Categorized | Chicken
Curry stew chicken that will leave your family asking for seconds.
Posted on 05 April 2009
Kieana our eldest daughter is hooked on anything stewed, while Indy our youngest will not touch the stuff. She’s more into curry chicken, but Kieana will only tolerate curry… no real love there. To try and please or ensure they both eat, I’ve gone back to making a dish that my mom used to make for us when we were kids that was a hit. Curry-stew chicken, a combination of both curry and stewing as the name suggests.
The concept is the same as Stew Chicken, except, we’ll be seasoning the chicken with curry to add that extra level of flavor. For this recipe I suggest you again use a heavy pot for best results (see pot below). Something like a traditional Caribbean pot or one of those cast iron Dutch oven type would be great. You may also use one of those heavy stainless steel ones you can find in department stores in North America with the reinforced (heavy) bottoms.
You’ll need……..
1 (4-5 pounds) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced or crushed
1 teaspoon fresh/bottled ginger – crushed. (use 1/2 if it’s ginger powder)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil (one that can withstand high heat)
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium tomato – chopped
2-3 tablespoon cilantro (or 2 tbs Trinidad green meat seasoning)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 hot pepper (only if you like your food spicy)
1 green onion or chive – chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
1 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar
2 tablespoon curry powder (your favorite)
Preparing the chicken. Cut or ask your butcher to cut the chicken into serving size pieces. In a bowl empty the cut chicken and squeeze the lime or lemon (or vinegar) onto the chicken, then add some water from your tap to cover the pieces of chicken. Now wash each piece individually, removing skin and any fat (we’ll try to keep this a bit healthy). Now rinse with a new batch of water and drain.
Then in the same bowl with the freshly washed chicken you’ll add ALL the ingredients EXCEPT the oil, sugar and cup of water, we’ll be using those to cook the chicken. Here’s what it should look like (remember to mix everything around and let it sit (marinate) in the fridge for about 1hr before cooking.
FYI, you’ve just seasoned the chicken. After about an hour or so marinating, it time to get things moving.
Here’s a pic of the pot I used:
On high heat, add the oil to the pan. Just before the oil starts to smoke, add the brown sugar. TIP – be sure to have the seasoned chicken handy, use a long handle spoon (it will get hot) and oven mitts to hold onto the pot to turn the pieces of chicken to get it evenly coated. It’s important that you keep an eye on things and be ready to act fast. Next tip – it can get a bit smoky with the high heat at this point, so you may want to turn the exhaust fan over your stove on or open a window in the event you have smoke detectors installed.
Move around the sugar in the pot (remember to use a dry spoon with a long handle), until it starts to melt. Now keep a close eye on things here, since you’re looking for the sugar to go a bit foamy, and change color to golden. See pic below. Notice the middle of the picture where the sugar appears a bit darker? That’s the exact color you’re looking for before adding the chicken. (Note – we used less sugar in this recipe than when cooking stew chicken, since we don’t want to over-power the curry aspect of the dish)
At this point you can start adding the pieces of chicken into the pot with the caramelized sugar. Try to be quick, since you don’t want the sugar to go much darker than in the picture above. Be sure to coat every piece of chicken so it “browns” evenly. Now cover the pot and let simmer for about 5 -10 minutes. you’ll notice that the pot will now have some excess water in it.
We’d like to now allow all the juices that developed during cooking (while pot was covered) to cook-down until there is no liquid in the pot, so we need to turn the heat back up to high. The chicken will now start to get even darker. As soon as you can no longer see any liquid in the pot, it’s will be time to add the water.
Now add the cup of water to the bowl that contained the seasoned chicken. Swish it around so you get all the seasoning bits that were left back. Add this water to the pot so you can continue cooking the chicken for another 25 minutes or so. Turn the heat back down to a gentle simmer and let cook until the water thickens up to a nice gravy like consistency (pot closed). To thicken the gravy, remove the lid and turn up the heat if necessary.
Salt – be sure to taste near the end to add extra salt as to your liking.
