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    "Home" » Wholesome Caribbean

    Boneless Brown Stew Chicken

    Published: Jul 12, 2020 · Modified: Feb 28, 2022 by Althea Brown · This post may contain affiliate links · 51 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Boneless Brown Stew Chicken is a quick and easy, Whole30 and Paleo version of classic Caribbean Brown Stew Chicken or simply chicken stew if you are Guyanese. To make this recipe Whole30 and Paleo, browning (caramelized brown sugar) is replaced with coconut aminos.

    Brown Stew Chicken is a Caribbean Staple.I make it often using my Chicken Stew recipe found here. Sometimes I am in a rush and need to whip up a quick dish to go with rice or other sides. This Boneless Brown Stew chicken recipe is perfect for those situations. The recipe is easy to follow, the chicken cooks quickly and it is kid friendly. I get zero complaints from the kids when I serve this dish up, and that's a win-win for me!

    Jump to:
    • Preparing the chicken for the boneless brown stew chicken
    • Step by Step How to cook Boneless Brown Stew Chicken
    • Choosing the right coconut aminos teriyaki sauce for this dish
    • Adding additional salt to your dish
    • Save it for later
    • Printable Recipe Card
    • Brown Stew Chicken Pairs well with these sides:

    Preparing the chicken for the boneless brown stew chicken

    Boneless, skinless chicken thighs is perfect for this recipe. However, if you only have bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, just follow the steps here to remove the bones and skin. Sometimes I keep the bones for the cooking process (like I did here), but don't serve them. The bones add a lot of flavor to the dish, but they are not necessary.

    For this recipe I am using dried herbs and spices only. I want it to be quick and don't have extra time for peeling and chopping. But if you want to use green seasoning (a Caribbean staple for seasoning meat) or other fresh herbs, please feel free to do so!

    Step by Step How to cook Boneless Brown Stew Chicken

    Cooking up this dish takes less than 30 minutes! I love searing the chicken on high heat to lock in all of the flavor from the herbs and spices, then I add the coconut amino teriyaki sauce, some water, cover the pot and let it cook. If you don't have the coconut aminos teriyaki sauce, just use more regular coconut aminos. I am using a wok type pan, that conducts high heat well and delivers great results every time.  Once the chicken cooks, you are left with a stew of chicken thighs sitting in a thick and slightly sweet brown gravy that is undeniably delicious!

    Choosing the right coconut aminos teriyaki sauce for this dish

    When I first made this dish there was only one coconut aminos teriyaki sauce on the market. It was the coconut secrets teriyaki sauce. It is thick and sweet and doesn't taste like traditional teriyaki sauce. It does however taste like caribbean browning or burnt sugar. That is why I added it to this recipe. However, it is sometimes hard to get so I just double up on the regular coconut aminos. Don't use a coconut teriyaki sauce that has sesame oil in the ingredients. It will change the intended flavor of this dish.

    Adding additional salt to your dish

    All coconut aminos are not created equal and some are a bit saltier than others, so I recommend waiting until the chicken cooks and tasting the dish, then adding more salt if needed. Originally I added salt when I seasoned the chicken but once when using a new brand of coconut aminos, my dish was so salty that I needed to add lots of vegetables to balance out the taste. It was still a delicious dish, but I don't want you to have this experience. So to play it safe add the salt towards the end, if needed.

    I love to garnish the stew with a little dusting of parsley flakes and cayenne pepper for a little heat!

    Save it for later

    Printable Recipe Card

    Boneless Brown Stew Chicken

    Althea Brown
    Boneless chicken thighs cooked in a rich stew of herbs and spices.
    4.89 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Keto, Paleo, Whole30
    Cuisine Caribbean
    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 2 tablespoon of avocado oil or similar oil for cooking
    • ¼ cup of coconut amino teriyaki sauce (can substitute with regular coconut aminos)
    • Salt to taste
    • About 2 cups of water

    To season the chicken:

    • 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic
    • 1 tablespoon of onion powder or granulated onion
    • ½ tablespoon of parsley flakes
    • 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
    • ¼ cup of coconut aminos
    • Pinch of cayenne pepper optional

