Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes
- Total Time
- About 1½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 3pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken legs and thighs, skin removed
- 1tablespoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1large onion, sliced
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- 2tablespoons Jamaican hot curry powder, such as Jamaican Choice or Grace, plus more as needed
- 1Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
- 4medium Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and quartered
- 1 to 2quarts chicken stock (reduce or add liquid depending on pot size)
- 1dried bay leaf
- 2fresh thyme sprigs
- ¼cup cornstarch
- White rice, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Place chicken in a large bowl. Season chicken with the garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, making sure it’s evenly coated. Let come to room temperature.
- Step 2
Heat a deep Dutch oven or heavy pan over medium-high. Drizzle in the olive oil. Add sliced onions, season with salt and pepper. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir to combine, and cook until soft and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, stirring to keep the garlic from scorching, and cook for 30 seconds or until tender. Using a pair of tongs or a spoon, remove onions and garlic from the pan; set aside in a bowl.
- Step 3
If needed, add more oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the room-temperature chicken to the pan, and sear chicken on both sides, in batches if necessary, until golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes total.
- Step 4
Sprinkle curry powder over and around chicken. Let the spices bloom and toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Step 5
Add reserved onions and garlic to the pan. Using a paring knife, pierce the Scotch bonnet pepper. Add to the pan. Add potatoes, and stir to evenly coat chicken and potatoes.
- Step 6
Pour in chicken stock to nearly cover the chicken. Add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer. Remove Scotch bonnet pepper. Cover pot and cook for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender and falling off the bone. Taste and adjust the curry powder, salt and pepper as needed.
- Step 7
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with ¼ cup water to form a slurry. (The chicken curry can be eaten as is, like a soup, or slurry can be added to thicken the sauce to a gravy-like consistency.) Add 1 tablespoon of the slurry, and bring to a boil to thicken, adding more slurry to reach desired consistency. Retrieve bay leaf and thyme stems and discard. Serve with rice.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
MrsMitch
As a Jamaican, I encourage you to use an Indian curry: The flavor & color is better. The ckn will taste better if you season it the day before with curry also. Also 1st step is to “cook” the curry in oil to bloom the flavor & prevent GI upset from undercooked curry & add grated ginger after. You don't need cornstarch. The starch from the potatoes is enough. You dont need chicken stock; water is fine. Don't cover the ckn w/water or you’ll have soup. Just put enough to cover the potatoes.
Spence
If you are watching your carb intake I would consider substituting cubed butternut squash, carrots or sweet potatoes, especially if serving with rice. These are, in order, lower in carbs and higher in nutritional value than regular potatoes.
laure
Add a touch of grated fresh ginger to add light to the recipe. It is amazing the difference it makes
Denise
As a Jamaican I will say that Cornstarch is not needed. Add some fresh ginger and please chop up the chicken in smaller pieces. Also best to season the chicken at least an hour (longer if you can) ahead of cooking. In Jamaica we don't use chicken stock; we use water and some coconut milk. Add some of the curry powder to you oil.
Carol
Where can I get Jamaican curry powder or what can I substitute? Chicago NW suburbs.
Nat
This should be titled 'Jamaica-inspired' curry. Jamaicans do not post add curry powder to seared chicken. They either season the chicken with curry or add the curry to the hot oil first, then add the chicken. Also, Jamaicans cut the chicken into smaller pieces and will not serve an intact chicken leg quarter.
Stirling Cousins
To make it vegan: substitute extra-firm tofu for chicken. Use one or two blocks. Drain and press. Heat oil in frying pan on medium heat. Cook until golden - about 10 to 15 minutes. Flip and do the other side. Yum!
Gregory
An nice healthy pinch or two of allspice would lend an addt'l Jamaican flavor element here....
MrsMitch
As a Jamaican, I encourage you to use an Indian curry: The flavor & color is better. The ckn will taste better if you season it the day before with curry also. Also 1st step is to “cook” the curry in oil to bloom the flavor & prevent GI upset from undercooked curry & add grated ginger after. You don't need cornstarch. The starch from the potatoes is enough. You dont need chicken stock; water is fine. Don't cover the ckn w/water or you’ll have soup. Just put enough to cover the potatoes.
