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Brown Stew Chicken

Brown stew chicken is slow-simmered in a deep mahogany gravy, starting with caramelized sugar then braising marinated chicken until fall-apart tender. This Jamaican-style version includes bell peppers, onions, garlic, green onions, and thyme for a rich, thick sauce.
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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: 1050
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 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)
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme for garnish
Marinade
  • 2 tsp browning sauce
  • 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 salt
  • 0.25 pepper
Stew
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar (for browning)

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Combine the browning sauce, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper, then coat the bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks well.
  2. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
Build the brown stew base
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the sugar and let it caramelize until golden brown.
  2. Brown the marinated chicken pieces in the caramel oil until deeply golden on all sides, then remove to a plate.
Sauté and simmer
  1. Sauté the onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, green onions, and scotch bonnet 4 minutes, stirring until fragrant.
  2. Return the chicken to the pot, add the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 35-40 minutes until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the gravy is thick.
Serve
  1. Serve the brown stew chicken with rice and finish with fresh thyme for garnish.

Notes

Marinate the chicken covered so the seasoning and browning sauce cling evenly; for deeper color and flavor, marinate overnight. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before reheating. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and go lighter on added salt while keeping the seasoning balance.