My Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken recipe will give you a delicious, hearty dish that's comforting and packed with flavors. This is the perfect dish to make at home any night you're craving something heartwarming and family-friendly. The flavors are authentic and this recipe is super easy to follow.
Brown stew chicken is a delicious and hearty dish that originates from the Caribbean. Its name comes from the rich, brown color that is achieved through a process of browning the chicken and then slow-cooking it in a delightful stew of spices, vegetables, and chicken bouillon.
This dish is not only appetizing but also holds a distinctive place in Caribbean cuisine thanks to its robust flavors and comforting warmth. Each spoonful delivers a burst of spicy, savory, and slightly tangy flavors that will have you reaching for seconds.
I have made many stews and dishes with gravy that you'll love to try. If you want Southern food then I made a popular dish called Smothered Chicken; another amazing recipe is my Chicken with Mushroom Gravy You might also like and Arabic Twist on a stew. But to top it all, go for Steak Bites with Gravy.
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Simple and easy: This brown stew chicken recipe is quite simple to prepare. With common ingredients and straightforward instructions, even a beginner can prepare this recipe with ease.
Delicious: This stew is a perfect blend of hearty and savory flavors. The combination of spices in the marinade, the freshness of the vegetables, and the richness of the chicken creates a mouth-watering dish that’s hard to resist.
Family favorite: This brown stew chicken is a surefire hit at any gathering. Its comforting, home-cooked appeal makes it a popular choice for family dinners or potluck parties.
Versatile: The recipe is highly adaptable and can be modified as per your taste preferences. You can adjust the heat by adding more or less chili, and you can experiment with other spices or herbs to make it your own.
🍊 INGREDIENTS
More details about the ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card below!
Chicken drumsticks with skin: The drumsticks will be the star of the dish, becoming tender and flavorful after marinating and stewing. Although I've used chicken legs for this recipe, you can use any cut you prefer.
Spices: We'll use simple spices for the marinade, such as onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika.
Chicken bouillon: This will intensify the chicken flavor in the stew, making it more savory and delicious.
Butter: It will add a creamy richness to the stew, balancing out the spicy and savory flavors.
🔪 INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine your chicken pieces with the marinade ingredients. Rub all the ingredients together, and make sure that the chicken is thoroughly coated in the marinade.
Step 2
Afterward, cover the bowl tightly and place it in the refrigerator. Allow the chicken to marinate for a minimum of four hours. However, for the best flavor infusion, it is ideal to leave it to marinate overnight.
Step 3
Following the marination process, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This step is crucial as it helps make sure that the chicken cooks evenly when it hits the hot pan.
Step 4
Next, heat some oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces. Fry them until they turn a beautiful golden brown on all sides. Remove and keep aside. The goal is not to cook the chicken but to get the brown color.
Step 5
In the same pan with the remaining oil, add the onions. Fry them until they become translucent, which is a sign that they are cooked and have released their sweet flavor. After that, add the tomatoes and garlic. Continue cooking until the oil separates from the tomato and onion mixture.
Step 6
Return the chicken to the pan. Add the green peppers, green chili, and the chicken bouillon. Stir the mixture for about two minutes and ensure the chicken is well coated with the spices.
Step 7
Next, add enough boiling water to the pan to cover the chicken pieces. Let the chicken stew simmer until the water reduces to about a cup or a cup and a half. This step is where the magic happens as the flavors meld together and the stew thickens.
Step 8
Once the stew has thickened and the chicken is fully cooked, add a dollop of butter and stir for one minute. This final step adds a rich, creamy finish to your brown stew chicken.
👩🏽🍳 PRO TIPS
Browning the Chicken: The key to a good Jamaican brown stew chicken lies in browning the seasoned chicken. This not only enhances the flavor but also gives the stew a beautiful brown color. Make sure to brown the chicken on all sides evenly.
Adding the Chicken Bouillon: The chicken bouillon cube is an essential ingredient in this recipe. It provides a rich chicken flavor to the stew. Add it along with the green chili and let it dissolve before adding water.
Simmering the Stew: The stew needs to simmer until the water reduces to almost a cup or a cup and a half. This will make the stew thicker and guarantee that the chicken is well-cooked. Patience is key here; don’t rush this step.
Finishing with Butter: Adding butter towards the end of cooking gives the stew a rich, velvety texture. Stir in the butter and let it melt into the stew for one minute. This final touch takes your brown stew chicken to the next level.
📋 VARIATIONS
Make it spicier: For those who appreciate a bit of heat, try adding a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the chicken marinade. This will infuse the stew with a subtle spiciness that elevates the overall flavor.