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, combine chicken and all of the seasonings and mix together well, then set aside
    • Then add a large skillet, wok or large pot to high heat and bring up to temperature
    • Next, add the oil and bring up to temperature
    • When the oil is hot add the seasoned chicken and sauté for about 10 minutes, constantly turning, ensuring that the chicken gets a good sear on all sides
    • Then add 1 cup of water and cover and let cook on high heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the water cooks down. After 5 minutes you can uncover the pan to allow the water to cook down faster
    • Once the water cooks down, add the teriyaki sauce or another ¼ cup of coconut aminos if you don't have the coconut teriyaki sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes
    • Taste the dish and add salt, up to ¾ teaspoons if needed
    • Then add another cup of water, cover and continue to cook until chicken is completely cooked and tender and liquids cook down to form a gravy.
    • When the chicken cooks and the sauce is to your liking, remove from the heat and serve with your favorite sides
    • You may garnish with a dusting of parsley flakes and cayenne pepper for some additional heat!

    Notes

    1. If you don't have coconut aminos and are not on Whole30 or following a Paleo diet you may use 1 teaspoon of browning and 1 tablespoon of sugar as a substitute.
    2. You may also substitute the coconut aminos in this recipe for 1 tablespoon of cassareep (if you are on Whole30 or a paleo diet, you will need to ensure that your  cassareep is 100% with no added sugar).
    3. You can substitute the dried herbs for fresh herbs, this is traditionally how brown stew is cooked. Use 1 diced onion, 4-5 cloves of garlic, 2 large tomatoes and about ¼ cup of freshly chopped flat leaf parsley instead of the dried seasoning, if you like.
    4. You may also add about 1 lb of diced potatoes and a carrot or two to this dish.
    5. Do not be afraid of over cooking the chicken thighs. Unlike Chicken breasts, chicken thighs will not dry out, the fibers will just break down further and it becomes more tender the longer you cook it. 
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Brown Stew Chicken Pairs well with these sides:

    Cauliflower Rice and Split Peas

    Callaloo Cook-up Rice

    « Skillet Jerk Chicken Thighs (Whole30, Paleo)
    Ground Beef Chow Mein {Whole30, Paleo} »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rolland says

      July 17, 2020 at 3:17 pm

      Hi! Your recipe has the teriyaki as an ingredient but doesn't say which step to put it in. We're excited to make it, which step please?

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 17, 2020 at 3:25 pm

        Oh no sorry I must have skipped it. Add the teriyaki sauce after step 6. It’s should have been step 7. I’ll update the recipe.

        Reply
        • Rolland says

          July 17, 2020 at 3:28 pm

          I'm so glad you responded so quickly. Thank you! We were literally in the middle of making it and my gf says "hey, where do i put the teriyaki?" and you got to us BEFORE Step 6. Thanks again! (we'll tag you on a pic once it's done)

          Reply
          • Althea Brown says

            July 17, 2020 at 3:32 pm

            Awesome. So glad got the pop up message! Thank you for reaching out.

            Reply
          • Althea Brown says

            July 17, 2020 at 3:35 pm

            So basically after that first cup of water cooks down add the teriyaki sauce and another cup of water and cook some more about 5-10 minutes depending on how big your pieces of chicken are, to form the sauce/gravy.

            Reply
        • Melanie says

          August 04, 2020 at 10:49 pm

          Yum. Yum YUM! This is the second recipe I’ve tried from your blog and it did not disappoint. So easy and quick...and most importantly, delicious! Can’t wait to try more recipes!

          Reply
          • Althea Brown says

            August 05, 2020 at 2:07 pm

            Yummy. Thanks for sharing

            Reply
      • SKT25 says

        September 30, 2020 at 10:24 pm

        5 stars
        Step 6

        Reply
    2. Simone says

      July 26, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      5 stars
      This is why they always say "reading is fundamental!". I had no coconut aminos (don't even know what it is) so I subbed low sodium soy sauce. I'm int the last 3 minutes of the pot and I just skimmed your notes at the bottom and saw you pointed out what to sub coconut aminos with! HA! Huge whoops! I ran and threw a tablespoon of brown sugar in there. Fortunately for me the chicken tastes good (although a bit salty as you can imagine), but I'll have to try again with your full instructions next time. We'll just have to avoid the gravy this time around.
      Thanks! And I really enjoyed you in IG last week!

