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Authentic Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken (Slow Cooker Recipe)

Close-up of glossy brown stew chicken jamaican crock pot pieces garnished with scallions and red pepper.
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Make tender, richly flavored Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken easily in your crock pot. This recipe captures the authentic browning and seasoning process for a perfect Caribbean dinner.

Ingredients

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  • 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks recommended)
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 4 scallions (green onions), chopped
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper, left whole (do not cut unless you want extreme heat)
  • 1 tablespoon browning sauce (liquid or powder)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 cup water or chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup (optional, for color and tang)

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. This helps achieve better browning.
  2. In a large bowl, season the chicken with salt, pepper, allspice, minced garlic, and half of the chopped scallions and thyme. Mix well to coat every piece.
  3. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and let it melt until it turns a dark amber color, about 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
  4. Carefully add the seasoned chicken pieces to the hot oil, skin-side down first. Sear the chicken in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Brown the chicken deeply on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. This step builds the essential stew flavor and color.
  5. Remove the browned chicken from the skillet and place it directly into the basin of your slow cooker.
  6. Add the sliced onions, bell peppers, remaining thyme, and remaining scallions to the skillet. Sauté for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  7. Stir in the browning sauce, soy sauce, ketchup (if using), and the whole scotch bonnet pepper into the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute.
  8. Pour the vegetable and sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Add the 1/4 cup of water or broth.
  9. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender.
  10. Before serving, carefully remove the scotch bonnet pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot over rice and peas.

Notes

  • For the deepest color without cutting the pepper, use 1 teaspoon of browning sauce during the initial searing step and another 1/2 teaspoon mixed with the liquids before slow cooking.
  • If you cannot find browning sauce, you can substitute with a mixture of dark soy sauce and a little extra brown sugar, though the flavor profile will shift slightly.
  • This dish is excellent served with rice and peas or boiled dumplings.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://seventhflavour.com/brown-stew-chicken-jamaican-crock-pot/