew chicken with rice and sprinkle fresh thyme for garnish. Spoon the thick mahogany gravy over the chicken while it’s hot.

Notes

Pro tip: caramelized sugar clings quickly, so use medium heat and stir until it reaches a true golden brown before browning the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; the flavors often deepen overnight. Freeze cooked chicken stew in a sealed container up to 3 months. For a lower-sodium option, choose a reduced-salt all-purpose seasoning and taste the marinade before adding extra salt.