This Guyanese chicken stew recipe features bone-in chicken simmered with carrots and potatoes until tender, creating a bowl of pure comfort. With every bite, you’ll taste rich, savory flavor that warms you from the inside out.
For more delicious stew recipes, try my Instant Pot Oxtail Stew, Easy Caribbean Stew Chicken, and Beef Stew.
What Guyanese Chicken Stew?
Guyanese Chicken stew is a hearty and cozy dish that is a hybrid between a Jamaican Brown stew chicken and a tomato based stew. It is something my mother made at least once a week when I was growing up in Guyana and I make it almost as often now.
This version starts by searing marinated bone-in chicken pieces to build a rich flavor base. I use a combination of onions, garlic, and a touch of brown sugar to create a caramelized flavor that sets this stew apart.
Then I add tomatoes and let them cook down into a savory sauce before adding my seasoned chicken back to the pot. The broth and simmered vegetables come together with the tender chicken to create a soup-like dish with a thick, flavorful gravy.
Why You’ll Love This Guyanese Chicken Stew Recipe
- Easy One Pot Recipe: Everything comes together in one pot, from searing the chicken to simmering the broth and vegetables. This makes cleanup simple and the cooking process less stressful.
- Amazing Flavor: The combination of caramelized onions, seared chicken, and a rich broth creates deep, comforting flavor in every bite. It’s the perfect balance of savory and hearty.
- Perfect for Picky Eaters: I sneak carrots and potatoes into the stew, so even my picky eater loves it. This recipe helps me make sure everyone at the table gets their veggies, and it always leaves empty bowls behind.
Ingredients for Guyanese Chicken Stew
Each ingredient in this chicken stew recipe plays an important role in building deep, satisfying flavors. From the seasoned bone-in chicken to the tender vegetables, every addition makes this dish a warm, cozy experience perfect for a family meal.
- Bone-in chicken thighs: Stews are slow-cooked, and bone-in chicken adds a rich depth of flavor to this chicken stew. I bought bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and then removed the skin.
- Green Seasoning: A perfect blend of fresh herbs and aromatics.
- Spices: Salt, black pepper, paprika, dried thyme. Together, they create a perfectly seasoned, flavorful base that complements the chicken and broth.
- Onions and garlic: Yellow onions and garlic cloves are sautéed to form a rich, aromatic base for the stew. They add natural sweetness and depth that enhances the flavor.
- Brown sugar: This touch of sweetness caramelizes the onions for an extra layer of rich flavor.
- Tomato paste and tomatoes (not pictured): These combine to form a thick, savory sauce that creates the stew’s broth. They add brightness and balance to the rich flavors.
- Cassareep: Adds color and a subtle sweetness with deep, earthy flavor, giving the stew its signature Guyanese touch.
- Potatoes and carrots: Russet potatoes and carrots add natural sweetness, texture, and heartiness to the stew. They soak up the broth’s flavors as they cook.
- Water (not pictured): Forms the base of the stew, adding depth and keeping everything moist and tender.
See recipe card for quantities.
Prepping the Chicken for Chicken Stew
You can use a whole cut up chicken for this recipe, like I do when I make Chicken Curry. Or you can use chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks or a combination of the two. Here I am using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
Remove the skin from the chicken thighs, then cut each thigh in half. One half will be boneless and one half will be bone in.
Then I add the chicken thighs to a bowl and season them with salt, paprika, green seasoning, cassareep, tomato paste and dried Guyanese thyme (optional). I let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight if time allows) to soak up all those flavors. Sometimes if I am thinking ahead, I season it in the morning and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours before cooking.
How to make Guyanese Stew Chicken
In a large pot, I warm the oil over high heat and add the diced onions and garlic, then stir in the brown sugar. Let it cook just until the onions get soft and caramelized. Then I add the diced tomatoes and let them cook down until soft.
Sear the Chicken
Next, I add the marinated chicken to the pot and sear it on high heat for 15 to 30 minutes, turning the pieces constantly to keep them from burning. The goal here is to brown the chicken all over and let the sauce cook down so the flavors concentrate.
It’s important not to rush this part, or the chicken will end up boiled instead of beautifully seared.
Add the Veggies and liquid
Once the chicken is browned, I add the potatoes and carrots and cook them for another 5 minutes, stirring often to keep them from sticking.
