Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken combines juicy marinated chicken thighs mixed with tender veggies and a sauce that’s full of Jamaican flavor! It’s a perfect dish for when you’re craving a taste of the Caribbean or need a switch up from the standard plain chicken dinners! Not to mention, it is so incredibly simple to make!
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe
Looking to spice up your weeknight meal rotation? This recipe is perfect. With a marinade done the night before, you’ll have this amazing weeknight meal done in a flash!
If you haven’t tried making your own Jamaican or Caribbean food—don’t worry! This dish is just as easy as it is delicious. You might even want to make extra — this meal only gets better the next day.
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
- It’s packed with flavor! This recipe has no shortage of aromatic herbs and delicious spices. You can even adjust the spice level to make it as hot or mild as you wish!
- It’s easy! The chicken marinade is done the night before, so when you’re ready to cook, most of the work is already done!
- It’s unique! This recipe combines ginger, allspice, and thyme to make your weeknight chicken dish anything but boring!
🥘 Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Ingredients
This brown stew chicken recipe elevates the classic chicken stew by combining warm, fragrant herbs and spices with a luscious, rich sauce. This dish may have a few unfamiliar ingredients, but you’ll want to make this so often that you won’t regret buying them!
Marinade Ingredients
- Chicken - 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6-8 thighs). You can substitute boneless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will stay moist and juicy. Bone-in or boneless chicken thighs are both commonly used in this recipe, so go whichever you prefer!
- Dark Brown Sugar - 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar to add a hint of sweetness.
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper - 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeds removed and diced. If they are hard to find in your area like mine, you can substitute a habanero pepper or even a jalapeño pepper.
- Kosher Salt - 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt. Kosher salt’s flaky texture spreads evenly over food. You can substitute iodized or sea salt, but you’ll want to reduce the amount!
- Minced Garlic - 2 tablespoons (4-6 cloves) of minced garlic. Mince your own or buy pre-minced.
- Green Onions - 2 tablespoons of chopped green onions. You’ll want to chop these, so the fresh onion flavor permeates the chicken thighs.
- Ginger Paste - 1 tablespoon of ginger paste. You can use freshly grated ginger, packaged ginger paste, or even dried ginger in a pinch!
- Dried Thyme - 1 tablespoon of dried thyme.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Vinegar helps to make the meat super tender.
- Browning Sauce - 2 teaspoons of browning sauce. A blend of caramel color and concentrated seasonings, this sauce is a supermarket hidden gem. You'll find the browning sauce near the liquid smoke (you need this in your life too), where the marinades and BBQ sauces are.
- Ground Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper. This classic spice helps to add a zesty note to the dish.
- Ground Allspice - ½ teaspoon of ground allspice. Known in the Caribbean as pimento, this warm spice isn’t just for baking! It adds an incredible depth of flavor.
Stew Ingredients
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of olive oil. One of the best cooking oils. Use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for the best results.
- Yellow Onion - 1 medium yellow onion, diced. Yellow onions add a touch of sweetness but can be substituted with either white or red onions.
- Carrots - 3 large carrots, washed and sliced. Makes the stew hearty and soaks up the delicious sauce.
- Green and Red Bell Peppers - ½ of both a red and green bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced. Adds crunch and that peppery goodness without the spice.
- Diced Tomatoes - One 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes. Be sure to drain these to prevent watering down the stew! Fire-roasted tomatoes are my favorite for this tasty stew!
- Bay Leaves- 2 bay leaves. These add a delicious, light aroma to the dish.
- Chicken Broth - 3 cups of chicken broth. Use homemade or your favorite store-bought chicken broth brand.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
Transport your kitchen to the Caribbean with this mind-blowing main dish! Your marinade will do all the hard work for you, and you’ll be amazed at the incredible flavor of this delicious brown stew chicken. All you need is a knife, a cutting board, a large mixing bowl, some tongs, and a large pot.
This delicious stew is enough for about 4 servings, but you can serve it over some rice to stretch it even further!
Prepare
- Prep. Remove the 2 pounds (907 grams) of chicken from the packaging, rinse under cool water, and pat dry. Set aside. (Don’t forget to sanitize your sink!)
- Chop. Next, mince 2 tablespoons (16 grams) of garlic, grate 1 tablespoon of ginger if using fresh (6 grams), and chop 2 tablespoons (12 grams) of green onions. Wearing gloves, seed, and dice 1 scotch bonnet pepper.
Make The Marinade
- Make the marinade. In a large mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons (24 grams) of dark brown sugar, the diced scotch bonnet, 2 tablespoons (36 grams) of Kosher salt, 2 tablespoons (16 grams) of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons (12 grams) of green onions, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of ginger paste, 1 tablespoon (4 grams) of dried thyme, 1 tablespoon (14 milliliters) of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of browning sauce, 1 teaspoon (2 grams) of ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of ground allspice. Combine well.
