Stewed Chicken Trinidad Style Recipes

TRINIDAD STEWED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prep: Wash chicken with the juice of one lemon, lime or vinegar and water, rubbing to remove slime, also remove excess skin, fat. Wash a second time with plain water. Drain well. Wash and chop scallions, tomatoes, peel and chop onion, grate ginger and garlic, cut pimento or habanero if using. Alternately, chicken can be seasoned ahead of time with scallion, onion, garlic, tomato(optional), ginger(optional), thyme, pimento pepper, hot pepper-if using, salt and black pepper, ketchup.
• In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add sugar and allow it to bubble, froth, expand and darken. Do not allow it to smoke and get black. This is the same technique I used with the pelau and stewed lamb.
• Add chicken and listen to it sing in the pot! Immediately raise the heat to high and stir continuously to coat with the brown sugar, about 2 minutes.
• If chicken was not pre-seasoned, now add scallion, onion, garlic, tomato(optional), ginger(optional), thyme, pimento pepper, hot pepper-if using, salt and black pepper, ketchup and cook 1-2 minutes more while stirring. Also add potatoes and cooked peas now if using.
• Cook for 15-20 minutes, covered, over medium high heat (chicken will release it's juices), stirring occasionally, every 5 minutes, until liquid has evaporated.
• After the liquid has evaporated, continue to cook for a few seconds to allow flavours to develop, stirring continuously to prevent sticking.
• Add one cup of water, more if you like lots of "sauce". Cover and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender (but not shredding), turning gently once or twice, and the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper if required. For this dish, I added a total of two teaspoons Himalayan salt but amounts may vary depending on the type of salt you use.
• Serve hot preferably over rice with stewed beans, callaloo or dhal and your favorite salad. If you feel like it add some fried plantains, wash it down with a cold glass of mauby, sorrel or home-made lemonade.

CARIBBEAN STEW CHICKEN

Steps:

• Divide the Whole Chicken (4 pound) into cube-sized pieces. Wash and season the chicken. If you're lucky enough to have drumsticks and thighs there's no need to cut them into pieces.
• Put pieces of chicken in a large bowl and squeeze the Lime (1) over it. Add a couple of cups of water to wash, then drain. Add Worcestershire Sauce (1 teaspoon), Ketchup (1 tablespoon), Salt (3/4 teaspoon), and Ground Black Pepper (1/4 teaspoon).
• Add Onion (1), Tomato (1), Garlic (2 clove), Fresh Ginger (1 teaspoon), Scallion (2 stalk), Fresh Cilantro (3 tablespoon), Scotch Bonnet Pepper (1/4 piece), and leaves from the Fresh Thyme (2 sprig). Mix well and marinate for 2 hours in the fridge, or overnight if possible.
• In a heavy, high-sided pan, heat Vegetable Oil (2 tablespoon) over medium-high heat. Add Brown Sugar (1 tablespoon) and move it around until it starts to liquify. You're looking for small bubbles, which will then become a bit frothy, then from light to golden/dark brown.
• As soon as the sugar is a golden, dark brown, start adding the seasoned chicken a few pieces at a time. Remember to stir constantly to ensure all the pieces are coated evenly.
• After you've added all the seasoned meat to the pot, turn down the heat to medium/low, cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add Water (1 1/2 cup) to the bowl you had the chicken marinating in and set aside.
• After about 15 minutes, remove the lid and turn up the heat as it's time to cook-off all the liquid in the pot and to give the chicken it's final "brown" color. When all the liquid is gone, add the water mixture in the bowl. Stir well.
• Cook over medium heat for another 20-25 minutes, depending on how thick your pieces of chicken are. You want the thickest piece to be cooked through.
• Enjoy as a main dish, or with rice and watercress salad!

TRINIDAD STEWED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare Green seasoning marinade:.
• Put all the seasoning ingredients into your blender or food processor and process dry or with a minimum amount of water. Store in the fridge, in a glass jar, for up to a week. Or add some more water and some vinegar if you want to keep it longer. Sorry I can't offer definite measurements. I usually just eyeball this.
• Trinidadians use this all purpose mix to season just about any kind of meat. It keeps well in the fridge and we usually make a fresh batch of this once a week.
• Season chicken with Angustora bitters, green seasoning, salt and black pepper and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1/2 hour or longer if you have the time.
• Heat oil in a heavy pot, add sugar and garlic and let caramelize. Stir once or twice so that the garlic doesn't burn.
• The sugar will go from the colour of peanut butter to a bubbling, dark, reddish brown. When the outer edges start to turn an even darker brown , add all the chicken to the pot.
• Do not stir. Let the water generated by the addtion of the chicken dry out some and give chicken a chance to caramelize. Turn chicken and let rest again for the other side to caramelize. Reapeat this process, turning chicken occasionally so that it browns on all sides. If the sauce at this point looks a little bit gooey you are on the right track. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water during this process if it seems that the sauce is drying out too quickly but keep it at this thickened stage until the chicken is brown. If your sauce is too thin and watery the chicken will not caramelize.
• TIP: It takes a while for the sugar to get to the dark colour you are looking for. Do not walk away while browning the sugar. Once brown you'd be surprised how quickly it goes to black leaving you with a bitter charred mess that dries hard and ruins your pot and your spoon:=)No this never happened to me before LOL.
• Don't rush this stage. Let the liquid dry out, turning chicken occasionally so that it browns on all sides. If water is added too soon the brown colour will wash right off. The chicken will be too pale.
• When chicken is nice and brown, add the Worcestershire sauce, the Maggi cube and 2 cups cup or more of water to cover the chicken or two cups of broth.
• Add hot pepper sauce; cover pot and bring to a boil. Remove the pot cover part of the way as you want the liquid to start drying up but not so quickly that the chicken doesn't have time to cook. If liquid dries out too quickly you can always add more water.
• Cook on medium heat until chicken is tender.
• Once the chicken is cooked, let liquid dry out until the sauce in the pot is no longer watery.
• Serve with hot rice, salad or vegetables.
• Variations: You can add a 1/4 cup pumpkin cut in small cubes after you brown the chicken if you want a slightly thicker sauce.