Then I pour in 4 cups of water or you can also add chicken stock. Then cover the pot, and let everything simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. If needed, I’ll add more liquid a cup at a time until the stew thickens up and the potatoes are soft.
Finish the Stew
When everything is cooked through, I let the stew simmer down until it reaches the thickness I like, with the gravy clinging to the meat and veggies. I give it a final taste to see if it needs a bit more salt. Then it’s ready to serve and enjoy!
Storage
Once the stew has cooled, I transfer it into airtight containers and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, I pour the stew into a pot and warm it over medium heat until it’s hot all the way through, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Tips for the Best Chicken Stew
- Use bone-in chicken for flavor. The bones add richness and depth to the broth, making every spoonful more flavorful.
- Don’t skip marinating the chicken. Giving the chicken time to soak up the seasoning helps it cook up juicy and tender.
- Brown the chicken well. Searing the chicken ensures it develops flavor and keeps it from tasting boiled.
- Add liquid a little at a time. This helps you control the stew’s consistency and avoid making it too watery.
- Taste and adjust salt before serving. Flavors deepen as the stew cooks, so a final seasoning check is key.
- Let the stew thicken before serving. Cooking it down creates a rich, gravy-like texture that clings to the meat and veggies.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Guyanese stew is kind of a hybrid between brown stew chicken and a tomato based stew. While brown stew chicken uses browning or burnt sugar for color and flavor this stew uses cassareep, tomato paste and tomatoes.
Potatoes and carrots are classic because they absorb the broth’s flavors and add texture. You can also experiment with sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or other hearty vegetables to change it up.
I remove the skin to keep the stew from becoming too greasy. However, you can leave it on if you prefer a richer broth, just know it may add more fat to the dish.
The gravy should be thick enough to coat the chicken and vegetables, but not so thick that it feels dry. If it’s too watery, just let it simmer uncovered until it reduces.
Guyanese Chicken Stew Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Chicken Thighs (skin-on, bone-in)
- 3 Tablespoons Green Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cassareep or 1 teaspoon browning liquid For Whole30 use 1/4 cup of coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon Guyanese dried thyme (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 whole yellow onion (diced)
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tomatoes (diced)
- 2 russet potatoes (peeled and cut into wedges)
- 2 carrots (peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 4 cups liquids (water or chicken broth/stock)
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the chicken thighs, then cut the thighs into halves. One half will be boneless and the other will be bone-in. You do not need to cut through the bones.
- Season the thighs with green seasoning, salt, black pepper, paprika, cassareep and tomato paste and dried thyme (if using) and let marinade for at least 30 mins before cooking.
- When ready to cook heat a large pot on medium heat. When the hot is hot add the oil and when the oil is hot add the onions. Cook for a minute or two or until the onions become a little see through. Then add the garlic and the brown sugar. Stir to combine and cook until the sugar starts to caramelize and the onions get brown.
- Next add the diced tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy (about 3-5 minutes). The add the marinaded chicken. Stir to combine. Then increase the heat to high. Cook on high heat for 10 to 15 minutes stirring often to avoid burning. Continue to cook until all of the liquids cook off.
- Then add in the potatoes and carrots. Mix to combine and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring every often to avoid sticking.
- Next, add 4 cups of water or chicken stock if you like, cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are soft, this can take up to 30 minutes, depending on how long it takes for your potatoes to cook to a fork tender stage.
- Once the potatoes cook you may reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the stew thickens or if you are in a rush, increase the heat to high to quickly reduce the sauce, but keep on eye on it before it burns.
Notes
- If you are Guyanese, you might prefer to clean and wash your chicken before cooking by soaking it in white vinegar and rinsing with water.
- You can find my green seasoning recipe here
- If your potatoes take longer to cook, add 1–2 extra cups of liquid at a time as needed. You don’t want the stew too watery, but the extra liquid helps finish the potatoes.
- I cook my stew down until the gravy is really thick and clings to the meat and potatoes.
- In the original version of this recipe I used only pantry staples to marinate my chicken. That version of the recipe can be found under my Easy Caribbean Stew Chicken.
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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Lurlyn Says
This looks soo delicious
Althea Brown Says
Thank you. It was pretty yummy.