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Brown Stew Chicken

Brown stew chicken with a deep mahogany gravy: caramelized sugar, browned chicken, then a covered simmer until fall-apart tender. Jamaican-style spiced marinade with thyme and peppers makes 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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and vegetables
  • 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, minced optional
Marinade
  • 2 tsp browning sauce
  • 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Stew
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar for browning
  • fresh thyme for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Combine browning sauce, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper, then coat the chicken thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to marinate.
Caramelize sugar and brown the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sugar and cook until it caramelizes to a golden brown color.
  2. Add the marinated chicken pieces to the caramel oil and cook until deeply golden on all sides. Remove chicken from the pan and keep it aside.
Build the stew and simmer
  1. In the same pan, sauté onion, bell peppers, garlic, green onions, and scotch bonnet for 4 minutes. Stir until softened and fragrant, but not browned.
  2. Return chicken to the pan, add chicken broth, and bring everything to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom to enrich the gravy.
  3. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes. Cook until chicken is fall-apart tender and the gravy is thick.
Serve
  1. Plate the brown stew chicken and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve with rice alongside and spoon the thick mahogany gravy over the chicken.

Notes

Pro tip: for the deepest mahogany gravy, brown the chicken thoroughly before simmering and don’t rush the sugar caramelization—golden brown is the target. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days; freezer yes—freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken thighs and reduce the oil to 1 tbsp while keeping the browning sugar step the same.