Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken Recipe
I had no idea that Jamaican food was loved by so many people!
This dish is the brown stew chicken, a Jamaican classic that is extremely popular. It is made mostly on Sundays, especially by those living in the countryside.
Ingredients
- 8-10 pieces chicken
- 1 onion (diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 stalk scallion (chopped)
- 1 nice bunch thyme
- 1 tablespoon of your favorite meat spice (mine is the dry jerk spice)
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar for rinsing chicken
- water
How to Cook Brown Stew Chicken:
First, remove skin and rinse the chicken in a bowl with the vinegar and 5 cups water. Pat dry or drain and return to a dry bowl.
Add scallion, onion, and garlic to the bowl with your favorite spice, salt, soy sauce, and thyme. With clean hands, massage this seasoning into every piece of chicken until they are well coated. You can do this the day before cooking and marinate in the refrigerator overnight, but you can also cook immediately.
In a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium. Shake off the onion, garlic, and scallion pieces from the chicken and reserve in the bowl with the marinade.
When the oil is smoking, add each piece of chicken. Brown well on all sides. When all pieces are very brown, add reserved seasoning to pot and cover, reducing flame to medium/low. After five minutes, add 2 cups water to bowl, swirl to pick up the leftover spices, then add to chicken and increase the flame to medium again.
Cover and let simmer until the gravy has been reduce to about 2/3 of a cup. Stir and turn the pieces once or twice.
Note: Use less salt if you are hypertensive or omit altogether.
This recipe goes extremely well with rice and peas. See the recipe for Jamaican Rice and Peas here.
Variations and Additions
Now there are a few variations to the brown stew chicken that Jamaicans love. Some people like their sauce a bit thickened and will add flour, corn starch, or ketchup to thicken.
- To thicken with flour: After browning all pieces of chicken, remove from pan. Add 1/2 tablespoon flour to oil and stir. I prefer whole wheat for this because it's less starchy and pasty. Allow flour to get slightly brown. What you are actually making is a roux. Slowly add water while stirring. Add chicken pieces and reserved seasoning.
- To thicken with corn starch: Follow recipe as usual. When sauce is reduced by about 1/3, dissolve 1/2 heaped teaspoon of cornstarch in a little water and stir into sauce. Let cook until thickened to desired consistency.
- To thicken with tomato ketchup: When I use this method, I prefer to burn the ketchup in the oil a little to reduce the tangy flavor of the vinegar. I add the ketchup after removing chicken pieces from oil. Fry it a little until bubbly and starts to get a bit darker, then add chicken pieces and seasoning, then water, and stir. Some people add the ketchup after adding the water for the sauce. They would then add a bit of sugar to help balance the flavor.
- You may also use chopped tomatoes to help thicken the sauce instead of any of the above.
Additions (choose one):
- Diced potatoes
- Sliced carrots
- String beans
- Green peas
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Mmmm my house smell delightful it even made my 11 yrs old son come out of his room I cant wait to put it over some rice. Thank you Carolee!!
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Hi Natale, I'm glad it turned out well. Thanks fro stopping by :)
cooked this last night.. Hmm just how I remembered when I was a child.. Now with two children of mine own under two.. It's gonna be a regular at our dinner table ... Easy so much so I'm gonna do the fish receive for tomorrow
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You are welcome! Thanks for trying my recipe.
I just have to say, this is my first time trying this and it was excellent! Thank you for your contribution to the food world....lol!
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Hi Cori, two and a half cans of coconut milk is too much. Because the coconut milk is so rich, it takes longer to dry out from the rice and will make the rice a bit soggy. One can of milk can go for up to 2 or three pounds of rice. Next time use a can or less.
I made this and the rice last week. I'm about to make it again minus the rice. It was soooo good. Me and my daughter ate all the left overs. The rice was delicious as well but a little soggy (my fault). I used canned coconut milk and red beans. Was I supposed to add water to loosen the milk? I used about 2 1/2 cans.
We LOVE this chicken! I now make it once a week!!!
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Thanks Kevin. I hope you do give it a try to let men know if you like it.