Sauce – Since we pair this with rice or with roti, we leave a bit of sauce or gravy with it. BTW, this also goes well as a topping for macaroni and cheese.. give it a try!
Questions? Leave me a comment below and I’ll try my best to help you as best as I can.
Maybe you have a different version of this recipe? Feel free to submit your recipes.
133 Responses to “Curry stew chicken that will leave your family asking for seconds.”
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Hey guys, whilst I love this recipe for me; I try not to use too much oil so I'd eliminate the heating of the oil at the beginning. The same result occurs if you simply heat the pot and add the sugar. When the sugar melts simply add the chicken. and follow suit.! Enjoy!
thanks for the tip.
Macaronie & Cheese <3 Recipe please^_^
yes.. thanks for that reminder as I have a wicked recipe for mac and cheese.
Thanks for all your good work on ISLAND FOOD.
Foodnetwork will have to come to you because Caribbean Foodies very much needs to be represented.
I think there a chef on foodnetwork name Roger Mooking (trini parentage), but I'm not sure what sort of dishes he prepares. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Appreciated!
Hey Chris:
I just joined your site/blog yesterday and have already tried this recipe. It was delicious!!! The only thing I changed was the addition of Thyme (I really hate the taste) so I substitute it for Oregano (don't really like it either but I can manage it, LOL). My husband who is a born and raised Jamaican LOVED it. This will def go in my collection. The only suggesstion I have is can you make the recipes printable? I attempted to print it out but it only printed 32 pages of the comments!! Big tree killer and ink waster! LOL. Having them printed will save me from having to run to my computer every two seconds. Thanks again and keep the recipes coming. Many blessings….
I did try installing a plugin that would make the recipes easier to print, but could never get it to work. the only other suggestion I can make… cut and paste the text part into a text file and it will reduce on pages and colour ink in printing. we're working on an iphone apps which was supposed to be release a while back, but we're still having some issues. That would mean people with an itouch,ipone and/or ipad would be able to take the recipes directly to the kitchen with them.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for all the lovely recipes also for letting everyone know about those tasty dishes from Trinidad. I’m Trinidadian and I love to cook and can cook many things really tasty but I’ll need to learn a few things from you, like Jerk Pork, Baby Back Ribs and Pigtail Rice. These are some of the things that I definitely can’t cook because we’ve never cooked or ate it in my parents home. Thank you again I do appreciate what you’re doing for us all. God Bless!
stay tuned.. we'll have fun wile we cook some nice food.
Hi Chris,
Thanks again my friend for the wonderful job you're doing. Could you please give us the recipe for a good Black Cake (Trinidadian Style) I usually make my own for Christmas and it comes out all right but I want it to be the best and I need YOUR help to get the best. I know that you're an excellent cook from your recipes and I'm sure your Black Cake would be the best! Thank you and keep up the good work.
Chris,
i never heard of curry and stew together.I can't wait to try it as trini stew chicken is de best
thanks for the recipe man.
rich.. trust meh.. this one is boss.
oh i tried it is lovely my husband is english and wouldnt touch curry but he is hooked .well i made it for me and my son who love curry and my husband come from work and wanted a bit so i give him and now he is asking again for me to make some more so we will be haveing that for dinner today thank you love your recipes have a great day everyone xxx
lovely. nice to see the recipe is being used with success.
I will be having this for my Sunday lunch…sounds fabulous!!!!!!!I Made the Oxtail soup yesterday, it was quite the hit! Thanks!
I'm sure you'll love it.
this is absolutely delicious,try with aloo (potato) roti, buss up shot, dosti roti OR put some more pepper and try it as "cutters" over an all fours card game or any trini lime!!!!!!!!!!!
Preach it! Lovely stuff.
Hi Cris, thanks for sharing your recipes with the public I definitely will try the stew chicken recipe it sounds and look delicious.
I am of Trini heritage and have to say am pretty good at cooking both curry and stew so this is a great recipe that I have never tried….so this is now on the list.
Cannot wait to serve it to my family. I am sure they will love!
I wonder if you could try this style to make Pelau…hmmm!
