Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Chicken marinated in herbs and pimento, browned, then simmered in a rich coconut sauce until tender. Jamaican comfort food over rice.
Jamaican brown stew chicken earns its name from the deep colour you get by browning seasoned chicken hard in hot oil before it ever meets the sauce. Marinated in thyme, allspice and soy, then simmered in coconut milk until tender, it turns out bold, aromatic and made for spooning over a plate of rice.
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Prep 20 min
Cook 40 min
Total 120 min
Medium
Scale:
- 1 whole Chicken
- 1 chopped Tomato
- 2 chopped Onions
- 2 chopped Garlic Clove
- 1 chopped Red Pepper
- 1 chopped Carrots
- 1 Lime
- 2 tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Allspice
- 2 tbs Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Cornstarch
- 2 cups Coconut Milk
- 1 tbs Vegetable Oil
Tags:
Stew
Preparation
- Squeeze the lime over the chicken and rub it in well, then drain off the excess.
- Combine the tomato, scallion, onion, garlic, pepper, thyme, allspice and soy sauce with the chicken in a large bowl, cover, and marinate for at least an hour.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch pot or large saucepan. Shaking the seasonings off each piece as you go (keep the marinade back for the sauce), brown the chicken a few pieces at a time in very hot oil, resting the browned pieces on a plate.
- Drain off the excess oil, return the chicken to the pan, pour over the reserved marinade, and add the carrots. Stir and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Mix the cornstarch with the coconut milk, add to the stew, stirring constantly, then turn the heat to minimum and cook for another 20 minutes, or until tender.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Give the chicken a good long marinate, an hour at the least and overnight if you can, for the fullest flavour.
- Brown the pieces properly in hot oil. That deep colour is exactly what gives the dish its name and its richness.
- Tip the leftover marinade into the sauce so none of that seasoning is wasted.
- Keep the simmer gentle until the chicken is tender and has taken on the coconut gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because the chicken, and often a little sugar, is browned until richly coloured before it goes into the sauce to simmer.
Warm and aromatic rather than fiery. For proper Jamaican heat, drop a whole scotch bonnet into the pot and lift it out before it bursts.
Rice and peas is the classic match, with fried plantain or some steamed vegetables on the side.
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