Brown Stew Chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry. Add lime juice, onion, scallion, garlic, ginger, Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, allspice berries, salt, black pepper and browning sauce; mix thoroughly, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, leaving the larger pieces of vegetables in the bowl, and reserve the marinade. Don't discard the thyme sprigs and allspice berries — they'll go into the sauce.

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 3–5 minutes per side, until nicely browned; be careful not to let the browning sauce scorch.

Leave about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pot. Add the reserved marinade, tomatoes, bell pepper, ketchup and chicken stock, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.

Return the chicken to the pot along with the thyme sprigs and allspice berries. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce occasionally.

Remove the lid and simmer for another 10–15 minutes, until the gravy has noticeably thickened and the chicken is tender and has reached an internal temperature of at least 74°C.

Discard the thyme sprigs and allspice berries, taste the gravy and add salt if needed. Serve the brown stew chicken hot, spooning the thick sauce over the chicken.