Jamaican Curry Chicken Recipe

4 standard portions

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken ((907g) chopped into small-medium pieces)
• 3 tbsp Jamaican curry powder ((18g))
• 1½ tbsp all purpose seasoning ((7.5g))
• ¼ tsp ground ginger ((0.5g))
• 1 tsp black pepper ((2g))
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 2 scallion (sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp olive oil ((28g))
• 1 tbsp curry powder ((8g))
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)
• 8 pimento berries (or ¼ tsp allspice)
• 1  cup hot water (250 ml)
• 1 medium sweet potato (or 2 small ones, chopped)
• pink salt (to taste)

Method

1. Add the washed chicken to a large bowl and use a fork to pierce the flesh of each piece of chicken. This helps the seasoning to better penetrate.
2. Sprinkle on the Jamaican curry powder, all-purpose seasoning, ginger, black pepper along with the onions, scallions and garlic.
3. Use your hands to thoroughly work in the seasoning, cover with saran wrap (cling film) and refrigerate overnight or for a few hours.
4. On medium heat, add the oil to a large pot/dutchpot.
5. Add the 1tbsp of curry powder to the pan and proceed to cook it for about one minute until fragrant.
6. Scrape off the excess seasoning (i.e onions, scallions and garlic) and place the chicken pieces into the pot, being carefully to not overcrowd.
7. Proceed to seal and sear the both sides of the chicken until brown (the chicken will extract its own juices, be sure to cook this off as this will help to enhance the taste by locking in the flavour).
8. Once the chicken is seared, stir in the onions, scallions and garlic and saute until translucent.
9. Add the sprigs of fresh thyme, pimento berries and stir the pot.
10. Pour in the hot water, then bring to a rolling boil.
11. Reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.
12. Add the sweet potato and pink salt, to taste, stir, then simmer for another 20 minutes.
13. Add a splash of water if the gravy reduces too much and/or becomes too thick.
14. Remove the thyme stems before serving.
15. Marinate the chicken with the curry powder, all purpose seasoning, black pepper, ginger, onion, scallion and garlic.
16. Leave to infuse overnight or a few hours in the refrigerator (wrap the bowl with saran/cling film)
17. Scrape off the excess seasoning from the chicken.
18. Add the oil to a pan on medium heat and 1tbsp of curry powder and proceed to "burn the curry" until fragrant.
19. Sear the chicken until brown then add the garlic/onion/scallion and saute until soft and translucent.
20. Transfer the chicken etc.. to your crockpot/slow cooker,.
21. Add the pimento, thyme and 1 ½ cups of hot water.
22. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
23. Add the potatoes 45 minutes before the finishing time and make a slurry with (1tbsp tapioca starch and 2 tbsp water) mix together then add that to the unit.
24. Add pink salt to taste and serve