Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken with Garlic and Lemon

About This Recipe

Brown stew chicken is a cornerstone of Jamaican home cooking, chicken pieces marinated in garlic, thyme, scallion and a splash of lemon or lime juice, then browned in sugar caramelized directly in the pot before braising in a rich, dark gravy. The technique of browning sugar until it turns nearly black before adding the chicken is what gives the dish its signature deep color and slightly bittersweet backbone, a hallmark of Jamaican braised dishes. The chicken marinates for at least a few hours, ideally overnight, in garlic, scallion, thyme and citrus, which tenderizes the meat while building flavor from the inside. Once browned in the caramelized sugar, the chicken braises slowly with bell pepper, carrot and a splash of stock until it's fall-apart tender and the sauce has thickened into a rich, glossy gravy. Served with rice and peas or festival (Jamaican fried dumplings), brown stew chicken is a fixture at Sunday dinners and holiday tables across the island.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 1.4 kgbone-in chicken pieces
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced, divided)
• 3scallions(sliced)
• 4 sprigsfresh thyme
• 3 tbsplemon or lime juice
• 2 tbspgranulated sugar
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 1onion(sliced)
• 1bell pepper(sliced)
• 1carrot(sliced)
• 1.5 cupschicken stock
• 1 tbspsoy sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Combine chicken, half the garlic, scallions, thyme and lemon juice. Cover and marinate at least 2 hours, or overnight refrigerated.

2. 2

   Brown the sugar

   Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add sugar and cook, stirring, until it turns dark amber and starts to smoke slightly, about 3-4 minutes.

3. 3

   Brown the chicken

   Carefully add chicken pieces (reserving marinade) to the caramelized sugar, browning on all sides, about 8 minutes.

4. 4

   Add vegetables and braise

   Add remaining garlic, onion, bell pepper and carrot, cooking 3 minutes. Pour in reserved marinade, stock and soy sauce.

5. 5

   Simmer

   Cover and simmer 35-40 minutes until chicken is very tender and the sauce has thickened into a rich gravy. Serve hot with rice and peas.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken thighs only for extra richness and to avoid dealing with drier breast meat.

• •

  Add sliced okra in the last 10 minutes of simmering for a more traditional Caribbean addition.

• •

  Make it spicier by adding a whole Scotch bonnet pepper to the braise, removing it before serving.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; the flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions