Tasty Jamaican Coconut Curry Chicken

This real-deal Caribbean curry chicken delivers punchy island flavors right to your home with juicy pieces of chicken bathed in a deep, flavorful curry bath. With fiery scotch bonnet peppers, bold spices, and smooth coconut milk, you'll get a dish that's warming and thrilling all at once. It's a genuine Jamaican experience that comes without dairy and can easily go gluten-free too.

My Jamaican friend down the street taught me this dish, always stressing that you've got to "cook out" the curry powder properly for the real taste. Since getting the hang of this method, I now make this whenever friends come over and want something way more exciting than the usual dinner options.

What You'll Need

• Chicken pieces (3-4 lbs): Go for thighs and legs with the skin taken off so they soak up all those good marinade flavors and cook up just right
• Jamaican curry powder (2 Tbsps for marinade + 2½ Tbsps for sauce): This is what makes everything special, with its mix of turmeric, coriander, cumin, and other goodies
• Scotch bonnet peppers: These island favorites bring fruity heat to the party, but watch out—they're super hot!
• Coconut milk: Gives everything a velvety feel and cools down the heat while keeping things dairy-free
• Browning sauce: Gives that classic deep color you see in Jamaican cooking, but you can skip it if needed
• Fresh thyme and green onions: You can't get real Caribbean flavor without these fresh herbs
• Potatoes and carrots: They soak up all the curry goodness while making the sauce thicker and adding some veggie power
• Fresh seasoning mix: Making your own blends from scratch gives you the truest flavors without any fake stuff

How To Make It

Get The Chicken Ready:

Mix your chicken pieces with Jamaican green seasoning, curry powder, all-purpose mix, smoked paprika, and salt until every bit is coated. Let it sit in the fridge at least 3 hours, but leaving it overnight works even better. The marinade will make the meat tender while the flavors sink in deep.

Give It Some Color:

Warm up oil in a big pot and melt brown sugar until it looks like wet sand. Toss in your chicken and cook each side for 3-4 minutes until you see a nice brown crust. This step builds tons of flavor and gives your curry that signature Jamaican look.

Cook The Curry Powder:

Using the same pot, heat more oil and drop in Jamaican curry powder, stirring non-stop for 2-3 minutes until it darkens and smells amazing. This step, called "burning" the curry, isn't just for taste—it also makes the spices easier on your stomach.

Start Your Flavor Base:

Throw in garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet peppers, green onions, bell peppers, and carrots into the cooked curry. Cook until everything smells good and softens a bit, about 3-4 minutes. The veggies will add lots of tasty layers to your curry.

Make It Saucy:

Add coconut milk, chicken stock, and pepper sauce, mixing everything with the spices and veggies. Let it bubble gently to start bringing all those flavors together. This will cook down into a rich sauce that coats all your chicken.

Let It All Come Together:

Put the browned chicken back in with potato chunks, thyme, and crushed scallions. Turn down the heat and let it bubble uncovered for 20-25 minutes, giving it a stir now and then until the sauce gets thicker, potatoes turn soft, and chicken is done. You want enough sauce to pour over rice later.

During my trip to Jamaica I noticed every household had their own twist on curry chicken, but they all took time to cook the curry powder first. The family I stayed with chuckled when I questioned this step, but after trying it both ways, I couldn't believe the difference. Those extra minutes really change everything about the dish.

Keeping Your Caribbean Curry Fresh

This curry keeps really well and often tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight as everything melds together. Put any leftovers in a sealed container and they'll stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you warm it up again, throw in a bit of chicken broth if the sauce has gotten too thick. The flavors actually get stronger the next day, making this great for cooking ahead.

Handling The Heat Factor

Scotch bonnet peppers are a must for real Jamaican cooking, but they pack a serious punch. For a gentle curry, use just one pepper with the insides scraped out. For medium kick, keep one whole pepper. For the true Jamaican experience, go for 2-3 peppers. These peppers have a special fruity taste that habaneros can stand in for in a pinch, but won't taste exactly the same. Don't forget to wear gloves when you cut these—your fingers will thank you.

What To Serve With It

In Jamaica, folks usually eat their curry chicken with rice and peas (which are actually kidney beans) that soaks up all that yummy sauce. Other great sides are fried plantains, festival (those sweet fried dough pieces), or roti for wiping up every last bit of curry. For a full Jamaican meal, add some tangy cabbage slaw that cuts through the rich curry. Some fresh mango or pineapple gives you a sweet break from the spicy main dish.

This Caribbean curry chicken brings together exciting flavors and island traditions to create something truly special—a memorable meal from my home to yours.

Recipe Q&A

→ Why do you need to 'burn' Jamaican curry powder?

Burning curry powder is a vital step that does two important things. It brings out all the wonderful smells and makes the curry color more intense. It also makes the strong Jamaican curry powder easier to digest for many people. All you need to do is heat the powder in oil until it gets darker and smells amazing, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes.

→ Can I substitute the scotch bonnet peppers?

You can definitely use habanero peppers instead of scotch bonnets since they're almost the same in heat and taste. Want it less spicy? Just use fewer peppers or try jalapeños for a milder kick. Most of the heat lives in the seeds and white parts inside, so taking those out will make your curry less fiery but still flavorful.

→ What sides go well with Jamaican curry chicken?

The best traditional sides for this curry are rice and peas, which is rice cooked with kidney beans and coconut milk, sweet fried plantains, festival bread, and simple steamed cabbage. If you're in a hurry, plain white rice works great to soak up all that tasty sauce. A fresh cucumber salad on the side can cool things down if the curry's too hot.

→ What is Jamaican Green Seasoning and can I make it myself?

Jamaican Green Seasoning is a tasty herb mix that's used as a base for many Caribbean marinades. You can easily make it at home by blending a bunch of scallions, 6 garlic cloves, fresh thyme, a bunch of cilantro, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, 1 tablespoon allspice berries, and some salt. It'll stay good in your fridge for two weeks, or you can freeze it in ice cube trays to use later.

→ How can I adjust the spiciness level of this curry?

To make your curry less fiery, just change how many scotch bonnet peppers you use. For mild flavor, use half a pepper with no seeds. For medium heat, one whole pepper without seeds works well. For the real Jamaican experience, throw in 2-3 whole peppers with seeds. You can also cut back on Jamaican pepper sauce or use a milder hot sauce instead. Adding extra coconut milk helps cool down a too-spicy curry without losing flavor.

→ What's the purpose of browning in Jamaican cooking?

Browning sauce gives Jamaican dishes their nice dark color and adds a light caramel taste, especially in curries and stews where looks matter. If you can't find store-bought browning sauce, the recipe shows you how to make something similar by melting brown sugar in oil. This trick makes your food look better and taste richer.