This Jamaican Curry Chicken Recipe is a one-pot meal that is full of bold flavours and so hearty that you will feel like you are in the Caribbean. You can either marinate the meat, cook it in a slow cooker or follow the burning curry technique. Either method results in a tasty chicken dish.
If you have never tried a Caribbean curry, more specifically Jamaican curry chicken, then you are in for a treat. The flavours are quite bold with the overall meal being quite hearty.
There’s a combination of rich chicken stewed with potatoes making it a filling dish for the entire family.
Unlike many Jamaican recipes, it’s not overly complicated with some of the work being carried out during the preparation stage.
What Is Jamaican Curry Chicken?
Typically, a Jamaican style curry consists of chicken that is stewed with potatoes and sometimes carrots (usually Irish potatoes or white sweet potatoes).
There are two methods for making this curry chicken:
- Marinate the meat with the seasoning
- Cook the curry powder in oil and then add the meat and rest of the ingredients.
My family tends to marinate the meat overnight and then cook it the next day.
Unlike Indian curry dishes, Jamaicans tend to use a pre-spice blend which has a combination of the individual spices that are found in many south Asian cuisines and more.
Like many dishes, some people like to add ingredients such as all-purpose seasoning, a hint of ginger and allspice (pimento berries) while others do not.
The dish is usually served with white rice or rice and peas.
Jamaican Curry Chicken Ingredients
As mentioned before, each person may tweak the recipe, myself included. Sometimes I like to add a hint of ginger, all-purpose seasoning and pimento berries to my Jamaican Curry Chicken.
I prefer to use larger chunks of meat on the bone with SOME skin left on. You DON’T have to follow suit, that’s just MY way of doing it.
This chicken curry recipe includes boneless, skinless chicken thighs, Jamaican curry powder, all-purpose seasoning, ground ginger, black pepper, onions, scallions, garlic, fresh thyme, pimento berries (allspice), hot water, sweet potatoes and Himilayan pink salt.
- Jamaican Curry Powder: Jamaican curry powder is typically heavier on the turmeric as compared to the other spices, which makes it different than regular curry powder. I prefer to make my homemade version, but it’s easy to find online.
- All-Purpose Seasoning: A pantry staple in the Caribbean community, I always have a jar of this herb and spice blend on hand.
How To Make Jamaican Style Curry Chicken
This chicken curry recipe comes together in only 45 minutes on the stovetop, in the slow cooker or using the burn curry technique!
- Add the washed chicken to a large bowl and use a fork to pierce the flesh of each piece of chicken. This helps the seasoning to better penetrate (picture 1)
- Sprinkle on the Jamaican curry powder, all-purpose seasoning, ginger, black pepper along with the onions, scallions and garlic (pictures 2 & 3)
- Use your hands to thoroughly work in the seasoning, cover with saran wrap (cling film) and refrigerate overnight or for a few hours (picture 4)
- On medium heat, add the oil to a pot/dutchpot
- Scrape off the excess seasoning (i.e onions, scallions and garlic) and place the chicken pieces into the pot, being carefully to not overcrowd (picture 5)
- Proceed to seal and sear the both sides of the chicken until brown
- Once the chicken is seared, stir in the onions, scallions and garlic and saute until translucent
- Add the sprigs of fresh thyme, pimento berries and stir the pot (picture 6)
- Pour in the hot water, then bring to a rolling boil (picture 7)
- Reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes
- Add the sweet potato and pink salt, to taste, stir, then simmer for another 20 minutes (picture 8)
- Add a splash of water if the gravy reduces too much and becomes too thick
The Slow Cooker Method
- Marinate the chicken with the ingredients as instructed.
- Scrape off the onion, garlic and scallions and sear the meat.
- Saute the onion, garlic and scallions.
- Transfer everything into your CrockPot, including pimento, thyme, hot water and salt, to taste. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Add the potatoes 45 minutes before the finishing time.
The Burn Curry Method
As I said before, many people like to remove the skin but it doesn’t bother me. If you are making your curry chicken by burning the curry:
- Wash the chicken as per tradition.
- Do not add the Jamaican curry powder just yet, but add all-purpose seasoning, ground ginger, black pepper, onions, garlic and scallions.
- Add the oil to a dutch pot/pot, then add the curry powder and continue to stir for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Sear the chicken, then add the onion, scallions, garlic and remaining seasonings. Saute 2-3 minutes.
- Add thyme, pimento berries and the hot water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook 10 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and salt to taste, then simmer for another 20 minutes.
Note and Tips:
- Follow the steps above for either the slow cooker or burn curry technique.
- For best results, I highly recommend marinating the chicken with the curry and other listed ingredients overnight. This gives the spices plenty of time to penetrate the chicken, making it tastier.
- If you are pushed for time, marinate the meat for a few hours instead.
