Carribbean Brown Chicken Stew

Ingredients to marinate the chicken: 

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper. 3/4 chopped and the rest in thin slices
1 orange pepper, 3/4 chopped and the rest in thin slices
4 scallions, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TBSP brown sugar
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 TBSP canola oil
3 tsp browning sauce (I use Grace brand)
salt and pepper

4 chicken thighs

4 chicken legs

Additional Ingredients: 

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 (8oz) tomato sauce

4-6 sprigs of thyme

2 bay leaves

1 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper (pierced)

1.5-2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 TBSP flour

Directions: 

1. Remove the chicken from the marinade and make sure to keep all the pieces of vegetables and the marinade juice in a bowl, you'll use it shortly  

2. In a large dutch oven, add 1 TBSP oil. Brown chicken on all sides and remove to plate. 

3. Add all of the marinade to the pot, scrap up bits on the bottom of the pan (add 1-2 TBSP of water here if needed. 

4. Add tomato sauce, carrots, fresh thyme, bay leaves, habanero pepper, stir. 

5. Add 1 TBSP flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring. 

6. Add chicken pieces back to the pot carefully arranging and nestling them in the pot. 

7. Add just enough chicken stock to cover the chicken almost completely.

6. Bring to a simmer then reduce to medium low, cover and stew for 1.5 hours. 

7. Simmer with lid off for a 20 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove thyme, pepper and bay leaves.

Serve over Puerto Rican Rice and option to serve with sweet plantains. 

Ingredients for Puerto Rican Rice: 

3 cups of medium grain rice
2 small boneless pork chops, cut into small cube pieces
1/2 of a small onion, diced
1/4 cup bacon fat
1/2 cup sofrito
1/2 cup tomato sauce
6 manzanilla olives, pitted, and diced
1 tsp chicken bouillon
3 cups water, plus the liquid from the can of beans and a bit of water to make 1/2 cup. 
15.5 oz of northern white beans or pigeon peas (I couldn't find pigeon peas so I used white beans today), rinse but save the can liquid
2 packets of Sazon con achiote (1 for the pork and 1 for the liquid mixture)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions: 

1. When your meat has 45 min, prepare your rice. Rinse it and set it aside. 

2. Combine the tomato sauce, 1 packet of sazon, olives, beans, chicken bouillon, sofrito. 

3. Heat a large dutch oven to medium high with the bacon fat. Season the pork with garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, pepper and 1 packet of Sazon. 

4. Add the pork and onion to the pan and leave alone. Let a crust form. After about 3 minutes, stir. Let a crust form again. 

5. Add in your 2 cups of water. Use your bean can liquid and add water to equal 1/2 cup. Add that to the pot. Add all of your other ingredients you combined in a bowl (not the rice). Stir. Bring to a boil. 

6. Taste your liquid here. It should be very flavorful and on the edge of a little salty as it will absorb in the rice and it won't end up salty.  

7. Add your rice and stir to distribute evenly.  Cook on high, uncovered until you can see the rice at the top and you don't see anymore liquid bubbling. No stirring.

8. Reduce heat to low. Cover the top with foil and put the lid on.  Cook for about 10 minutes without peeking. 

9. Peek and check to see if it's sticking to the bottom and if the rice is pulling apart. If so, turn the rice. Scrape it from the bottom and move towards the center. Try not to stir too much, just one time around the pot. Cover again and cook another 5-10 minutes or until rice is tender. 

10. The rice is done when it's tender and dry. Turn off the heat and keep warm. 

Garnish with green onion. My husband used Dirty Dick Tropical hot sauce on this too!