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Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken is a traditional dish made with seasoned chicken cooked into a beautiful, brown and flavorful gravy.

This chicken dish is wonderful for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It is great with anything, even with some plain bread.

Brown Stew vs. Fricassee

Brown Stew Chicken is very similar to Jamaican Fricassee Chicken.

The difference between them both is that with the Fricassee style, it is fried (browned on all sides) for a longer time frame and then simmered in a brown sauce.

Let say majority of it is cooked while frying, so it’s less time simmering to make a sauce.

With the brown stew, it is browned for a short while and then slowly cooked to make a beautiful sauce.

The cooking time is much longer.

Another difference is that with brown stew, it is chopped into small pieces while the fricassee style is done with different chicken parts (drumsticks, thighs, wings etc.)

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe

What to serve with Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken?

We Jamaicans usually eat this Brown Stew Chicken recipe with Rice and Peas or regular white rice.

It is even best with some boiled dumpling, yellow yam, sweet potatoes and green bananas.

The choice is yours.

There is no set food to eat with this flavorful dish.

Even some Jamaican Fried Dumplings or Jamaican Festivals are amazingly delicious with it for breakfast.

What is Browning Sauce?

Browning Sauce is a combination of seasonings, vegetable concentrates and caramelized sugar.

It is used to add a dark, rich flavor to gravies, stews such as beef, chicken and pork and also in Christmas cakes in the Caribbean.

Always keep in mind that a little bit of Browning Sauce goes a long way.

With too much, it leaves a bitter taste, so always start out with just half a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon.

In this recipe, I used a Jamaican brand called Grace.

You can find this brand or other brands in any West Indian Supermarket or even Walmart Supermarket.

If you are not able to find any type of Browning Sauce in your local Supermarket, then you can try my Homemade Browning Sauce Recipe.

How to make Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken?

Firstly, clean up the chicken pieces, wash with the vinegar and water and pat dry each pieces. Season the chicken and allow to marinate.

Seasoned chicken.

Secondly, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add all the chicken pieces and let it sear for 15 minutes. It will spring some water while it get brown.

All the chicken pieces in the skillet to make Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken.

Thirdly, pour the water, add all the herbs and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 30 minutes. Add the scallions, thyme, browning sauce and ketchup and let it simmer for another 15 minutes or until the gravy is to your desired thickness.

Add the herbs to the chicken with some water.
Adding the ketchup and browning sauce to the chicken.
Finally, adding the scallions (green onions) and thyme to the chicken and then cover with a lid to finalize the Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken.

Finally, serve with your favorite dish and enjoy.

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken leg quarters (approximately 4 pounds), cut into pieces
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon All Purpose Seasoning or Chicken Seasoning
  • 1 Teaspoon Allspice
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper or Scotch Bonnet Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Teaspoon grated Ginger or Ground Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Soya Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Browning Sauce
  • 1 medium Roma Tomato, diced
  • 2 stalks of Scallions (Green Onions), chopped
  • 2 sprigs Thyme or 2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 medium Onion, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 Tablespoon Ketchup
  • 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1/3 cup of white vinegar
  • 3 cups Water

Instructions

  1. Cut the chicken into pieces and remove all the extra fat and skin or leave the skin on. Pour the 1/3 cup of vinegar over the chicken with some water, rinse and drain. Rinse twice with fresh water and drain again. Pat dry each pieces and put them in a bowl.
  2. Season the chicken pieces with the all purpose seasoning or chicken seasoning, allspice, black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper or crushed red pepper, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, soya sauce and worcestershire sauce.
  3. Cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. If not, then at least for 2 hours.
  4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator to get to room temperature. In the meantime, chop the bell pepper, onion, scallions, tomato, and garlic. Do not chop the thyme.
  5. Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet and let it heat up on medium-high heat. Place all the chicken pieces in the skillet and allow to sear for 15 minutes uncovered. Stir to move the chicken pieces around, so each piece of chicken will get brown on all sides. Keep in mind, that it will spring water by itself. Therefore, no need to add any water just yet.
  6. After 15 minutes of cooking, add 3 cups of water, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, onion and cover with a lid. Then let it cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.
  7. After 30 minutes of cooking or more, add the scallions (green onions), thyme, browning sauce and ketchup. Cover again and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the gravy is to your desired thickness. Adjust the taste by adding salt to your desire, if needed.
  8. Remove from the heat and serve with your favorite side dish. Enjoy.

