Brown Stew Chicken
4 portions
60mJamaican food is generally underappreciated and a little hard to find. This is one of the most popular Jamaican dishes, and rightly so. A simple chicken braise with a uniquely delicious combo of spices. Researching this recipe turned up a lot of confusing or overly complicated examples. This one is simple enough to slide into your general weekday meal rotation and it can be assembled all none pot.
What you will need
1 bunch Scallions
4 cloves Garlic
1 Habanero
2 lb Chicken Thighs
2 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
1/2 tsp Sweet Paprika
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
2 Tbsp Chicken Better Than Bouillon
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
4 cups Water
(Nutritional facts 135 calories, 8.51 g fat, 7.58 g carbohydrates, 7.5 g protein, 32 mg cholesterol, 621 mg sodium)How to cook
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Wash and trim the scallions. Slice the scallions into 1" lengths.
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Peel garlic cloves and chop or grate to a fine paste.
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Slice the habañero in half. Remove the stem and seeds. Slice to a fine julienne (tiny little strips). Make sure to wash your hands and your work station, or you may well regret it.
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Warm a heavy skillet over medium heat. Browning chicken can be tricky, and will require patience. When the pan is hot, place the chicken thighs in the pan with the skin-side down. Do not touch the chicken thighs for what will seem like an uncomfortably long time. The trick is to get the skin so crispy that it nearly pops off the pan on its own. If you try to flip the chicken too early, the skin will be stuck and might just pull right off of the thigh.
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After you flip the chicken, add the brown sugar. Let it melt and begin to darken a little. This can take a while. Be patient. pay attention to the aroma.
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Stir in the allspice.
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Stir in the paprika.
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Stir in the ground ginger.
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Add the habañero slices.
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Add the crushed garlic.
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Stir in the bouillon.
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Stir in the tomato paste.
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Add the water. I've listed 4 cups of water, but this can vary a little. Use enough water to submerge the chicken to almost the skin. Replace water if needed during simmering. The final consistency of the sauce should be something like a teriyaki sauce, flowing, but with body.
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Add the green onions.
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Simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender, and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and add a little salt if you think it needs it.
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