Interesting observation about making pealu this way. i think I'll have to give that a shot.
Cris I have to say I lived here in the States over twenty years and going through all of your recipes I have to say so many memories are starting to surface. I am trying eat clean and have to say we Trini people is all about fresh clean ingredients. I look forward to more, not sure is you have already posted but can you show the guest new to Carib cooking how to make the" green seasoning".
the link is http://caribbeanpot.com/how-to-make-the-green-sea…
Hi Chris, Happy New Year, I am originaly form St James Trinidad, now I live in the Dominican Republic, good recipe. I would suggest you add a few leaves of Shandon Beni/Ban Dhania. Also too strech the meal what my mom did was add potatoes so everyone could get a small piece of chicken and enjoy the chicken flavored potatoes.
All the best to you and yours as well. Yea, I recall my mom adding some potatoes as well.
Thank God for you Chris, I tried the curry stew chicken, bodi and potato, mango amchar and buss up shot roti for lunch on Sunday, I felt like a professional. Not to mention, my family loved it, we are based in Trinidad. Your recipes are easy to follow and those step by step pictures really help. My family loves you, we wish you continued health and long life. Do you have a restaurant? If you don't you are loosing out on millions my brother.
thanks for your kind comments and continued support
I particularly like the way you give options of ingredients. Makes for very easy when some things are anot readily available. Very lucky to have found this site. Your geera pork was a big hit and I am a star.
Thanks you Jay
Hi Chris! I'm a university student from Memphis studying in Atlanta. I learned how to cook Trini food from my college friends and my favorite professor (who's also Trini) and got a little better when I stayed on Milner @ UWI St. Augustine for a study abroad term. I'm going to try this delicious-looking recipe tomorrow with channa and carrots. As much as I like curry chicken and stew chicken I know I'll love this dish! Please keep up the good work
Dear Chris,
I love making this dish. I live in the UK and we are really deprived in our particular corner – no pimento peppers and no bottled green seasoning. I have to import my vital supplies of pimento (any firends travelling down have to bring back some; difficult to grow on windowsills and less flavour) and I make my own green seasoning and keep it in the fridge. Just a tip Cilantro is known here as Coriander and it tastes just like slightly milder Shadon Beni so where a recipe calls for any of these they are interchangeable but you have to adjust the quanitiy.
My mouth is watering, I live out in the sticks in England, no green seasoning, and I only get back to Trini once a year if that.
Hi..just a note to say you can get Chief Green seasoning on Ebay…..I tend to bring mine back from Trinidad when I visit….I usually end up bringing back an extra suitcase filled with spices and seasonings…but if you can’t get any in the UK then try ebay…its good as a last resort……Amanda
well i'm so glad I looked in tonight, I had no idea Corriander could be interchange wid Shadon Beni, I brought back some SB two years ago and it does make such a difference to the food flavour. Perhaps the other reader from the UK lives near me in the sticks. Going to Leicester market on Saturday, am told you could get some authenic stuff there.
Try adding diced carrots & diced potatoes to your stew chicken recipe along with sliced red & green bell peppers. The minor additions will make this recipe a new family favorite.
Chris, thanks for the great recipes. just had another question. where in the US can I purchase that pot with the heavy lid you used in your stew curry recipe. AAM
thanks Chris I will try this one for my husband who does not like plain curry
I love curry and this is a must try, I love cooking for my wife. Thanks!
The brown sugar…this is north american ‘brown sugar’ or natural raw sugar?
I think I’m going to make this this week!
I am creole from the Seychelles islands. This is a lovely dish with so much that one can interchange with….
Please keep them coming
Chris, I am looking for a recipe for pepper shrimp. Thanks
Hi I am a new subscriber. Loved your recipe. I live in Trinidad and prepare my curry stew exactly like yours. delicious!
and the children came back for more and more…………………delicious.i am a new subscriber. we live in new zealand, where we need loads of carribean foods…….spread the word! i enjoy your site!
Hey Chris-Im headed to Toronto-and was wondering if you could recommend some good places to eat.
great recipe chris but try adding d curry when ur sugar rises in d pot for about a min then add d chicken it has a really diff taste.