TRINIDAD STEW CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a deep heavy pot on a medium fire. Add the sugar and allow it to melt and simmer until it looks golden brown.
• Add the marinated meat and 1/4 cup 0f water. Allow the browning to coat the meat evenly. Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 2 mins.
• Add the chopped fresh herbs, salt pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of water to just about cover the chicken. Cook until the meat is tender (about 25 - 30 mins). You may add a teaspoon of tomato paste for taste. Serve with rice.

TRINIDAD STEWED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken on a plate. Sprinkle the green onion, cilantro, garlic, onion, salt and pepper over it. Cover, and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, and cook until the sugar has melted into a nice golden brown syrup. Add the chicken pieces, and brown quickly while turning continuously. Cover the pot, and let it cook for 2 minutes.
• Pour in 1 cup of water, coconut milk and pepper flakes. Replace the lid, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the ketchup and butter. Continue cooking until chicken is fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve chicken with the sauce in the pot as a gravy.

INDRA'S (MUMMY) TRINIDAD CURRY CHICKEN RECIPE

Steps:

• Make Green Seasoning: In a food processor or blender(or chop COARSELY by hand), mince scallion, cilantro/culantro, thyme, garlic and onion(not the reserved slices) and peppers. (You may choose not to add the onion to the blender but keep it sliced). Set aside 1 tablespoon of the Green Seasoning for the curry paste below.
• Prepare Chicken: Wash chicken with lemon juice, removing excess fat. Drain well. Season chicken with salt, pepper and the remainder of the Green Seasoning. Allow it to marinate for several hours or overnight(OPTIONAL).
• Make Curry Paste: In a small bowl, add 3-4 tablespoons curry powder, 4 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon of the reserved Green Seasoning. Mix well. Set aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil, add the reserved pieces of onions and pepper and cook until golden brown. Add curry mixture and cook until grainy and curry separates from the oil, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pot to prevent it from sticking and burning, 3-5 minutes.
• Add seasoned chicken to pot. Stir to mix well. Add cumin, salt and pepper if you haven't already. If using potatoes, add now.
• Cover the pot and cook on medium heat until the meat has relinquished its juices and subsequently evaporates about 15-20 minutes, gently stirring every 5-7 minutes or so in a basting motion (pouring the pan juices over the chicken).
• When the liquid has evaporated, continue to stir fry for a few seconds(or up to 2 mins) allowing the flavors to develop and scraping the bottom of the pot with the spoon to prevent it from burning. Then add 2 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, cover pot and cook until sauce has thickened about 5-10 minutes.
• Taste test for salt and add more if required. Enjoy with roti or rice.

JAMAICAN BROWN STEW CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place habanero, thyme, garlic, ginger, light parts of green onions, brown sugar, black pepper, kosher salt, smoked paprika, allspice, and vinegar for marinade into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
• Make 2 slices into the skin side of each thigh, perpendicular to the bone, about 1 inch apart, cutting all the way down to the bone. Add chicken thighs to the marinade and toss thoroughly until evenly coated. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken and transfer to the refrigerator, 12 hours or overnight. If possible, toss several times during the marinating time.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade. Scrape off any chunks of marinade from chicken into the bowl and reserve for later.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until almost smoking hot. Add chicken and brown well on both sides, about 5 minutes, working in batches if necessary. Once all the chicken is browned, remove to the marinade bowl and reserve.
• Heat the same pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt; saute in the fat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cook until everything caramelizes and turns a dark brown, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Carefully add chicken broth, ketchup, and bay leaves to the pan; bring to a boil. Add carrots, bell peppers, browned chicken thighs, and reserved marinade.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and no longer pink in the centers, and the sauce has reduced and thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, skimming the excess fat that comes to the top and basting the chicken with the sauce occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning. Toss in reserved sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

STEWED CHICKEN - TRINIDAD STYLE

Steps:

• Finely chop onion, garlic, fresh tomatoes.
• Cut chicken into medium/small pieces.
• Put oil & sugar in a pot on high heat, and caramelize sugar.
• When golden brown, add chopped chicken pieces.
• Keep turning until all pieces coated in caramelized sugar and golden brown in color.
• Add onion & garlic.
• Keep cooking until onion translucent.
• Lower heat, add tomatoes & other seasonings.
• Simmer covered on low heat until chicken is cooked.
• Remove cover and cook further , reducing liquid until sauce thickens but DO NOT let dry.
• Serve hot with hot rice OR mashed potatoes.

TRINIDADIAN CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until very dark, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the chicken is brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon. Add the thyme, 2 tablespoons of parsley, carrots, potatoes, and hot water. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with the remaining parsley.

TRINIDADIAN-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the marinade: Place the garlic, shallots, onions, parsley, and vegetable oil in a food processor, and puree. Transfer the garlic mixture to a container, and set aside. For the chicken: Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and add half of the Amise marinade, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours. In a wide-based pan, heat the sugar and vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Swirl the glaze until the sugar caramelizes and browns, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. As soon as the sugar caramelizes, add the chicken pieces, in one layer skin-side down and brown the chicken on all sides, about approximately 5 minutes. Add the onion, chile, plantain, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan, and stir. Pour in the chicken stock, and bring the ingredients to a boil. Add in the reserved marinade and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, and season the dish with salt, to taste. Turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and garnish with the cilantro leaves just before serving.