      Reply
      • Monique L says

        October 18, 2020 at 5:35 pm

        5 stars
        I used your delicious recipe and only added Butter Beans and hot peppers 🌶 Quick easy and tasty. Thanks 😊

        Reply
    3. Rolland says

      July 26, 2020 at 9:08 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good we want to make it again this week. This time we're gonna use fresh onion, parsley, tomatoes and garlic instead of spices.

      Do we ...throw it all in with the chicken? Cook the onion first, then add the chicken, then the rest?

      Sorry...I'm not a good enough cook to know what the order should be! Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 26, 2020 at 9:13 pm

        Add it all in with the chicken just like you would with the dried spices. Check out my Chicken Stew Recipe to see how.

        Reply
      • Rachel says

        August 10, 2020 at 6:31 pm

        For some reason the liquid on might just isn’t cooking down to form the sauce when it’s covered. Any idea what I’m doing wrong? Do you keep it on medium and covered to thicken the sauce?

        Thanks!

        Reply
        • Pat says

          March 02, 2021 at 11:21 pm

          3 stars
          That was my experience as well. Also a little confused about how to get a sear on the chicken when it starts in a half cup of liquid. I got the oil good and hot but then basically boiled the chicken in the aminos for 10 minutes. I only added one cup of water because it was already so soupy, and the water obviously isn't going anywhere when you cook covered. Basically it started a soup and ended a soup. The chicken was plenty flavorful though on its own without the soup part, so I just mixed it into some brown rice which was really pretty good and the chicken was very tender. In the end I was glad we didn't have a sauce because the liquid was a bit salty for me and I was glad to be able to leave it behind in the pan.

          Reply
          • Althea Brown says

            March 03, 2021 at 1:33 am

            I’m sorry this was your experience. I make this recipe so often, cooking it on high heat in a wok type pan and it cooks down and browns/sears every time. Here’s how you can adjust it if you want to give it another try. Don’t add the coconut aminos to the raw chicken when seasoning the meat. Just add the other ingredients. Then add the seasoned chicken to your hot oil. Let that brown for a bit then add the coconut aminos and follow the other steps to cook to your liking. I do need to adjust my wording in the recipe around the sauce though. It’s not really a thick sauce but more of a loose gravy that thickens a bit more as it cools. Some coconut aminos are saltier than others which maybe why your liquid was salty. Thank you for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a review.

            Reply
    4. April says

      July 27, 2020 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good & easy to make! I love how tender the chicken is & the sauce is so tasty! I used primal kitchen teriyaki sauce (which is so good)! I served it with coconut rice & roasted zucchini! Can’t wait to try other recipes!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 29, 2020 at 9:19 pm

        Yummy. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    5. Jaime says

      July 27, 2020 at 5:04 pm

      What a wonderful recipe, thank you! My family of 4 ate the entire recipe in one meal, mostly because my 2 kids ate so much and were truly licking the plate. This will definitely be something we make often in my house. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 29, 2020 at 9:19 pm

        Thank you so much for sharing

        Reply
    6. Yeli says

      July 27, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      Made this dish for dinner tonight. 3/3👍🏼
      We loved it. And I loved how easy and quick it was for a weeknight meal. We had it with leftover white rice.

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 29, 2020 at 9:19 pm

        Thanks for sharing

        Reply
    7. Kristen says

      July 28, 2020 at 1:42 pm

      I plan on making this tonight but only have chicken breast on hand. Do you recommend it with breasts or should I wait to make it with thighs?

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 29, 2020 at 9:18 pm

        Breasts work as well. I recommend cutting them into thin strips then dicing up. I know this sounds like it would make the breasts dry out but it actually won’t.

        Reply
    8. Nicholette says

      July 29, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and Delicious!!!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 31, 2020 at 10:08 pm

        Thank you

        Reply
    9. Alexa says

      July 29, 2020 at 9:12 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is absolutely delicious. Super easy, super filling, super healthy but tastes like an indulgent meal. I can't wait to make it again, it will definitely become part of my regular dinner rotation!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 29, 2020 at 9:14 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for sharing.

        Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 31, 2020 at 10:08 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    10. Alyssa D says

      July 30, 2020 at 3:38 pm

      5 stars
      My family and I loved this recipe. Especially my 5 year old picky eater. The flavor is fabulous. Easy to make!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        July 31, 2020 at 10:06 pm

        Aww thank you for sharing. It’s definitely kid approved.

