Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes

By Millie Peartree

Y I E L D 4 servings

TIME About 1 1/2 hours

There’s nothing more comforting than chicken and potatoes, and this recipe is no exception. Getting its flavor and
heat from a combination of mild Jamaican curry powder and Scotch bonnet pepper, it’s not as hot as some Indian or
Thai curries. Jamaican curry powder tends to be heavy on turmeric and less on spice, and this recipe uses just one
Scotch bonnet pepper, which is kept whole but punctured to gently release flavor. The result is more warming than
spicy. Eat this one-pot recipe by itself as a kind of stew, or over rice, letting all the flavors meld together.

INGREDIENTS PREPARATION

About 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on Step 1

chicken legs and thighs, skin
removed
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as
needed
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Jamaican hot curry
powder, such as Jamaican Choice or
Grace, plus more as needed
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
4 medium Yukon Gold or white
potatoes, washed and quartered
1 to 2 quarts chicken stock (reduce
or add liquid depending on pot size)
Place chicken in a large bowl. Season chicken with the garlic powder, 2
teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, making sure it’s evenly
coated. Let sit to 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.

1 dried bay leaf

Step 4
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Sprinkle curry powder over and around chicken. Let the spices bloom
¼ cup cornstarch and toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
White rice, for serving
Step 5
Add reserved onions and garlic to the pan. Using a paring knife, pierce
a small incision into the Scotch bonnet pepper. Add to the pan. Add
potatoes, and stir to evenly coat chicken and potatoes in spices.
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 1/4 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.) Stir slurry
in, about 1 tablespoon a time and bring back to a boil, adding more
until desired thickness is reached. Retrieve bay leaf and thyme stems
and discard. Serve with rice.

PRIVATE NOTES

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.