- When adding the water, make sure to use hot water to keep the temperate levels consistent.
- Scrape off any of the excess seasoning (i.e scallion, onion) before searing the chicken or the little bits will burn.
- Don’t add the potatoes too early or they will breakdown too quickly. We want them to thicken the gravy, but not completely breakdown.
- I used Jamaican sweet potatoes, but you can use any other white potato or even orange sweet potatoes.
- Feel free to use any part of the chicken – chopped drumsticks, wings, breasts – just make sure it’s boneless.
- Remove the skin from the chicken if you are worried about excess fat. I like to keep some skin on as a personal preference.
- As per Caribbean culture, meat is washed with lemon/lime/vinegar prior to seasoning.
- Use 1 tbsp dried thyme and 1/4 tsp allspice if you can’t obtain fresh thyme or pimento berries.
Serving Suggestions
Originally published in September 2019, updated April 2020 with updated copy and recipe card.
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Jamaican Curry Chicken (Gluten Free, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs cut into pieces skinless or skin on
- 3 tbsp Jamaican curry powder see post for recipe
- 1 tsp all purpose seasoning see post for recipe
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 scallions sliced
- 4 garlic cloves chopped finely
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried
- 4 pimento berries or 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 cup hot water 250 ml
- 1 medium sweet potato or 2 small ones, chopped
- Himalayan pink salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the washed chicken to a large bowl and use a fork to pierce the flesh of each piece of chicken. This helps the seasoning to better penetrate.
- Sprinkle on the curry powder, all purpose seasoning, ginger, black pepper, onion, scallions and garlic.
- Use your hands to thoroughly work in the seasoning, cover with saran wrap (cling film) and refrigerate overnight or for a few hours.
- On medium heat, add the oil to a pot/dutchpot.
- Scrape off the excess seasoning (i.e onion, scallions and garlic) and place the chicken pieces into the pot, being careful to not overcrowd.
- Proceed to seal and sear both sides of the chicken until brown.
- Once the chicken is seared, stir in the onion scallions and garlic and saute until translucent.
- Add the sprigs of fresh thyme, pimento berries and stir the pot.
- Pour in the hot water, then bring to a rolling boil
- Reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.
- Add the sweet potato and pink salt (to taste), stir, then simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Add a splash of water if the gravy reduces too much and becomes too thick.
Notes
- Follow the steps above for either the slow cooker or burn curry technique.
- For best results, I highly recommend marinating the chicken with the curry and other listed ingredients overnight. This gives the spices plenty of time to penetrate the chicken, making it tastier.
- If you are pushed for time, marinate the meat for a few hours instead.
- When adding the water, make sure to use hot water to keep the temperate levels consistent.
- Scrape off any of the excess seasoning (i.e scallion, onion) before searing the chicken or the little bits will burn.
- Don't add the potatoes too early or they will breakdown too quickly. We want them to thicken the gravy, but not completely breakdown.
- I used Jamaican sweet potatoes, but you can use any other white potato or even orange sweet potatoes.
- Feel free to use any part of the chicken - chopped drumsticks, wings, breasts - just make sure it's boneless.
- Remove the skin from the chicken if you are worried about excess fat. I like to keep some skin on as a personal preference.
- As per Caribbean culture, meat is washed with lemon/lime/vinegar prior to seasoning.
- Use 1 tbsp dried thyme and 1/4 tsp allspice if you can't obtain fresh thyme or pimento berries.
Nutrition
Hi Charla, do you cover the chicken for the last 20 mins or simmer uncovered?
Hi Kathy. The chicken should simmer with the lid on.
Thank you Charla. Almost ready to eat. It smells wonderful in the house on this snowy day. I almost feel like I’m on vacation.
You are very welcome and please save me a plate at your dinner table.
I love chicken dishes. I am a Indian and love cook cooking. I always want to explore new recipes and cuisine from all over the world and make it in my own kitchen.. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your recipe with us..
You are welcome
Never had Jamaican curry before, but I am now bookmarking this recipe
Thank you!!
We eat a lot of Indian curry chicken here, this is motivating me to mix it up and try Jamaican style! Pinned…
Yay! Another convert.
I am sooo ready to travel to the Carribean now that I don’t need to leave my house with this absolutely amazing chicken recipe. 🙂 I just need to buy the right chicken for it, and I am good to go!
Thanks Danielle. I hope you enjoy the recipe. You can use any chicken pieces to make this recipe.
just tried this recipe and absolutely loved it. Thank you for putting this on tried others but this one is the best
Thank you Sylvia
I love flavourful dishes such as this! I’m definitely going to make this for my husband and I!
Thanks for the love Bintu. I hope yourself and hubby enjoy this one.
I live in Tonga and it is FULL of Indian curry. However, I miss the real Jamaican curry so much!!!
Thanks Jeannette!! I love both Indian and JA curry