        Reply
    11. Maria long says

      August 04, 2020 at 6:31 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing recipe! So flavorful it makes you feel like you aren’t eating healthy. I enjoyed this with sautéed zucchini and cauli rice. A definite make again, everyone from my husband to my 7 yr old to my 1 old loved it!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        August 05, 2020 at 2:07 pm

        Amazing. When the kids approve it’s a winner.

        Reply
    12. Stephanie says

      August 24, 2020 at 8:05 am

      5 stars
      This was one of the top 3 things I've ever cooked! I paired it with the callaloo rice and wowwww! What an excellent meal! Will definitely be adding this in my regular rotation.

      Reply
    13. Christina McKinney says

      September 23, 2020 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve made this dish twice in a week because I can’t keep it long enough in the fridge! It is so so good.

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        September 23, 2020 at 5:41 pm

        Thank you so much. I made some yesterday and I am eating the leftovers right now 😆

        Reply
    14. / says

      December 02, 2020 at 1:57 pm

      A tad confused on terriaki/amino acids and how much and when To add.

      Is it 1/2 cup with seasonings and set aside with chicken Step 1 and then additional 1/4 cup after water cooks down Step6?

      Trying tonight- thank you

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        January 17, 2021 at 9:59 pm

        Hi I'm so sorry I missed this comment. I was having an issue with spam comments and it got buried. You are right. 1/2 cup of coconut aminos to marinate the chicken and then 1/4 cup of coconut aminos teriyaki sauce while cooking. You may also use more coconut aminos in place of the teriyaki account.

        Reply
    15. Jill says

      January 05, 2021 at 7:17 pm

      5 stars
      Tried for the first time tonight! Such good flavor. My husband, made this with 1/2 cup less liquid because he thought it would be too much liquid. It was delish but not saucy like it’s supposed to be. Can’t wait to make it as written. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        January 05, 2021 at 7:26 pm

        Yummy. You’ll love it even more when it’s saucy.

        Reply
    16. Kristen says

      January 11, 2021 at 11:52 am

      5 stars
      We made this for dinner last night and it was so tasty! Reminded us of the Huli Huli chicken we get from a local Hawaiian restaurant (Hawaiian Bros). Next time I will marinate the meat if time allows. We served over jasmine rice, can't wait for the leftovers!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        January 11, 2021 at 3:44 pm

        Yummy. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    17. Blair says

      January 22, 2021 at 10:02 am

      Do you think you could throw this all in a crockpot to set and forget?

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        January 22, 2021 at 12:20 pm

        Yes you could easily

        Reply
    18. Ashley says

      February 13, 2021 at 6:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is an incredible recipe that has turned into a frequently cooked one in our house! It rivals takeout, on and off of a whole 30! Thank you so much for a new family staple!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        February 27, 2021 at 11:02 am

        Yay. Thanks for sharing. ❤️❤️

        Reply
    19. Victoria says

      September 06, 2021 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious. Enjoyed by all the family and super easy to make. Taste explosion!

      Reply
    20. Caren Seal says

      September 06, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      Better than any takeout and brings me back to home cooking! So good and simple!

      Reply
    21. Nicole says

      January 09, 2022 at 5:10 pm

      Could I just dump all this in the instant pot??

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. August Whole30 – Week 1 – The Inspired Oven says:
      July 25, 2020 at 5:26 pm

      […] Brown Stew Chicken and Coconut Cauliflower Rice from Metemgee […]

      Reply
    2. Fried Okra (Guyanese Style) - Metemgee says:
      September 16, 2021 at 10:16 pm

      […] up boneless chicken thighs: I use my boneless brown stew chicken recipe and cook it all the way down until there is no gravy, then I add the roasted okra. […]

      Reply
    3. 1untrustworthy says:
      January 12, 2022 at 2:41 pm

      1bedroom

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Althea! I have a real passion for cooking, especially traditional Caribbean recipes with deep roots! I was born and raised in Georgetown, Guyana and now live in Denver, Colorado with my husband and 3 kids. I am a Whole30 Certified Coach and love sharing wholesome remixes to traditional Guyanese and Caribbean dishes.

    More about me →

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