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Brown Stew Chicken

Brown stew chicken is a Jamaican-style braise with deeply golden caramelized chicken, bell peppers, and thyme, finished in a thick mahogany gravy. Marinated chicken simmers until fall-apart tender for bold flavor in every bite.
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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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and aromatics
  • 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
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
Stew base
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar (for browning)
  • 1 fresh thyme for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Marinate
  1. Mix the browning sauce, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper, then coat the bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks thoroughly.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or up to overnight, so the flavors penetrate the chicken.
Brown sugar and sear chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the sugar and let it caramelize until golden brown.
  2. Add the marinated chicken pieces and brown until deeply golden on all sides, about 6-8 minutes total, then remove to a plate.
Build the stew
  1. Sauté the onion, bell peppers, garlic, and green onions in the caramel oil until just fragrant, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the scotch bonnet or habanero pepper (if using) and sauté for 30 seconds to distribute the heat.
  3. Return the chicken to the pot, pour in the chicken broth, and bring everything to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the gravy is thick.
Serve
  1. Ladle the brown stew chicken and thick mahogany gravy over rice, then garnish with fresh thyme.

Notes

Pro tip: brown the chicken in batches only if your pot is crowded—good browning depends on contact with the hot caramel oil. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days in a sealed container. Freezing: yes, freeze cooked chicken in gravy for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken thighs and reduce the added sugar slightly while keeping the browning sauce amount the same.