Jamaican Curry Chicken

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This authentic and traditional Jamaican Curry Chicken Recipe is the perfect combination of rich flavors in one plate. This is the Caribbean dish to make when you want a taste of the islands. 

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Curry chicken was a weeknight meal for us growing up and my mom makes some of the best curry chicken I’ve ever had. Getting the recipe from her was a chore as she measures nothing in the kitchen.

But after asking many questions and watching her like a hawk, I was able to get a recipe and note the most important things when it comes to making a traditional Jamaican Curry.

1. Rinse the chicken with water and vinegar.
2. Use the right curry powder and seasonings – Jamaican Curry Powder is a combination of spices. The spices used and the amounts vary from country to country and brand to brand. For Jamaican curry, you need to use good curry powder. I use a combination of Hot Blue Mountain Country Curry Powder and Betapac Curry Powder. I also add a little Jamaican all-purpose seasoning.
3. Use a whole chicken or just dark meat chicken, cut into pieces with skin removed – Curry chicken, like brown stew chicken, is a stew and you want to make sure your chicken doesn’t dry out. I opt for boneless, skinless chicken thighs as they stay juicy and tender. 
4. Only use a little bit of water – Curry is known to “sprout its own water.” I only add ¼ cup of water to this recipe when I start cooking and I end up without about 1 ½ cup gravy once it’s done. Adding too much water can make your stew bland.

How to make Jamaican Curry Chicken

Add chicken thighs, all-purpose seasoning, 1 Tbsp of curry powder, onion, green onions, green pepper, garlic cloves, scotch bonnet pepper (if using), and thyme to a large bowl and combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Once the chicken is done marinating, remove the onions, peppers, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper (if using), and garlic cloves from the chicken and set aside.

Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add remaining curry powder and stir, cooking for about 20-30 seconds.

This step is known as “burning the curry” and it’s a way to release the flavors of the spices. You don’t actually burn anything.

• Add onions, green pepper, scotch bonnet peppers (if using), garlic cloves, and thyme to the pot and stir until the onions have softened, about 3-5 minutes. If your onions and peppers are looking dry, add about 1 Tbsp of water.

Add chicken pieces and ¼ cup of water to the pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes.

When there are about 15 minutes remaining, stir in the potato and continue to cook covered.

Once the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are softened, remove the pot from heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

What is the best cut of chicken to use?

I like to use boneless and skinless thighs for this Jamaican Curry Chicken. You can use bone-in chicken if you prefer, just cut it into pieces and remove the skin. It’s best to chop large chicken pieces a little smaller.

I don’t recommend using only chicken breast in this recipe, it contains less fat and it can easily dry out during cooking.

Can you make it ahead of time and how do you store it?

This curry is delicious served as soon as it’s made, but the leftovers the next day are delicious as the flavors have even more time to develop. Let the curry cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container. Keep in the curry fridge for up to 4 days or be freeze it up to three months.

Reheat on the stovetop on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. Take care to only reheat the chicken once.

What do you serve with it?

This curry is great to serve on a bed of rice. You can serve it with boiled jasmine or basmati rice, or try it with one of these recipes:

• Jamaican Rice and Peas or white rice
• Kale Rice
• Instant Pot Brown Rice
• Jamaican Cabbage

Recipe Notes and Tips

• The kind of curry you use is important to this dish. I used 1.5 Tbsp Blue Mountain Curry and ½ Tbsp Betapac. Your stew will taste like whichever curry you choose to use.
• The scotch bonnet pepper is optional in this dish. Since I use a spicy curry when making this dish, I usually leave it out.
• Curry “sprouts” its own gravy. Do not add more than the ¼ cup as listed in the recipe or you’ll have curry soup instead.
• Feel free to add carrots and potatoes to this dish. The potato will thicken the gravy in this curry chicken. You can also add ginger root and allspice berries if you prefer.
• If you prefer to make your own curry powder, you can do so by making a Jamaican curry powder to use in place of those I mentioned. Jamaican curry powder is made with turmeric, fenugreek, coriander, cumin, and allspice. It differs slightly from Indian curry powders based on the amounts of each ingredient.
• Some people add a touch of coconut milk to curry to give it a rich texture. This recipe mimics the curry you will find in many Jamaican households or Jamaican restaurants, which do not add coconut milk.

More Jamaican Recipes

• Jamaican Curry Goat
• Jamaican Sorrel Drink
• Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
• Quick and Easy Jamaican Banana Fritters
• Jamaican Oxtails Recipe
• Jamaican Curry Shrimp

Watch me make this Jamaican Curry Chicken from start to finish.

This recipe was first published on January 14, 2021. It has been updated with additional helpful information.

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