A boneless, modern version of Jamaican brown stew chicken made in the slow cooker. Made with a medley of aromatic herbs and spices, succulent bone free, skinless chicken thighs that are braised to perfection.
Have you ever tasted a recipe that is so good that you just have to make it again and again? What about capitalising on said recipe and making other variations of it?
Yup, that's me right now with this brown stew chicken recipe, most of you probably know this recipe or have even tried my stove top version and hopefully enjoy it!!
Today I want to show you just how you can make brown stew chicken using your slow cooker instead.
That's right, a non traditional method that yields such beautiful island style results.
Aside from using a slow cooker not much has really changed, a few tweaks here and there but ultimately this is a beginner friendly recipe.
You still need to marinate the chicken overnight or at least a few hours, sear it (brown it) and then braise the chicken until a delicious gravy is formed.
Reasons to slow cook chicken
- Less hassle .i.e. cuts down on the preparation and clean up especially if you have a 2 in 1 stew and slow cook unit.
- Slow cooking really helps to bring out that flavour.
- It's more energy efficient then using conventional stovetop.
- You can run errands, do chores knowing that your chicken has been cooked and ready for dinner time.
As you can see there are a good number of reasons why slow cooking is a great method to explore.
Don't get me wrong, I still use my dutch pot and would never stray away from my culture to the point of beyond recognition.
I'm just showing you guys some alternative cooking options.
Choosing boneless chicken
I'm slowly falling in love with boneless skin thighs because of how juicy they are. If you haven't tried making ANYTHING with them then now is the time to change that.
My go to used to be chicken breast, which granted, I still eat but not as often anymore well.... actually.... it's subject to the recipe i.e. I would for a chicken salad or something that requires zero fat, if that get my drift.
Chicken thighs are contain more saturated fat then breasts which are high in protein and much leaner.
However, you can easily do what I do to boost that lean factor by trimming off the excess fat.
Besides, boneless chicken thighs are cheaper, you don't have to pay extra for the skin and bone.
Plus, they brown quite nicely and don't experience the texture issue that you may get with breasts.
Hopefully I have won you over on why you should try this recipe using your a slow cooker and boneless chicken thighs.
The steps
- Place the chicken in a large bowl then proceed, use a fork to create small holes in the meat as this will help the seasoning to penetrate more.
- Season the chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, all purpose seasoning, black pepper, brown sugar and browning sauce.
- Rub the marinade into the chicken so it is evenly distributed.
- Wrap the bowl with saran (cling film) then refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Heat a skillet/frying with oil on medium heat then sauté the onion, scallion, ginger and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Add the chicken and proceed to brown the meat this will take some time to achieve (about 15 minutes or so) during that time the meat should extract its own juices, this will help with browning the meat, if too much liquid is in the pan, you need to increase the heat to cook off the excess liquid (you only want ¼ or a small amount left).
- Transfer the chicken into your crock/slow cooker (I'm using a 2 in 1 slow cooker so I don't need to do this step).
- Then add your tomato paste, hot sauce, thyme, pimento berries and a little more of my homemade browning sauce (about 2 tbsp should do).
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Roughly 1hr -45 minutes before the cooking time has finished add your bell peppers, check the texture of the gravy, it should be slightly thick with some body to it.
- Once the chicken has cooked, remove/discard the thyme stems, do a taste test and add pink salt or additional black pepper if required.
Frequently asked questions
Although when I wrote this recipe post I had slow cooking in mind, you can fast track things by cooking it on the stove top. However, I would start with 1 cup of liquid instead and add more required and cook for roughly 1 hour instead.
Yes, if you want to, make sure it's about the same amount as listed in the recipe card.
I'm going to sound biased by saying mine is only because if you're from the Caribbean and know about the store brought browning then you will know only a small amount is needed because it is so highly concentrated and bitter (too much can ruin your food!).
On the other hand, my homemade version is weaker, but still does the job! You can the luxury of adding much more (if made correctly) without worry about ruining the overall taste of the dish.
You can pair it with Rice and Peas, Cauliflower Rice (low carb alternative), Steamed Cabbage, Pumpkin Rice or Baked Plantain
Notes and tips
- You can freeze down any leftovers for up to 3 months.
- Boneless chicken thighs contain fat so be sure to trim off/chop off any excess fat before seasoning.
- This is the link to my homemade browning sauce and the all purpose seasoning that I use.
- You will notice that I add more salt towards the end of cooking simply because the all purpose seasoning contains salt so I don't want to add too much too soon.
- As per tradition wash the meat with vinegar plus lemon/lime/salt.
- The total amount of chicken should serve up to 6 people.
- Remember the amount of browning will vary depending on whether you are using my homemade recipe or the store brought kind.