Add more veggies: If you want to incorporate more vegetables into your meal, add some diced carrots and peas into the stew. They add a pop of color.
Herb-infused: Enhance the depth of flavor by adding a bouquet of garni (thyme, parsley, and bay leaf tied together) to the stew. This adds an aromatic herbal note to the stew, complimenting the savory taste of the chicken.
🍽️ HOW TO SERVE
Pair with Bread: This Jamaican brown stew chicken can be served with your choice of bread. The hearty, savory flavors of the stew beautifully soak into the bread, creating a delicious and satisfying bite every time.
Serve with White Rice: A classic and straightforward serving suggestion is to pair the stew with a bowl of white rice. The mild taste of the rice compliments the rich flavors of the stew perfectly, and it does a great job of soaking up the delicious sauce.
African black-eyed peas with rice: Consider serving your stew alongside traditional African black-eyed peas. It pairs wonderfully with the brown stew chicken.
💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can use boneless chicken. However, using chicken with the bone in can add more flavor to the stew. Make sure that you adjust the cooking time properly as boneless chicken might cook faster.
While marinating the chicken overnight is recommended to allow the flavors to mix better and to tenderize the chicken, if you’re short on time, a minimum of 2 hours of marination would still work.
Yes, the green chili is optional and can be skipped if you prefer a less spicy stew.
The stew should be reduced to almost a cup or a cup and a half. It should look thicker when the chicken is fully cooked.
🌡️ STORING
To store your leftover brown stew chicken in the fridge, allow the stew to cool before transferring it into an airtight container. The stew can be safely stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
When reheating, it is best to do so slowly over medium heat on the stove, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
To freeze your stew, portion it into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Make sure to leave some space at the top, as the stew will expand when frozen. Your brown stew chicken can be safely frozen for up to 3 months.
The best method is to let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Once fully thawed, you can reheat it on the stove over medium heat until it is hot and bubbly. However, keep in mind that the texture of the chicken might change slightly after freezing and thawing.
📣 MORE STEW YOU'LL LIKE
⭐PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
📖 Recipe
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
CHICKEN MARINADE
- 3 chicken drumsticks with skin on
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or regular white
- ½ teaspoon thyme
FOR THE STEW
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 green chili cut in half
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ diced green bell pepper
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 tablespoon butter
- Enough boiling water to cover the chicken
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the chicken and the marinade ingredients. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, it is best to marinate it overnight.
- Bring out the chicken and let it come to room temp, for around 30 minutes.
- In a pan, add the oil and fry the chicken until brown on all sides. Remove the chicken and keep it aside. The chicken will not be cooked this step is just to brown the chicken.
- In the same pan and using the remaining oil, add the onion and fry until translucent. Add the tomato and garlic, and cook until the oil separates from the tomato and onion mixture.
- Add the chicken, green chili, green pepper, and chicken bouillon, and stir for two minutes. Add the boiling water, enough to cover the chicken.
- Let it cook until the water reduces to almost a cup or a cup and a half. When the stew looks thicker and the chicken is cooked, add the butter and stir for one minute.
- Serve the stew hot on rice or with bread.
Notes
- If the chicken is thick, poke it with a knife in several places; this will help the marinade to penetrate the chicken.
- I have omitted the bonnet pepper, Pimento berries, and browning since they're not always available in most kitchens. Still, I have tested this recipe to make it taste just like the original recipe.
- Marinating the chicken overnight for 8 to 9 hours makes the chicken more tender and flavorful, but if you don't have that much time, 4 hours are good.
- The browning sauce used in most recipes adds a brown, dark color to the stew and doesn't add much flavor. We achieve the same in this recipe without using it.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Have never had jamaican chicken...your stew looks so tempting, Muna.
munatycooking
If you try this recipe you'll be hooked, Jamaican food is amazingly delicious!
Jeff
This looks SO delicious. You should always feel free to tweak recipes like this - that's how new and exciting verisons come to be! I can't wait to try this one!
munatycooking
You are right Jeff, I like to tweak recipes to my and my liking but there are those who hate it when we do that 🙂
marjie
Could I use my homemade chicken stock instead of water. Don't use salt in it and wondered if it would add more flavor OR mess with the flavor.
Thank you
munatycooking
You can use your homemade chicken stock and omit the chicken bouillion!
Shannon Patterson
This stew looks amazing! I love how simple and healthy all of the ingredients are. It definitely would be a great meal on a cold winter night.
