The Brown Sugar Technique For Stewed Chicken (The Jamaican Way)

Chicken stews are the pinnacle of comfort food in households around the world, whether it's a quick weekday dinner pulled together in under an hour or the centerpiece of a slow weekend lunch. Every culture has its version, and every grandmother has her secret twist. Maybe it's a handful of fresh herbs tossed in with the onions, a splash of red wine in the base, or a well-loved homemade stock that simmers for hours.

Most recipes have one step in common: searing the meat to lock in flavor and build a rich foundation for the sauce. But in Jamaica, they start with a bold extra step that sets their stew apart – caramelizing brown sugar in the pan before the chicken ever hits it. That burnt-sweet base infuses the dish with a rich, dark color and deep, smoky complexity that are hallmarks of many of the best Caribbean dishes. That caramelized sugar doesn't just add depth, it gives the dish its Caribbean soul, its rich color, and even its name: Jamaican brown stew chicken.

Unlike its more famous culinary export, Jamaican jerk chicken, the brown stew chicken is a homespun classic that's rarely found on restaurant menus, even though it sings like a sunny Sunday in Kingston... warm, vibrant, and full of heart.

Many traditional stews do have a subtle sweetness, often from caramelized onions, tomatoes, wine, or root vegetables. The brown stew takes that natural sweetness a step further by intentionally caramelizing brown sugar at the very start, making it a defining flavor rather than just an undertone. 

Jamaican brown stew chicken begins with oil heated in a deep skillet to which brown sugar is added — it melts and bubbles until it darkens into a rich, syrupy base (some recipes suggest adding the sugar to boiling water instead). Marinated chicken is then seared on both sides till it becomes coated in the caramelized sugar and develops that signature deep brown color. The chicken is set aside, and the stew is built in the same pot, so that the garlic, ginger, and onions all take on that signature deep smoky sweetness. Once the chicken, thyme, scallions, and other aromatics are added back, the broth is full of complementary flavors, all of them infused with that caramelized base, and the meat turns tender and full of flavor.