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Simple Authentic Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe

A perfect easy Jamaican brown stew chicken recipe that tastes so good you'd think you were in Kingston. One of my favorite meals on earth and I had to perfect it so I could have it while I am home nowhere near Jamaica!
Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican, Latin American
Keyword: Jamaican brown stew chicken recipe
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Chicken I like a mix of thighs and drumsticks

Chicken Seasoning and Marinade

  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced Or use 3 tbsp of pre minced garlic
  • 4 stalk scallions/white onions white part only
  • 3 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Pepper sauce
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp paprika sub chili powder
  • 2 tsp Black pepper
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp brown sugar sub white sugar
  • 1 tsp All spice seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp ginger fresh or dried
  • 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme sub 1 tbsp dried thyme

Gravy

  • All Remnants from marinade Get as much of marinade off chicken as possible
  • 1/2 cup Hot water Start with 1/4 and add more if needed
  • 1/4 cup Cooking oil, used for cooking chicken Coconut ideal, vegetable or canola are great too
  • 1 Large yellow onion Chopped or diced small
  • 1/2 Red bell pepper Chopped or diced small. Using 1/2 isn't bad either.
  • 1/2 Green bell pepper Chopped or diced small. Using 1/2 isn't bad either.
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Marinade

  • Combine chicken and marinade ingredients in a large bowl or bag and let sit for 1-24 hours. At minimum try to marinade for 1 hour. 
  • Remove chicken from marinade and try to shake off as much moisture as you can for 2 reasons. 1. You want to use this marinade in your gravy. 2. Frying chicken that is wet tends to splatter a lot more. Normally people tell you to pat dry your chicken, however in this case that would take away some of your marinade coating so... nah, live with the splatter.

Gravy Prep

  • Cut onions, peppers and add those together with everything in the gravy ingredients into your largest pan, everything EXCEPT the hot water and oil, We add those later.

Browning Chicken

  • In a cast iron skillet (can use a frying pan if you don't have), brown the chicken on both sides for 3 minutes at a high heat. You aren't fully cooking the chicken here, this happens in the gravy pan. 
  • After browning the chicken put it on a plate to the side to rest while you make make the gravy.

Gravy Making

  • You should already have everything chopped up and combined aside from the water and the oil you cooked the chicken in. Now here is a great secret; When you add the first cup of water, pour it into your chicken oil, swish around and empty into your gravy mix. Yes it will splatter a little, you're fine. Bring gravy to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add chicken to gravy along with 1 cup of hot water. Cover and let simmer at low heat for 30 minutes. Check on the gravy 15 minutes in to stir the chicken around and see if you need to add the extra 1/2 cup of water to the gravy.
  • After 30 minutes take off heat and let it stand uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken any extra.... then serve and go to heaven. Can serve this with a salad and steamed rice. If you again don't know how to make rice, Uncle Ben's microwave 90 second rice has your back, basmati, chicken flavor is great or go healthy with whole wheat.

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