Notes:

  • Do not add any water for the first 15 minutes. It will spring it’s own water during that time.
  • You can make your own Browning Sauce (see notes above).
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken in a large skillet.

Please let me know what you think about this Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back again.

Blessings & Love, as you carry on, on your YouNique Journey!

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken in a large skillet.

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Yield: 8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken is a traditional dish made with seasoned chicken cooked into a beautiful, brown and flavorful gravy.

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken leg quarters (approximately 4 pounds), cut into pieces
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon All Purpose Seasoning or Chicken Seasoning
  • 1 Teaspoon Allspice
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper or Scotch Bonnet Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Teaspoon grated Ginger or Ground Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Soya Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Browning Sauce
  • 1 medium Roma Tomato, diced
  • 2 stalks of Scallions (Green Onions), chopped
  • 2 sprigs Thyme or 2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 medium Onion, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 Tablespoon Ketchup
  • 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1/3 cup of white vinegar
  • 3 cups Water

Instructions

  1. Cut the chicken into pieces and remove all the extra fat and skin or leave the skin on. Pour the 1/3 cup of vinegar over the chicken with some water, rinse and drain. Rinse twice with fresh water and drain again. Pat dry each pieces and put them in a bowl.
  2. Season the chicken pieces with the all purpose seasoning or chicken seasoning, allspice, black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper or crushed red pepper, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, soya sauce and worcestershire sauce.
  3. Cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. If not, then at least for 2 hours.
  4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator to get to room temperature. In the meantime, chop the bell pepper, onion, scallions, tomato, and garlic. Do not chop the thyme.
  5. Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet and let it heat up on medium-high heat. Place all the chicken pieces in the skillet and allow to sear for 15 minutes uncovered. Stir to move the chicken pieces around, so each piece of chicken will get brown on all sides. Keep in mind, that it will spring water by itself. Therefore, no need to add any water just yet.
  6. After 15 minutes of cooking, add 3 cups of water, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, onion and cover with a lid. Then let it cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.
  7. After 30 minutes of cooking or more, add the scallions (green onions), thyme, browning sauce and ketchup. Cover again and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the gravy is to your desired thickness. Adjust the taste by adding salt to your desire, if needed.
  8. Remove from the heat and serve with your favorite side dish. Enjoy.

Notes

  • Do not add any water for the first 15 minutes. It will spring it's own water during that time.
  • You can make your own Browning Sauce (see notes above).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 326Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 1124mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 32g

The nutritional information that is provided, is computer generated and therefore it is an estimate. Please do your own research with the ingredients that are listed here, if you have any concern about any specific diet or your health.

Rad

Tuesday 21st of November 2023

Is there a substitute for Ketchup? My daughter has some digestive issues with ketchup

Yanique Vincent

Wednesday 22nd of November 2023

Hi Rad, you can leave out the ketchup. You don't have to add it to the dish.

Rose

Wednesday 30th of June 2021

I keep coming here to look for new recipes to try. I got all my ingredients for this today. I’m making it for Thursday dinner😊

Yanique Vincent

Thursday 1st of July 2021

I am so grateful for your support, Rose. I hope you love it and please let me know how it turns out.

Rose

Wednesday 30th of June 2021

I loved your cornmeal pudding recipe! It’s the only one I use now, to honor my late father. He would’ve loved it. This too. I know this one will be awesome too. 💜💜

Yanique Vincent

Thursday 1st of July 2021

Hi Rose, My condolences to you and your family. Thank you for your kind words... I am happy to know that he would have loved it.

Jasmin

Sunday 12th of July 2020

Thank you for your recipes. Going to try the stewed beans with beef or chicken and brown chicken. ?

Yanique Vincent

Monday 13th of July 2020

Hi Jasmin, Awesome. Thank you so much and please let me know the results.

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