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Thanks Missy Mac, I really hope you like it. Let me know how it turns out.
'Brown Stew Chicken Jamaican Recipe' sounds very great. I felt like having the dish when I saw the pictures you have included in the hub. It looks so yummy! I will soon try making it. You have included the instructions very orderly and in a simple manner. Thanks for this special recipe.
When I saw the word Jamaican Chicken, I was interested. I will try this recipe. This looks delicious and I love trying different dishes.
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Hi Rebecca, Thanks. The photo has lost some of its resolution when I edited to add the text and frame...lol. I do hope you give it a try.
I would love to try this. I will get motivated by looking at the luscious photos!
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Thank you Renee21, I really hope you try it.
This recipe looks yummy.
Great job Cardisa. Easy to follow and great pictures. I am getting hungry as I am typeing! Thanks for sharing!
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Hello Kerrie, you can print this recipe and use it is the most popular Sunday dinner in Jamaica. There is also a jerk chicken recipe on my blog along with other Jamaican recipes. caroleeskitchen.blogspot.com
hey i really love jamican food and want to know how to make a jamican chicken dinner but don't know the ingredients lol any help please x
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Thank you Abeer, have a great day!
I love chicken dishes, and dish looks delicious
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Rhys, I want to thank you for returning and telling me how your dishes turned out. I am so please and thank you for finding me! Thanks you so much and I do hope you enjoy my other recipes as well.
Hi ,
Thanks for the recipe! I cooked it tonight (my first attempt at Jamaican food), and absolutely loved it! I also cooked the rice and peas, which were delicious.
I'm from the UK, where I used to get my chicken and rice fix from a Jamaican mum, but have moved to Sydney now and there is no Jamaican food available anywhere here!!
I'm glad I have found your site and will be trying your other recipes in the weeks to come :) Thanks!
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You are welcome Marinade for Barbecue.
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Hi Sophronia, I do know people who use the sugar but we don't like it at home. I have use the brown sugar to make browning before too...lol Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a wonderful evening.
I make a different variation of the brown stew chicken. Well, not that much different. I use brown sugar to attain the color as well as a bit of sweetness. You would think i was diabetic the way i tend to sweeten my foods. sigh.
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Hi Editorsupremo, love the patois....lol. I am just now realizing how popular Jamaican food is. Thanks for visiting. Have a great day!
Cardisa, 'gyal, de worle love Jamaican food!' Brown Stew Chicken is a favourite in my home, especially on a Sunday when I cook the whole West Indian food 'shabang' including, stew chicken, rice and peas and fried plantain wid a lickle side salad! Irie!
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Welcome to my humble space Yaad Man, I hope you like it and find an empress soon too.
look like yu find a winner babes. as a single man i will be trying this.
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Hello SgBrown, I am honored that you are sharing my recipe, thank you! Thanks for stopping by also and I hope you enjoy.
This recipe sounds and looks delicious! I have been looking for something different to try with chicken, this is it! Voted up, useful and sharing on my Around the World with Recipes blog. Have a wonderful day! :)
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Hey Rochelle, I hope you like it. I am making some today! Have a blessed Sunday.
This looks like a winner-- (I'm going to print it, since we can't bookmark.) Glad I saw this on Pinterest, I missed it the first time on HP
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Hi Thelma, HP took away the bookmarker. Thanks for reading and commenting. I do hope you try it and let me know how you like it.
Have a great day.
Yummy! I would love to bookmark this but I can not find the bookmark word. Well, I'll just come back again. Voted up and useful. Take care.
This looks great, I so need to try this soon! Thanks!
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Hi Eatforcheaper, I hope it goes well this trip. Thanks for visiting my hubspace and leaving a comment. Let me know how it turns out.
Awesome. I love this dish it's one of my favourites. I'm 1/4 Jamaican and over the years I've been getting into my Caribbean cooking and putting my own style into it. I once made the recipe a few years ago and it went horribly wrong (I think the measurements were out). I will try this and follow your recipe this weekend, thanks :)
Thank you very much.
