Brown Stew Chicken
Tin Boom & Pantry Suppers
Cheap bone-in cuts meet the smoke and caramel of burning brown sugar in a heavy Dutch oven. Drag the hacked chicken thighs through the blistering syrup with a wooden spoon, hitting the pan with a heavy pour from a bottle of browning sauce before tossing in fresh thyme sprigs, scallion, and the native bite of pimento. This post-colonial pantry supper extracts profound, fall-off-the-bone depth from exactly what you already have, so spoon that dark gravy over a mound of rice and let it soak.
Before you start
Wash the poultry with lime.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, squeeze the lime juice over the meat, and rub the rinds against the pieces to remove the raw scent. Rinse briefly with cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
Massage the aromatic marinade into the meat.
Add the onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, thyme, whole Scotch bonnet, salt, pepper, allspice, and paprika to the chicken. (Add commercial browning sauce now if skipping the burnt sugar). Rub aggressively, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight.
Ingredients
- bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks3 lb
- lime1 med
- yellow onion1 med
- scallions4 med
- garlic cloves4 med
- fresh ginger1 small
- Scotch bonnet pepper1 med
- fresh thyme sprigs6 med
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- ground allspice1 tsp
- smoked paprika1 tsp
- Jamaican browning sauce1 tbsp
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- dark brown sugar1 1/2 tbsp
- carrot1 med
- red bell pepper1/2 med
- green bell pepper1/2 med
- chicken broth1 1/2 cup
- tomato ketchup2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Separate the chicken from its marinade.
Remove the chicken from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Scrape the chunky bits of marinade off the meat and reserve them in the bowl; if they hit the hot oil now, they will burn.
- 02
Burn the sugar to create the caramel base.
Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in the brown sugar without stirring. Watch closely until it bubbles and turns a dark, frothy amber-black. (Skip this if you used bottled browning sauce and simply add the chicken to hot oil).
- 03
Sear the chicken in the molten sugar.
The moment the sugar looks like dark caramel and smokes slightly, carefully add the chicken pieces. Brown undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes per side to form a deep crust, then remove to a plate.
- 04
Sauté the reserved aromatics and vegetables.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the reserved chunky marinade, carrots, and bell peppers to the pot. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened, lifting the browned bits from the bottom.
- 05
Braise low and slow.
Return the chicken and any resting juices to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth and ketchup, stirring gently. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until the chicken falls off the bone.
- 06
Reduce the gravy.
Remove the lid, discard the thyme stems, and carefully remove the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until the glossy gravy naturally reduces and coats the back of a spoon.
Notes
Embrace the browning sauce shortcut.
Burning sugar is the traditional grandmother's secret, but keeping a bottle of commercial browning sauce in the pantry is universally authentic for busy weeknights.
Leave the pepper whole.
Dropping a whole Scotch bonnet (or habanero) into the pot extracts its incredible floral flavor without unleashing brutal heat, keeping the dish family-friendly.
Trust the reduction over flour.
Never use flour to thicken a brown stew. It clouds the deep color. Patience and a splash of ketchup will naturally yield a perfectly glossy, rich sauce.
From Cook Jamaican in America.