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Brown Stew Chicken

Brown stew chicken is a Jamaican braise with mahogany gravy, browned chicken, and a thick, fall-apart texture from low simmering. Marinate first, then caramelize sugar for deep flavor before cooking until the sauce clings to the chicken.
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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: 780
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 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 green onions green onions, sliced
  • 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, minced (optional) Use less for mild heat.
Marinade and stew
  • 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 and pepper Season to taste.
  • 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. Combine browning sauce, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper with the chicken pieces, coating evenly. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Brown and build the gravy
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add sugar and let it caramelize until golden brown. Keep an eye on it so it turns amber without burning.
  2. Add the marinated chicken pieces to the caramel oil and brown until deeply golden on all sides, then remove to a plate. Leave the caramelized bits in the pot for flavor.
  3. Sauté onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, green onions, and scotch bonnet or habanero for 4 minutes. Stir until the vegetables soften and the garlic is fragrant.
  4. Return the browned chicken to the pot, then pour in chicken broth and bring everything to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the gravy is thick. Uncover near the end if you need to thicken further.
Serve
  1. Serve the brown stew chicken with fresh thyme for garnish. Pair with rice and spoon the mahogany gravy over the chicken.

Notes

For the deepest mahogany color, caramelize the sugar until golden brown (amber) before adding the chicken—if it turns dark brown, it can taste bitter. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently to avoid drying out the chicken. Freezing is yes for up to 3 months (thaw in the fridge overnight). For a lighter option, use skinless chicken thighs and reduce the vegetable oil to 1 tbsp while keeping the same browning steps.