- Add the chicken. Add in the chicken thighs, and using tongs or your gloved hand, massage the marinade into the meat. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight (12 hours is optimal).
Make The Stew
- Prep for the stew. Chop one large yellow onion (about 1 cup), slice 3 large carrots, and chop half of a green bell pepper and half of a red bell pepper. Set aside.
- Remove from marinade. Then, use your tongs to remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess and setting it aside (reserve the marinade).
- Heat. Next, in a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons (29 milliliters) of olive oil and heat to medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken. Working in batches, add the chicken and brown on both sides. It’ll take about 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside on a clean plate when done.
- Saute the veggies. In the same pot, add the onion and stir until brown but not burnt. Add the carrots and bell peppers, and stir to combine. Then add the 14 ounces (397 grams) of drained, diced tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Make sure you stir frequently!
- Make the stew. Add the chicken broth and reserved marinade to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the delicious flavor up. Next, add the chicken pieces and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a very low simmer.
- Simmer. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Serve and enjoy. When the stew has reduced, serve while hot, and enjoy!
🥗 Sides
Pair with another amazing Jamaican recipe!
I love to garnish brown stew chicken with extra chopped green onions and serve it for dinner with fluffy white rice as my side dish! Of course, you can eat it all on its own, too! Enjoy!
How To Make Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken In The Instant Pot
This brown stew chicken recipe can be easily made in an Instant Pot!
- Use the Sauté setting to brown your chicken and veggies. When you’re ready to simmer, seal the Instant Pot according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Set to Manual, High Pressure, for 20 minutes.
- Finish with a quick pressure release. If you need to reduce more liquid, you can turn the Sauté setting back on and simmer until the liquid is properly reduced.
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers can be hard to find and can be substituted with habaneros or even jalapeños.
- However, the Scoville Heat Units (the measurement scale for the spiciness of chili peppers) are vastly different for these peppers. A jalapeño ranks at 2,500-8,000 SHU, and scotch bonnets and habaneros both rank at 100,000-350,000 SHU. The jalapeño will give you a milder heat, and the scotch bonnet or habanero will give you a more intense heat.
- Wear gloves while chopping any chili peppers - you don’t want to get the pepper oils on your skin or in your eyes!
- Not all salt is the same! Kosher salt is lighter in weight than regular table salt or sea salt and usually requires more to achieve the same flavor.
- If you must substitute table salt for kosher salt, add half the amount (one tablespoon). You can always add more salt later if you wish!
- Cooking times may vary when making the brown stew chicken. Your goal is to reduce the liquid of the stew by half.
- Keep an eye on your stew to make sure it reduces properly. If your stove takes a little longer, you can remove the chicken once it’s fully cooked and add it back in at the end for a few minutes to prevent overcooking.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Stews only get better the next day! Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this will last 3- 4 days for the best flavor.
Freezing Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
This meal freezes perfectly! Store in an airtight container, preferably wrapped with cling film or foil to prevent any freezer burn. It can hang out in your freezer for up to 3 months for the best quality.
Reheating Brown Stew Chicken
To keep the best flavor, reheating this stewed chicken on the stove with low heat is the best option. You’ll want to simmer it until it looks as hot and delicious as the day you made it.
If you’re in a pinch, the microwave works too! Be sure to cover your dish with a paper towel to prevent splatter and heat for 60-second increments until hot, stirring in between.
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❓ FAQ
It can be, but it doesn’t have to! If you’re not a huge fan of heat, use jalapeño or omit the hot peppers altogether. If you love heat, but can’t find scotch bonnets or habaneros, consider using a couple of jalapeños, and leaving in the seeds!
Brown stew chicken would be great with Caribbean stewed cabbage, your favorite potato dish, or a deliciously crusty, rustic bread!
You should be able to find browning sauce at most grocery stores, typically in the aisle with marinades and BBQ sauces. Ask a grocery store clerk for help if you can’t find it!
🍗 More Chicken Recipes
- Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks - Chicken drumsticks are wrapped in bacon and then baked until crispy.
- Baked Avocado Chicken - Seared chicken breasts are topped with avocado, cheese, and crisp bacon.
- Garlic Parmesan Wings - Classic wings that are coated in a garlic Parmesan mixture.
- Baked Chicken Thighs - Versatile bone-in chicken thighs that can be enjoyed in so many different ways.
- Chicken A La King - Chicken and vegetables are combined in a rich cream sauce.
- Cream Cheese Chicken - Chicken thighs are cooked in a cream cheese-based sauce until tender and juicy.