Cyd Delve
As written, the order of the steps just didn't make sense to me. I browned the seasoned (salt, pepper, garlic powder) chicken first then removed to a plate. Next went in the onions til they were browned slightly, then the garlic and some ginger followed by the curry powder. Cooked the curry for a few minutes then added the potatoes, the browned chicken, chicken stock, and herbs. Brought to the boil then simmered for 35 minutes; one of the best curries I've ever made.
saray
Can someone explain to me why a recipe would call for "bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and legs, skin removed"?! This makes absolutely no sense to me.
banffoodie
This was exactly what I was hoping for yearning for some island fare 12 months into the pandemic and travel/dining restrictions in place. Followed MrsMitch's advice and it turned out great. I also added a couple carrots, and mashed some of the carrot and potatoes with a spoon to thicken rather than adding cornstarch. Served with rice and peas and roasted yams, listened to a reggae playlist and had a stay at home holiday for the night.
DK
Not only did I love this dish, but Jamaican neighbor pronounced me an "honorary Jamaican" when they tasted it. I used Jamaican curry (1/2 on chicken for 24 hr marinade & 1/2 in the pan with the onions to bloom); used white sweet potatoes in place of regular potatoes; added pinch of allspice & some grated ginger per commenters' rec; added sliced carrot; and for the broth used 1/2 unsalted chicken stock and 1/2 coconut milk. A punctured habanero was genius = perfect heat level. Will make again.
Alexandra
Add tumeric and grated ginger to regular curry powder
J Boyce
@saray Probably because the average US grocery store sells "bone-in skin-on" chicken or "boneless skinless" chicken but never "bone-in skinless" chicken
ljr403
Made as written except that I “marinated” the chicken with 1 Tbs curry powder for a couple of hours and added ginger with onions as per suggestion of others I still found the finished dish on the bland side Missing something- would not make again
NocturnalMonk
Definitely use Indian curry and definitely let curry “bloom” in oil before proceeding. My guests raved about the dish…will include in monthly rotation!
LRB
Used sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold and added carrots too. Added about 1TBSP of grated ginger as well. Added some curry powder to the chicken when seasoning with other spices. I always cook my chicken a lot longer than recipes call for, as if it's not falling off the bone, I am not happy--So I cooked the chicken for 30 minutes before adding the sweet potatoes and carrots. This is one of my favorite recipes so far. Loved it!
Phoebesmom
I was raised on Jamaican Chicken and several curry dishes, usually with shrimp and sometimes canned tuna. Our favorite was chicken marinated in tons of garlic, lots of fresh chopped tomatoes, tons of yellow onions, black pepper and salt. Then the chicken was wiped off, cooked on the stove with basic oil, in batches. And then the marinated vegetables were 'fried' and added to the chicken. This was then baked gently in the oven for a bit and served on rice. The perfect party buffet dish.
ilyssa
Make with coco rice!
Megan
Is there a way to do this recipe without cornstarch?
Massachusetts Cook
I made this last night with a jalapeno pepper and it was a huge hit with my two teens who don't like much and don't always agree. One could not get enough of the sauce! Delicious!
Lady_di
Perfect recipe as-is!
Dan
Just made this and it turned out great with a few tweaks. I seared the chicken first and the sautéed the onions. I followed the ingredient list but added a few things. I only did chicken thighs (bone in) Added ginger and all spice Soy sauce and umami seasoning Flour instead of corn starch I did one qt of chicken broth and 1/2 can of coconut milk I found at the end that it was lacking a depth of flavor. Which is why i added the soy sauce and umami seasoning. And a pinch of sugar.
Kris
For any Brits, this is chip shop curry on steroids - absolutely delicious, sauce doesn’t need thickened at the end, enjoy!
mamasan
Only use one pound of chicken 2 tablespoons 1 tsp of curry powder 4 potatoes
David T
Made this curry for the first time. I am an experienced home cook with 40 years of experimentation in just about every cuisine out there. I never thought I could replicate the beautiful curry that I have available to me locally but this is very good. Used my own pepper hot sauce in lieu of scotch bonnets as I could not get any. Cut the mild curry powder I had wit a bit more turmeric. Very happy with the results.
Stacey White
I found this recipe to be bland as it’s missing key elements of Jamaican cooking. Scallion (green or spring onions,) coconut milk, and pimento/allspices are requirements for a Jamaican Curry, as far as I’m concerned. Smaller pieces of chicken, as other comments have mentioned, along with carrots would also be more traditional. If you are looking for a plain, thin curry, it is okay. Flavour will be very dependent on the quality of your powder.
Tayzeebabe.
This was my first time ever making Chicken Curry and me and my kids absolutely loved it. I just added a little extra Curry and "BOOM"!!! Straight perfection! I will definitely be making it again.
test cook
Pleasantly surprised by how Caribbean this dish smelled and tasted. I also used a combination of hot curry, Indian curry, and madras curry as a substitute for the Jamaican curry. Turned out delicious.
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