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Jamaican Curry Chicken (Gluten Free, Paleo)

This Jamaican Curry Chicken recipe is a one pot meal that is full of bold flavours and made using one of two methods - slow cooker or stovetop method.
Course Main Entree
Cuisine Jamaican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 348kcal
Author Charla

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
  • ¼ 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 ¼ 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.
  • Add 1tbsp of curry powder to the pan and proceed to cook it for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  • 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.

For the slow cooker version

  • Marinate the chicken with the curry powder, all purpose seasoning, black pepper, ginger, onion, scallion and garlic.
  • Leave to infuse overnight or a few hours the in refrigerator (wrap the bowl with saran/cling film)
  • Scrape off the excess seasoning from the chicken.
  • Add the oil to a pan on medium heat and sear the chicken until brown then add the garlic/onion/scallion and saute until soft and translucent.
  • Transfer the chicken etc.. to your crockpot/slow cooker,.
  • Add the pimento, thyme and 1 ½ of hot water.
  • Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
  • Add the potatoes 45 minutes before the finishing time and make a slurry with (1tbsp tapioca starch and 2 tbsp water) mix together then add that to the unit.
  • Add salt to taste and serve

Notes

Notes and Tips:
  • Follow the steps above for either the slow cooker or burn curry technique.
  • 20 minutes (30-40 minutes) or mix 2tbsp of tapioca starch with 2tbsp water together and stir it in.
  • 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 ¼ tsp allspice if you can't obtain fresh thyme or pimento berries.
  •  

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 769mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8253IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 4mg