Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

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.

Jump to:

• Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe
• ❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
• 🥘 Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Make Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
• 🥗 Sides
• 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• ❓ Recipe FAQs
• 🍗 More Chicken Recipes
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

❤️ Why I 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

1. 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!)
2. 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

1. 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.
2. 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

1. 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.
2. Remove from marinade. Then, use your tongs to remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess and setting it aside (reserve the marinade).
3. Heat. Next, in a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons (29 milliliters) of olive oil and heat to medium-high heat.
4. 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.
5. 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!
6. 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.
7. Simmer. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced by half.
8. 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!

1. 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.
2. Set to Manual, High Pressure, for 20 minutes.
3. 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 Pro 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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❓ Recipe FAQs

🍗 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.

📖 Recipe Card