Stew Chicken Recipe
Chicken pieces slow-braised in a rich brown gravy with onions, garlic, thyme, and Jamaican browning. Deeply flavourful and tender.
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Ingredients
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Chicken and Marinade
Browning and Aromatics
Braising Liquid
Finishing
Method
Chicken and Marinade
- 1
Prepare and marinate the chicken
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine minced garlic, thyme sprigs (or dried thyme), chopped scallions, soy sauce, lime juice, ground allspice, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken, toss to coat thoroughly, and massage the marinade into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours (or overnight for best flavor).
Browning and Aromatics
- 2
Brown the chicken
Heat a heavy, oven-safe Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and working in batches if needed, brown chicken on all sides until deep golden (4–6 minutes per side). Transfer browned pieces to a plate.
- 3
- 4
Deglaze and add browning
Pour the reserved marinade and about 1/4 cup of the chicken stock into the pan to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in Jamaican browning sauce (1 tsp) to give the gravy a rich color—use more very sparingly if desired. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
Braising Liquid
- 5
Build the braising liquid
Add remaining chicken stock, brown sugar (or molasses), Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, taste and adjust seasoning (add up to 1/2 tsp more salt if needed).
- 6
Braise the chicken
Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot, nestling them into the liquid with skin-side up where possible. The liquid should come up about halfway on the pieces; add up to 1/2 cup more stock or water if needed. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently on the stovetop for 30–35 minutes, or transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven for 30–35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and tender (internal temperature 165°F/74°C).
Finishing
- 7
Thicken and finish the gravy
Carefully remove chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Mix the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering gravy. Cook 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens to a glossy gravy that coats the back of a spoon. Stir in chopped fresh thyme leaves and sliced scallion greens. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 8
Serve
Return chicken to the sauce or spoon sauce over each piece. Serve hot with rice, mashed potatoes, or traditional Jamaican peas & rice, and garnish with extra scallion if desired.