- My homemade version isn't as concentrated and not as bitter therefore, I can afford to use quantities that are in tablespoon. If you are using the store brought kind then you will need to use less (about 2 tsp).
- Make sure the chicken is seared (browned) before moving onto the next step, the juice that the chicken extracts will be your best friend as this will help to seal in the flavour, remember to cook off most of the liquid by increasing the heat.
- You can use dried herbs/spices if you can't obtain them fresh i.e. thyme, pimento, ginger etc..
More chicken recipes to try
- Smoked Chicken Legs
- Jamaican Coconut Curry Chicken
- Nutmeg Chicken
- Trinidad Stew Chicken
- Cuban Mojo Chicken
- Haitian Stewed Chicken
- Tamarind Chicken
**Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**
Slow Cooker Brown Stew Chicken
Ingredients
To season the chicken
- 2½-3 lb boneless chicken thighs (1.3kg) washed as per tradition, see notes
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar (15g) heaped, can use raw organic cane sugar
- 1 tbsp onion powder (15g)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder (15g)
- 1 tbsp black pepper (15g)
- 1½ tbsp all purpose seasoning (22g) see notes for recipe
- 2 tbsp browning sauce (30g) see notes for recipe, only use this amount if using my homemade version
To sear/slow cook the chicken
- 3 tbsp olive oil (45g) or coconut oil
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 2 scallion sliced (spring/green onion)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (5g) minced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (30g)
- 1 tsp hot sauce (5g)
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme tied together in a bundle, or 1 tbsp dried
- 1 tbsp pimento berries (15g) ½ tsp of dried allspice
- 2 tbsp browning sauce (30g) see notes for recipe, only use this amount if using my homemade version
- 1½ cups hot water (355ml)
- additional pink salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
To season the chicken
- Place the chicken in a large bowl then proceed, use a fork to create small holes in the meat as this will help the seasoning to penetrate more.
- Season the chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, all purpose seasoning, black pepper, brown sugar and browning sauce.
- Rub the marinade into the chicken so it is evenly distributed.
- Wrap the bowl with saran (cling film) then refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
To sear and slow cook the chicken
- Heat a skillet/frying with oil on medium heat then sauté the onion, scallion, ginger and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Add the chicken and proceed to brown the meat this will take some time to achieve (about 15 minutes or so) during that time the meat should extract its own juices, this will help with browning the meat, if too much liquid is in the pan, you need to increase the heat to cook off the excess liquid (you only want ¼ or a small amount left).
- Transfer the chicken into your crock/slow cooker (I'm using a 2 in 1 slow cooker so I don't need to do this step).
- Then add your tomato paste, hot sauce, thyme, pimento berries and a little more of my homemade browning sauce (about 2 tbsp should do).
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Roughly 1hr -45 minutes before the cooking time has finished add your bell peppers, check the texture of the gravy, it should be slightly thick with some body to it.
- Once the chicken has cooked, remove/discard the thyme stems, do a taste test and add pink salt or additional black pepper if required.
Notes
- You can freeze down any leftovers for up to 3 months.
- Boneless chicken thighs contain fat so be sure to trim off/chop off any excess fat before seasoning.
- This is the link to my homemade browning sauce and the all purpose seasoning that I use.
- You will notice that I add more salt towards the end of cooking simply because the all purpose seasoning contains salt so I don't want to add too much too soon.
- As per tradition wash the meat with vinegar plus lemon/lime/salt.
- The total amount of chicken should serve up to 6 people.
- Remember the amount of browning will vary depending on whether you are using my homemade recipe or the store brought kind.
- My homemade version isn't as concentrated and not as bitter therefore, I can afford to use quantities that are in tablespoon. If you are using the store brought kind then you will need to use less (about 2 tsp).
- Make sure the chicken is seared (browned) before moving onto the next step, the juice that the chicken extracts will be your best friend as this will help to seal in the flavour, remember to cook off most of the liquid by increasing the heat.
- You can use dried herbs/spices if you can't obtain them fresh i.e. thyme, pimento, ginger etc..
Oh wow! My family and I are going to be all over this recipe. Looks so delicious and packed with so much flavor! Beyond excited to try this stew!
I hope you enjoy it Beth
What a delicious looking stew. I love how you make your own browning sauce, so much better than shop bought without all those unwanted additives. thanks for sharing.
It sure is and thank you so much Sarah.
Looks delicious! I am always looking for new chicken recipes, and am looking forward to trying this one.
Thanks and enjoy Biana
This stew is so delicious. Well written and easy to follow recipe.
Thanks Mirlene!!
Thanks for all the tips and I am going to give coconut sugar a go.
No problem and enjoy!