This brown stew chicken is delicious served over steamed rice with green peas, garnished with fresh thyme. I've wanted to make this for a while since I love braised or stewed chicken recipes, especially ones with similar ingredients as jerk chicken. While I might make a few adjustments next time, this came out amazingly well.
Ingredients
- garlic: 4 clove (minced)
- green onions, white and green parts separated: 0.5 cup (divided, sliced)
- packed dark brown sugar: 2 Tbsp
- thyme leaves: 2 Tbsp (chopped, fresh)
- habanero pepper: 1 Tbsp (minced)
- cider vinegar: 1 Tbsp
- fresh ginger root: 2 tsp (minced)
- kosher salt: 2 tsp
- black pepper: 1 tsp (freshly ground)
- smoked paprika: 1 tsp
- ground allspice: 0.5 tsp
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: 8 piece (5 ounce)
- olive oil: 3 Tbsp (divided)
- yellow onion: 1 piece (diced)
- pinch kosher salt: 1 piece
- brown sugar: 1 Tbsp
- chicken broth: 4 cups
- ketchup: 0.33333 cup
- bay leaves: 2 piece
- carrot: 1 cup (sliced)
- quartered baby bell peppers: 1 cup
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Whisk together garlic, white parts of green onions, brown sugar, thyme, habanero, vinegar, ginger, salt, pepper, paprika, and allspice in a large mixing bowl.
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Make 2 cuts, about 1-inch apart, into the skin side of each thigh, perpendicular to the bone, cutting all the way down to the bone. Add chicken thighs to marinade; mix until evenly coated. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate, at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. If possible, flip thighs several times while marinating.
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Remove chicken from marinade. Scrape off any chunks of marinade from chicken into the bowl and reserve for later.
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Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Working in batches, brown the chicken all over, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to the marinade bowl; set aside.
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Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt; cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cook until onions are dark brown and caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes more.
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Add chicken broth, ketchup, and bay leaves to the pan; bring to a boil. Add carrots, bell peppers, browned chicken thighs, and reserved marinade.
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Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center and sauce has reduced and thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Skim excess fat that floats to the top; baste chicken occasionally with sauce.
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Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in green parts of green onions. Chef John