Tasty Brown Stew Chicken

The pressure builds and you start counting down minutes until you eat. You toss the chicken thighs with a bunch of spices and brown sugar, feeling the mix coat every piece right. Then you set your pressure cooker, and the float valve drops down while that sealing ring starts working hard sealing in all those flavors.

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As the timer ticks, you catch the little hiss of the valve releasing steam when you do a quick release. That's the moment you know the taste is gonna be worth the wait. The kitchen smells like something your grandma would approve of, with hints of garlic, thyme, and that dash of heat from scotch bonnet pepper.

By the time you lift the lid, you see tender chicken soaked in a rich, dark sauce that's thickened up nicely. You can almost hear the sizzle from searing and the simmering that made everything meld together. This ain’t just any stew, it’s the kind that fills your belly and your soul.

The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method

• You get crazy tender chicken real fast thanks to the pressure cooker doing most of the heavy lifting.
• The sealing ring locks in all those deep, bold flavors right where they belong.
• Using slow release means you avoid tough meat and keep it juicy.
• Quick release lets you finish up fast when you’re starving and in a rush.
• The float valve help tells you when the cooker’s ready and safe to open, no guesswork.
• This method cuts down on messy pots and pans since sear and stew can happen right in the same pot.

Your Simple Ingredient Checklist

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons browning sauce
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeds removed and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• ¼ cup oil (veg or canola works good)
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup water

Looks kinda long but once you get it all prepped, the pressure cooker does the hard part for ya. Don’t rush the marinating—it really soaks the flavors inside the chicken pieces.

Walking Through Every Single Move

First, cut your chicken thighs into those good bite-sized pieces. Toss them in a big bowl with brown sugar, browning sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and allspice. Mix it real good so every piece gets coated.

Cover that bowl and let it marinate at least an hour. Overnight marinating? Heck yeah, that’s even better for big flavor.

Next, fire up your pressure cooker on sauté mode with the oil. After it's hot, throw in the marinated chicken pieces. Brown them on all sides till they get a nice color.

Now add the chopped yellow onion, spring onions, bell peppers, scotch bonnet, garlic, and ginger in. Give it a quick stir and pour in ketchup, chicken broth, plus that half cup of water.

Lock the lid and make sure the sealing ring is in place. Set your cooker to high pressure for 15 minutes. When the cooking’s done, let it slow release for 10 minutes. After that, you can quick release the rest of the pressure. You’ll hear that familiar valve hiss and watch the float valve drop down, signaling it's safe to open.

Open it up and give the stew a good stir. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve it hot with your fave rice or side dish. This stew works real good with plain white rice or thick mashed potatoes.

Quick Tricks That Save Your Time

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• Use pre-chopped frozen veggies when you’re in a big hurry. Just toss 'em in with the fresh ingredients.
• Marinate your chicken the night before so you just dump it in and cook next day.
• Skip searing if you’re pressed for time but know it adds that nice flavor boost.
• Use chicken broth from a carton or homemade freezer stash to speed things up.
• Keep your sealing ring clean and ready to go, so you don’t waste time fixing leaks.

Your First Taste After the Wait

That first bite hits you with an explosion of deep, sweet, and spicy flavors from the mix of browning sauce and scotch bonnet pepper. The chicken’s so tender it almost melts in your mouth.

The sauce is thick and rich, kinda tangy from the ketchup with that subtle heat humming underneath. You notice the garlic and thyme weaving right in, making every bite interesting.

It’s comfort food on a plate, a dang good hug wrapped in sauce. You feel glad you didn’t mess around skipping the marinate or rush cooking it.

Making It Last All Week Long

Got leftovers? No problem. Store your brown stew chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps real good for up to 4 days.

Freeze any extra portions in meal-sized bags or containers. When you want it, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm on low heat or in your pressure cooker using the slow release method.

For quick reheat, use the microwave with a lid on to keep moisture in. Stir halfway through so it heats evenly and stays juicy.

If you wanna keep it fresh but ready for a quick meal, portion it out right after cooking. That way you just reheat whatever amount you need without overdoing the rest.

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Everything Else You Wondered About

• Can I use bone-in chicken thighs? Yep, you can. Just add a few minutes to the cooking time so the meat gets tender enough.
• What’s the deal with the sealing ring? It’s what keeps the pressure cooker airtight, letting that float valve drop and keeping steam inside. Always check it’s in good shape before cooking.
• Can I skip the browning step? Sure, but the stew won’t have that deep flavor and nice color. If you’re in a rush, it’s ok, just know it changes the taste a bit.
• How important is the float valve? Very. It shows you when the cooker is pressurized and safe to open. Never try to open before it drops or use force.
• Why slow release instead of quick release? Slow release helps keep chicken super tender and prevents sauce from splattering all over when pressure pops quickly.
• Can I add extra veggies? Totally. Just add sturdier ones like carrots or potatoes at the start. Softer veggies can go in near the end if you wanna keep ’em crisp.

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Brown Stew Chicken Pressure Cooker Recipe

This hearty Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken cooks up fast in the pressure cooker with bold spices, tender meat, and a rich, savory sauce you'll love spooned over rice.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6 people

Calories 626 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Pressure cooker with sauté mode

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• 3 lbs Chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Browning sauce
• 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Onion powder
• 2 teaspoons Salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoon Allspice
• 1 Yellow onion chopped
• 3 Spring onions chopped
• 0.5 Green bell pepper chopped
• 0.5 Red bell pepper chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper seeds removed and chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic chopped
• 1 inch Ginger chopped
• 0.25 cup Oil vegetable or canola
• 2 tablespoons Ketchup
• 1 cup Chicken broth
• 0.5 cup Water

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Toss the chicken pieces with brown sugar, browning sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and allspice until evenly coated.
• Cover and let marinate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Turn pressure cooker to sauté mode. Add oil and brown marinated chicken on all sides.
• Add chopped onion, spring onions, peppers, scotch bonnet, garlic, and ginger. Stir to combine.
• Pour in ketchup, chicken broth, and water. Stir everything together.
• Lock lid. Set to high pressure for 15 minutes. Let slow release for 10 minutes, then quick release rest of pressure.
• Open lid and stir stew. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
• Serve hot with white rice or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Brown stew chicken is traditionally made with a whole chopped chicken, but thighs work great too. The key is marinating well and using dark meat for flavor and tenderness.