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Hi William, I do have a recipe for that. Kindly look through my hubs in my profile page, I did one a couple weeks ago. It is "How to make Jamaican Jerk seasoning and sauces". Just click on latest hubs and you will see it in the list.
Hi, i was wondering if you have a recipes for the dry jerk you talk about so much ?
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Thank you Keri, that's great and okay with me. I will check the hub out.
Cardisa, I've written a Hub about HubPages and the positive international aspects, and I've mentioned this Hub as an example of some great international culture sharing. I'm linking back to here, I hope this is okay. Thanks!
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Thank you Keri! I am glad you enjoyed it. Yes the internet is great!
Cardisa, in a little corner of the County of Wiltshire, South West of England, this evening, there was a little piece of Jamaica, as my husband and I enjoyed Brown Stew Chicken. Don't you just love the internet? Love, KS.
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Hi Will, my handsome cowboy. I hope you like it.
I have to try this! Whoa!
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Hi Keri, you will love it. Jamaican food is quite tasty. We use a lot of spices and ingredients but the turn out is usually great.
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Hi Shimmering Dawn, thank you so much for your visit. I really hope you enjoy it.
I'm going to make this on Sunday! I've been looking for some new flavours to cook with, and it looks like Jamaican is next! Great Hub.
Sounds yum! Maybe I should try it soon! Have a blessed day. Peace!
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Thanks DeBorrah, I hope you try it. It's pretty easy to prepare.
Have a great day.
Cardisa, This sounds tasty and easy! Yummy! Thank You for sharing! Peace & Blessings!
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Hello PeggyW, thank you so much for stopping by to read the ingredients. I really hope you enjoy this. Have a great day and thank you for sharing.
Your mouth-watering picture of this brown stew chicken made me want to read the ingredients. This sounds delicious! Will have to give your recipe a try. Thanks for posting this. Voted up and will tweet so others can also enjoy this.
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Hello Viking305, thanks for stopping by. I hope you like it too. Stop by and tell me how it turned out. Have a great day.
I do love all dished made from chicken I will give your Chicken recipe a go and see if I like it. It does sound and look delicious.
Thanks for SHARING. Up and awesome
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Thanks Cooking4love. Have a great day.
Love spicy foods/dishes - thanks for sharing Cardisa
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Hi Eddy, it's wonderful seeing you! Let me know how you liked it. Thanks for stopping by.
Another for me to Bookmark Cardisa;i will let you know how I got on;take car and have a great day.
Eddy.
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Just contact me thought the contact link on my profile page under my photo.
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Hello Cookingrecipes, welcome! I hope you do try is. It's pretty easy to make and tasty too. Thanks for stopping by.
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Hey Maggie, you are just going to love it! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi there friend, I know what I'm making next Sunday...thanks for sharing this wonderful looking and sounding delight!!!
MM
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Hi Dexter, that would be some restaurant. I know it would do well. Thanks my friend.
Cardisa! I think you should open a restaurant there! Or come to the US and open one. I would go into business with you! Great, great hub!
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Thanks Capedium, I hope you try it. It's really delicious.
Yummy.... Make me wanna have super power.. lol!
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I hope you like it! Have a great weekend.
I will definitely give this recipe a try. It looks very tasty!(and now I'm hungry )
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You are welcome :)
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Hi Turtlewoman, yes Jamaicans have fallen in love with soy sauce because it has a nice flavor. Originally we used what we called browning which was basically burnt molasses, but I hate the flavor.
In some cases we use paprika or sometimes the spices will have some coloring (I don't use those).
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks, I will give it a try.
Cardisa this looks very similar to something I've made recently...I didn't know Jamaican dishes can be similar to Vietnamese dishes? (I noticed you used soy sauce)
Well it looks absolutely delicious...now I'm hungry!
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Hello Savanahl, Thanks for visiting my hubspace! Jamaican food has become so popular, even I am surprised.
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Hi Sen.sush23, you can substitute the jerk spice for your favorite spice. The jerk spice is just my preference. Some people will use Adobo, Mr. Dash or a chicken bouillon or other chicken or meat spice. I hope you like the rice and peas.
Wow this looks delicious. I've never had Jamaican food before but this recipe looks easy enough. Thanks for sharing.
