Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

From the garden

• 8 sprigs fresh thyme (oregano can stand in for half of it), 4 sprigs stripped, 4 left whole
• 4 green onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, left whole, stem on · whole it perfumes the pot; split it and the stew turns fierce
• 2 medium carrots, cut into thick coins

From the pantry

• 3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1 lime · for washing the chicken, the way most Jamaican cooks start
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar · this is the browning, not a sweetener
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• 1½ cups long-grain rice · cooked, for serving
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Rub the chicken with the cut lime and a splash of water, then pat it dry. Season with salt, pepper, the stripped thyme leaves, and the green onion whites, and rest 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high, stir in the brown sugar, and let it darken to the color of strong tea, about 90 seconds. Pull it back before it smokes: burnt sugar turns the whole pot bitter.
3. Lay the chicken into the caramel skin-side down and brown 4–5 minutes a side, in two batches so the pot stays hot. Set the pieces aside on a plate.
4. Soften the onion and carrots in the drippings 5 minutes, scraping the sticky bits off the bottom. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and soy sauce and cook 1 minute more.
5. Return the chicken with the stock, the whole thyme sprigs, and the scotch bonnet sitting on top. Simmer covered over low heat 30–35 minutes, until the meat pulls away from the bone easily.
6. Lift out the pepper and the thyme stems, skim the fat, and simmer uncovered 5 minutes until the gravy coats a spoon. Taste for salt, scatter the green onion tops, and serve over rice.