Hi Chris…I am from Trinidad and I can tell you that's the way to make a curry-stew!! I also add some shadon beni and pimento peppers…gives it a really nice flavor….
I tried the above recipe , very tasty .
What i did with the meat was to de-bone the chicken leg then marinade as instructed.
I mashed some cooked seasoned plantain with kallaloo the layered this onto the boned chicken leg.
Rolling this in grease proof paper then wrapping in tin foil i poached for about 15 min simply just to hold the shape of the meat.
Once cooled i followed the procedure as for above. Once meat was completey cooked i sliced the chicken at angle to reveal the mix inside.
I currently have the oppotunity cook at a Bistro doing Caribbean nights once a month so this site holds a wealth of information and ideas.
I keep the dishes as traditional as possible, and not stray from how Mom cooks, but always think how can i make this dish more presentable.
Thanks!
would love the recipe for brown stew chicken. Everyone keeps talking about how good it is
looking forward to cooking this curry at the weekend,
hey! i would love to try this. I may be missing the link and its probably right in front my eyes but how do i get a printable version of the recipes?
Strange dish, your mom must be like mine- an experimental scientist with food. I was told by mom, for instance, if you don't have limes to wash the meat ,use flour, and to cook all meats was to cover everything with water to cook, well not with chicken unless u want soup. However, I know it will be a great dish to have people guess the main ingredient after it's eaten. Thanks, for the twister, Chris, will try!
I made the curry stew chicken, for the first time, for my husband and me. It was the most delicious, especially because it was made from my hands…only change was that i diced potatoes and added it with the water. Thank you for this recipe, I certainly plan on referencing from your site all the time.
I cannot wait to try this dish. When I do try it, I will let you know how it came out. I am salivating.
Hi Cris, I am a Trini and the type of person who does things traditionally. I must say your recipes hits the nail on the head.anyone using your recipes is sure to be a perfect cook. Seriously.
a glad i subscribed to your website so far cant ask for much but keep up the good work i cooked this one my mom used to cook like this but she passed now its my turn to keep it alive a trini living in montreal canada
Chris boy, yuh take me back to them good ole days of my Trini childhood! I didn't know other mammies did as my mammy did! Thank God for wonderful mothers! and fathers too!
hi Chris
I'm having trouble getting recipes for habenero sauces you have in your acrhives.
they don't appear, others recipes show instead.
Any suggestions
thanks
Can’t wait to try, I make stew chicken for my husband he is an American I Dnt really like it to much but he likes curry, so this is a wonderful way of combining the curry…
P.s I Dnt use oil I just let the pot heat n add the sugar to brown if I Dnt have sugar I will use Browning sauce n vise versa….
Thanks for the recipe
this dish also goes perfect with Steam –
Provision or Roast -Breadfruit
I love my curry chicken with basmati rice or roti……………………..yummy
Chris I used your recipe as a base for mine and sort of tweeked it a bit. I had set out to make just a plain(lol) stew chicken until I saw this recipe at the last minute. Thought I should give it a try. Using seven pounds of chicken(15 legs and 3 split breasts cut up) I used 5 Tbs sugar and 3 Tbs curry powder. My curry is kinda strong and I wanted it to taste more like a stew with a 'hint' of curry so I used more sugar. I put the curry powder in the pot with the sugar when the sugar was almost caramelized. Didnt use ginger because I'm not used to putting it in stew-maybe one day lol. To season the chicken ovenight I used salt pepper, dried thyme,garlic powder, onion powder, dried poultry seasoning, green onion, onion, and tomato.(forgot about the ketchup Im more used to putting it in pelau) I put the whole uncut habanero and chopped garlic in the pot with the chicken cooking. It came out perfect! I would have never thought of combining curry and stew if it wasnt for you. Thanks Chris.
I rambled a bit lol.
Chris,
I cook this just 2 Sundays ago, but I cal it "Dougla Chicken" lol!
I made this Friday! Thank you for the delicious recipe! It was great!