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📋 Recipe
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
Ingredients
For The Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs (6-8 thighs)
- 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (diced and seeded or 1 diced seeded Habanero pepper)
- 2 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic (4-6 garlic cloves minced)
- 2 tablespoon green onions (chopped, 1-2 green onions)
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste (fresh, packaged or dry)
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon browning sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
For The Stew
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 ½-2 cups diced)
- 3 large carrots (washed and sliced)
- ½ green bell pepper (chopped or sliced)
- ½ red bell pepper (chopped or sliced)
- 14 oz diced tomatoes (canned, drained)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups chicken broth
Instructions
Prep
- Remove chicken from packaging, rinse under cool water and pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Set aside.
- Mince the garlic, slice the green onions, and seed and dice the scotch bonnet pepper (be sure to wear gloves, scotch bonnets are very hot, you don't want the pepper oils on your hands).2 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoon green onions, 1 scotch bonnet pepper
The Marinade
- In a large mixing bowl add dark brown sugar, scotch bonnet, salt, green onion, ginger, thyme, apple cider vinegar, browning sauce, pepper, and allspice.2 tablespoon dark brown sugar, 1 scotch bonnet pepper, 2 tablespoon Kosher salt, 2 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoon green onions, 1 tablespoon ginger paste, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoon browning sauce, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- Combine all ingredients, add in chicken thighs, using tongs or a gloved hand rub the marinade into the chicken meat.
- Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight 12 to 24 hrs is optimal for the best flavor).
Make The Stew
- With tongs remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off or scrape any excess marinade from the chicken pieces and set them aside for later (reserve the marinade as you will add all of it to the stew).
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, add olive oil, then bring to medium-high heat.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Working in batches, add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides, or about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a clean plate.
- In the same pot at medium high heat, add in the onion, stir for a couple minutes until onion turns brown (not burnt). Add the carrots and bell peppers, stir to combine. Then add in the tomatoes, stir for 2-3 minutes.1 medium yellow onion, 3 large carrots, ½ green bell pepper, ½ red bell pepper, 14 oz diced tomatoes
- Add chicken broth to the pot, chicken pieces, bay leaves, and the reserved marinade (scrape the bottom of your pot to get up all the bits).2 bay leaves
- Bring to rapid boil, then reduce heat to get a very low boil/simmer.
- Cook uncovered for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the liquid has reduced by half.
- When the stew has reduced to your satisfaction, serve over rice, and enjoy!
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers can be hard to find and can be substituted with habaneros or even jalapeños.
- However, the Scoville Heat Units (the measurement scale for the spiciness of chili peppers) are vastly different for these peppers. A jalapeño ranks at 2,500-8,000 SHU, and scotch bonnets and habaneros both rank at 100,000-350,000 SHU. The jalapeño will give you a milder heat, and the scotch bonnet or habanero will give you a more intense heat.
- Wear gloves while chopping any chili peppers - you don’t want to get the pepper oils on your skin or in your eyes!
- Not all salt is the same! Kosher salt is lighter in weight than regular table salt or sea salt and usually requires more to achieve the same flavor.
- If you must substitute table salt for kosher salt, add half the amount (one tablespoon). You can always add more salt later if you wish!
- Cooking times may vary when making the brown stew chicken. Your goal is to reduce the liquid of the stew by half.
- Keep an eye on your stew to make sure it reduces properly. If your stove takes a little longer, you can remove the chicken once it’s fully cooked and add it back in at the end for a few minutes to prevent overcooking.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
José Daniel Meriño Rodríguez says
Me fascina la comida caribeña. En familia seleccionamos los fines de semanas para preparar platos típicos del caribe. En mi municipio Manatí, Las Tunas, Cuba, desarrollamos un evento sociocultural donde representamos a las islas del caribe, sus costumbres, tradiciones, religiones, vestuarios y platos típicos tradicionales. El trimestre pasado representé a República Dominicana. En esta oportunidad, este 26/08/2023, represento a Barbados.
Este sitio me ha servido de mucha utilidad. Tengo más de veintes platos típicos de Barbados que defenderé con el mismo sabor y frescura que sus preparaciones. Espero en verdad sorprender al público presente. Todo, gracias a ustedes. (I love Caribbean food. As a family we select the weekends to prepare typical Caribbean dishes. In my municipality Manatí, Las Tunas, Cuba, we developed a sociocultural event where we represented the Caribbean islands, their customs, traditions, religions, costumes and typical traditional dishes. Last quarter I represented the Dominican Republic. On this occasion, this 08/26/2023, I represent Barbados.
This site has been very useful to me. I have more than twenty typical Barbados dishes that I will defend with the same flavor and freshness as your preparations. I really hope to surprise the audience present. Everything, thanks to you.)
Valerie says
This meal is delicious and we really enjoyed it. I used the Instant Pot and cooked under pressure for 20 minutes with natural release. I have added it to our make again list.
Florence says
Very tasty. Thank you for sharing.