Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Tap an ingredient or step to check it off.

1. 1Step 1: In a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag, add the onion, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, brown sugar, paprika, allspice, ginger, and salt/pepper to taste. Use your hands (with disposable gloves if desired) or a utensil to stir the ingredients together. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then add the chicken pieces and browning sauce. Use your hands to massage all the aromatics and spices into the chicken, massaging very well to ensure the chicken pieces are nicely coated.
2. 2Step 2: Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, or seal the ziplock bag, and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight for the best results. If marinating overnight, stir or massage the chicken at least once to ensure even flavor marination.
3. 3Step 3: Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade mixture, shaking off excess onion, bell pepper, and scallion bits, but do not discard the marinade; set it aside. Set the chicken aside on a medium baking sheet or large plate or platter.
4. 4Step 4: In a large heavy-bottomed pot, dutch oven, or braiser, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, gently swirl the pot to evenly coat the bottom. Add a few chicken pieces in batches, careful not to overcrowd. Sear the chicken on all sides until a deep brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean baking sheet or platter and repeat until all chicken is browned, adding a bit more oil between batches only as needed. Set the browned chicken aside and reduce the heat to medium.
5. 5Step 5: Add all the reserved marinade mixture to the same pot and use a wooden utensil to sauté until lightly tender, scraping up any caramelized bits on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Then add all the browned chicken pieces back into the pot, nestling them on top of the marinade mixture, along with any residual juices. Add the carrots, tomato sauce, fresh thyme, bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper, and chicken stock. Gently stir everything together until well combined.
6. 6Step 6: Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the chicken to stew for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, covered, until the chicken pieces are meltingly tender and falling off the bone.
7. 7Step 7: Discard the herb stems, bay leaves, and scotch bonnet pepper from the pot. If you'd like to thicken the stew liquid, place the pot over medium-high heat. Cook, gently stirring, for a bit until the liquid reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as desired.
8. 8Step 8: Serve the brown stew chicken immediately. It's great in shallow bowls alongside rice and peas (and plantains, too) with extra stew gravy poured over everything.