Cardisa, I have never cooked Jamaican style chicken. I love this recipe, except that I am not sure of the contents of an authentic dry jerk spice. Let me see if you have a recipe here. Meanwhile, I am off to read your pea and rice and then try it tomorrow. Voted up. :)
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Thanks Cclitgirl. I hope you get a chance to make it and like it too!
Oh man, Cardisa, you've got my mouth watering! I'm bookmarking this hub because I'm so tired of the usual chicken recipes. This hub is AWESOME!
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Hi Donna. You can also use olive oil and less even though 4 tablespoons aren't a lot. Thanks for stopping by.
This sounds great, and I'm on the lookout right now for different ways to fix chicken for my hubby, who has just become a "statistic" - a heart patient! Thanks for the tip on omitting the salt:) Voted up.
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Alastar, being Lacto-Vegan is a good lifestyle change because you will still be getting the necessary nutrients from dairy. Not eating meat is not a problem for me as I often go long periods without it. The man in my house can't seem to go more than a couple days without meat so I have to make it. Thanks for sharing my friend and thanks for the compliment.
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Hi Gordon, that must be rum punch you are talking about or pimento rum. The truth is, I had no idea that people loved Jamaican food so much and I personally have been taking it for granted.
I have to thank my fiancé because without him around I would probably be making some fancy dishes from Europe. He insist on having his Jamaican food and I cannot make anything else for him.
Thanks for stopping by Gordon.
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Hey Miss Exotic, I am keeping both comments. thanks for making the 600!
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Hi Curiad, it is delicious and am sure you will love it! Thanks for stopping by.
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Hey Linda, can you imagine Holle's recipes and mine in the same place. We would make a whole lot of dough...lol...lol excuse the pun.
Cardisa your the Jamaican Jewel of so many things and now I add recipes to the list. I kid you not when I say your brown stew chicken recipe is enough to make me want eat chicken again! Lacto-vegan in the making here in case you're wondering. However, I do know many a folk that eat the chicken and so will post this scrumptious one to the FB and vote up!
Hi, Cardisa
This sounds absolutely delicious and I really hope you will continue with more Jamaican recipes.
My first experience of Jamaican food was when I first lived in London and my ex wanted to go to the Notting Hill Carnival. I initially said that there was no way I was going, come Hell or high water, as it was just a riot - so she said fine, she would go on her own...
Emotional blackmail in a sense but of course I went with her - and I loved it! I tried proper Jamaican jerk chicken for the first time and it was amazing. I also tried a particular spiced rum drink that I wish I could remember the name of but can't. I was assured by a lovely old Grandma lady that it was pure Jamaican and I remember my ex and I drinking it with the lady in what turned out to be her front garden!
Look forward to more of your recipes!
Gordon
I don't know what's happening to my comments. Everything is on a delay tonight. Your recipe looks excellent and pretty simple to put together. I'm planning on trying it this weekend. Voted up and awesome!
This recipe not only looks delicious but does not seem difficult to put together. Hey, I think I'm #600! Voted up and awesome!
This sounds excellent, I have to try this!
Voted Up
I'll be a regular customer at yours and Habee's restaurant!!! Great photos and easy to follow recipe. Well done!
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Hi Kelly, it's pretty easy once you have the ingredients. I am sure you are going to love it. Let me know how it turns out. Thanks for stopping by.
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Holle, I do believe we would make a lot of money! I think that Jamaican food is influenced by Southern and Cajun cuisine. Thanks for stopping by.
That sounds and looks delicious! I can get all those ingredients - I'll let you know how it goes over here - don't see how I can miss! Thanks:)
OMG! I have a belly full of ribs, and this brown stew chicken still has my mouth watering! The two of us need to open a restaurant! With your Jamaican recipes and my southern cooking, we'd have a hit. Voted up.
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Hey Jackie, how have you been?
Thanks for reading and commenting so fast. I really hope you try this. Omit the salt. I only added the salt because most Jamaicans don't like to cook without it but I usually omit the salt since the soy is kinda salty. I know you are going to love it.
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