Stewed Chicken and Rice
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Chicken pieces, bone-in — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Brown sugar — 2 tbsp
- Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Thyme — 2 sprigs
- Water — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Scotch bonnet pepper, whole — 1
- Long-grain rice — 400 g (2 cups)
- Water, for rice Salt and black pepper, to taste — 600 ml (2 1/2 cups)
Method
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper and half the garlic; set aside 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pot, add sugar, and cook until caramelised to a deep brown.
- Add the chicken and brown on all sides.
- Stir in onion, remaining garlic and thyme, then add water and scotch bonnet.
- Cover and simmer 30-35 minutes until the chicken is tender.
- Meanwhile, rinse the rice and cook in a separate saucepan with water and a pinch of salt until tender, about 18 minutes.
- Remove the scotch bonnet from the chicken before serving over the rice.
Introduction: Caramel-browned stewed chicken served over fluffy white rice, a comforting everyday Saint Lucian lunch.
Cultural Background: Stew chicken browned in caramelised sugar is a technique found across the Caribbean, and in Saint Lucia it forms one of the most common weekday lunches, simple, filling and deeply savoury.
Tips: Brown the chicken in batches to avoid steaming. Rinse the rice well before cooking to prevent stickiness.
Variations: Add carrots and green beans to the stew for extra vegetables; a vegetarian version braises chickpeas and pumpkin in the same caramel sauce.
Storage: Store rice and chicken separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat the chicken in a covered pan with a splash of water; warm rice in a microwave or steamer.
Nutrition: Approx. 510 kcal, 29 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat per serving.
FAQs:
Q: Can I use boneless chicken?
A: Yes, though bone-in pieces give more flavour to the sauce; reduce cooking time for boneless.
Q: Why brown the chicken in sugar first?
A: It builds the deep mahogany colour and savoury-sweet flavour typical of Caribbean stew chicken.
- Chicken pieces, bone-in — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Brown sugar — 2 tbsp
- Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Thyme — 2 sprigs
- Water — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Scotch bonnet pepper, whole — 1
- Long-grain rice — 400 g (2 cups)
- Water, for rice Salt and black pepper, to taste — 600 ml (2 1/2 cups)
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