This Brown stew Chicken recipe is my take on the stewed chicken I had growing up. While not completely traditional, this homey Jamaican dish is sure to please any crowd! Try it at your next dinner and make sure to cook plenty because this dish is even better the next day.
What is Brown stew Chicken?
Brown stew chicken is a just what it sounds like, stewed chicken cooked in a flavorful brown sauce. Every household has a different method for making brown stew chicken, but most often the dish gets it’s brown color from the browning used to season the chicken and a sauce made using brown sugar.
Where do I get the browning used in Brown stew chicken?
Browning is a liquid mix of spices and seasonings that’s used to add flavor to dishes. In Jamaica, we use browning in both sweet and savory dishes. You can make your own browning or you can find it at most Caribbean markets or online. Note that store-bought browning sauces can vary widely. Some are more concentrated than other so depending on the browning you use, you may need to adjust the amount to achieve your desired taste and color. I like this brand.
How to make Brown stew Chicken
For my Brown stew chicken recipe, I took a few liberties and played around with flavors I enjoyed. So while this is not necessarily a traditional brown stew chicken, I still think it’s delicious and totally worth trying if you’ve had brown stew chicken a thousand times before or if you’ve never tried it.
Here is a quick rundown on this recipe:
- Start by seasoning the chicken. I used a mix of Caribbean seasonings, including thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, scallion, and onions. I also made a quick dry rub that I used to season the chicken.
- Add the browning. Thoroughly coat the chicken and seasonings in the browning sauce. Let the chicken marinate overnight.
- Brown the chicken. Clean off the seasoning from the chicken and reserve them for the sauce. Then add oil to a heavy bottom pan and brown the chicken on each side. The goal here is not to cook the chicken, but to give it some color and additional flavor.
- Make the brown sauce. Add the reserve seasonings back to the pot, along with ketchup, tomatoes, and warm water. Reduce heat to a simmer until chicken is fully cooked through. You can add breadcrumbs to thicken the sauce further.
Looking for more delicious recipes? Try:
West Indian Shrimp with Creamy Polenta
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Brown stew Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken legs and quarters
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 stalks scallion, stems removed
- 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, finely diced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp spice mix (adobo, all purpose seasoning, cock seasoning/ chicken bouillon cube)
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tbsp browning sauce (see note in blog post)
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup warm water (more if needed to reach desired consistency)
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add chicken legs and quarters, chopped onion, scallions, diced scotch bonnet pepper, and fresh thyme. Season with spice mix, salt and pepper, minced garlic and ginger. Add browning sauce and use hands or a wooden spoon to ensure chicken and seasonings are fully coated in the browning sauce. Cover and marinate in the fridge at least overnight.
- Heat canola oil over medium-low heat in a heavy bottom dutch pot. Use a fork to remove onions, scallions, pepper, onion, ginger and thyme from the chicken and set aside. Working in batches, brown chicken in the cast iron pan by searing for 5-6 minutes per side. Chicken should be slightly browned but not fully cooked. Remove browned chicken from pot and set on a paper towel lined plate to catch excess oil.
- Remove about 1/2 of the oil from the heavy bottom dutch pot, leaving about 2 tbsp of oil. Add reserved seasonings back to the pot and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, until garlic and onion become fragrant. Add ketchup, chopped Roma tomatoes and warm water to the pot. Add chicken back to the pot. The liquid should cover about 3/4th of the chicken. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Uncover and taste the sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste. For a thicker sauce, add breadcrumbs or more ketchup.
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2 Comments
Hi Dani,
This recipe looks amazing! I can’t say I ever heard of cock seasoning. I asked Amazon Alexa and “she” had no idea, lol. I Googled it and found it’s a Caribbean seasoning. Do you have a brand you particularly like, or do you make your own? I’m in central Virginia, so there may not be a place that has Caribbean types of spices.
Thanks!
Hi Dave, yes it is a Caribbean seasoning! One of the most popular brands is Grace Cock Seasoning, but I am sure there are a few others as well.