Jake smith
Omg! Do you know that every person's weak spot is food. Incredible dish you have here, I'm saving this recipe because I love chicken stew so much.
munatycooking
Thank you Jake, let me know how you liked it!
Jenn JG
OMG this looks delicious! I am going to share this recipe with my mother in law so she can make it for me with her island flavor! Thanks so much for sharing
munatycooking
You are most welcome 🙂
corinne & kirsty
All the food. I never had jamaican chicken but you bet this will change this weekend. It looks so so good.
munatycooking
Thank you 🙂
interNATionalcaty
I love anything Jamaican. I would have had the stew over right rice. Yummy!
Amber Myers
This sounds really tasty! I've never had a jamaican stew, so I'd be excited to try it.
Claudia Krusch
This Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken recipe looks amazing. I am sure it would be a big hit in my house. Chicken is one of my favorites. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make this for dinner this weekend.
munatycooking
We love chicken too and I hope you love it as much as we did 🙂
Deanna
This sounds really good. I love that it is really simple to prepare. This would be great for a family get together. I would definitely want it with the rice. My family loves rice.
Heather Johnson
Yummers! Your Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken recipe looks and sounds absolutely amazing! I do not think that I have eaten must Jamaican food before.
munatycooking
Jamaican food is simply amazing, you should give it a try.
Denay DeGuzman
I love this Jamaican brown stew recipe! As soon as I saw that gorgeous image I had to stop and pin it to Pinterest. Now I have it on my Pinterest food board so I can find it when I need it and make it later. 🙂
munatycooking
So sweet of you 🙂
Ana De- Jesus
I personally like it when people create their own version of authentic dishes so your recipe is right on the money. The Jamaican stew looks so vibrant!
munatycooking
Thank you Ana 🙂
Marie Goldstein
This recipe looks AMAZING! I'm bookmarking for later this week.
Blair villanueva
You are right, definitely I need rice to eat this Jamaican Stew Chicken and wine please! Ahh so delicious!
Gloria
I got invited to a Jamaican theme party, and everyone is supposed to bring something to eat. Me being vegan is making this darn difficult since there is meat in every main dish that I can find. It's so hard to replace meat, but I found this recipe of yours. It should be easily adapted by swapping the chicken for jackfruit and following your same steps. Just marinate the jackfruit and treat it the same way. Thanks for making this recipe so easy to follow. I will let you know how it went. =D
munatycooking
Gloria, it is interesting to convert this recipe to a vegan version, please do let me know how it came out 🙂
Cristina Leau
Wow, this looks amazing. I never know what to cook so you just saved me. Thanks for the recipe. Hope I will be able to make it :))
Jessica Taylor
I love how easy this looks to make! I have never had any jamaican food, but it looks amazing! I bet there is a little kick to it as well!
michenn
Yumm that chicken looks delicious! I’ve been cooking lately and I really want to try this next!
munatycooking
It so easy to make this dish and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Nadine Cathleen
Oh yummy, this looks great. Doesn't help at all that I'm super hungry at home right now and don't have any of these ingredients here! X
munatycooking
Maybe when you do you'll let me know how you liked it 🙂
Akamatra
This looks mouthwatering! I wonder if I can make it in the slow cooker. Have you tried it? I guess the time would be 4-6 hours in the high temp.
munatycooking
Yes you can make it in a slow cooker, I never did though so I'm not sure how much time it will take.
Anosa
Your photo looks very inviting! As if its real and makes me crave for some. I will try my very best to make my own and hopefully I can do it successfully too.
munatycooking
You are so kind Anosa, I try my best to share easy and delicious dishes to my readers and I hope you like it 🙂
Ophelia Tang
I love Jamaican food. This stew chicken looks delicious. I want to make this asap. Thanks for sharing.
XOXO
Beverly Sands
I'm cooking this now. Looks very good. Do you cooking it with a top on the pot?
munatycooking
I do not cover it totally, this let some steam out and help thicken the gravy 🙂
Rob
Tried the recipe today and this turned out amazing. This is definitely something that’s going to be done over and over again
munatycooking
Thanks for trying this recipe Rob, your feedback is highly appreciated 🙂
Cynthia
Will be making this tonight have marinated my chicken yesterday...I added a little allspice for sweetness will let you know how it comes out..TY
munatycooking
Awesome! I hope that you enjoy it. Let me know how you liked it after adding allspice 🙂
Kathy Kenny Ngo
Love that it seems pretty easy to make. I need to start learning how to cook for my family.
Marta Skeledžija
That looks so good. Will try the recipe this weekend.