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Brown stew chicken is a classic dish found on various English-speaking Caribbean islands and today we’re going to veganize this dish AND make it soy-free with alkaline oyster mushrooms and coconut aminos to replace soy sauce!
This vegan Jamaican brown stew chicken tastes just like the kind my mom used to make as a child. Its flavourful, authentic tasting, and feels like home. I also have another recipe made with tofu as the protein/chickern susbistute if you’re a soy eater. Grab my Brown Stew Tofu recipe here!
What is Brown Stew?
Brown stew is a style of cooking/seasoning meat. Of course, this is a Caribbean vegan food blog so we’re going to be using plant based protein today instead of seasoning and cooking meat. I used to love this dish growing up as a child, even more than jerk!
Every Jamaican has their own style and recipe for cooking brown stew chicken. No taste is one and the same. Given the name, brown stew is typically made with browning which is just cooked sugar. My mom always made hers with soy sauce, so that’s what this recipe will call for. Instead, we’re going to be using coconut aminos to keep it soy-free.
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Meat replacements for Brown Stew Chicken
Don’t like mushrooms? Not a problem! Here are some other veggies/proteins that can be replaced with oyster mushrooms for an equally as tasty vegan Brown Stew “chicken” dish.
- Tofu- My original vegan Brown Stew Chicken recipe was made with tofu and it’s off the chain! However, I know that many people do not consume soy or have allergies.
- Veggie Chunks- In several Ital (Rastafari vegan diet) restaurants, I’ve seen Brown Stew veggie chunks, and they are very tasty with a desirable texture and high protein level. Get your hands on some veggie chunks using this link.
- Cauliflower- I would suggest to create a batter and bake these before combining into the brown stew sauce.
- Seitan– Made from washed flower and pure gluten, seitan can act as a great soy free meat replacer for vegan brown stew tofu. Grab some wheat gluten with this link and make your own seitan from scratch.
What to serve with vegan brown stew chicken
Brown stew chicken is typically served with rice and peas. Lucky for us, rice and peas is a completely vegan and a gluten free Jamaican classic. Check out my rice and peas recipe and other tasty Jamaican sides linked below to serve with your flavourful vegan Jamaican brown stew chicken.
What you’ll need
- Oyster mushrooms
- Onion
- Scallion (Green Onion)
- Bell Pepper
- Tomato
- Carrot
- Thyme
- Scotch Bonnet
- Potatoes
- Fresh Garlic
- Ginger
- Water
- Oil
Seasonings you need
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Coconut Aminos– Soy Free alternative to soy sauce. If you are using soy sauce instead, make sure to use less as soy sauce is much stronger. If you don’t have your own, get a bottle using this link.
- Black Pepper
- Paprika
- No Salt Seasoning I use Mrs Dash, grab a bottle of your own with this link
- Jamaican All Purpose Seasoning Definitely needed for an authentic and tasty dish. Grab your own bottle using this link if you don’t have it.
- Ketchup Make sure this is free from High fructose corn syrup.
- Agave Syrup– Sugar can also be used
How to make vegan brown stew chicken
Step One:
Cut your potatoes into small chunks and slice your carrots diagonally. Chop your fresh herbs into small pieces and grate your garlic cloves and ginger. Leave the thyme and scotch bonnet pepper whole, the pepper seeds are extremely spicy and will make the dish too hot if burst/cut. Set this aside for now.
Cut the bottom of your oyster mushrooms; clean them with a damp paper towel and wipe off any dirt that may be present. These mushrooms absorb a lot of liquid and tend to get waterlogged very easily so I do not typically wash/submerge them with water. Separate them into the “chicken” sized pieces you desire.
Step Two:
Put your oyster mushrooms into a bowl and season them with the measured ingredients listed for the “5-minute marinade” section and allow them to sit for a few minutes. This allows the flavor to be cooked into the mushroom very well and is also a traditional step
Now, go ahead and heat up some oil in a pan and brown each mushroom until each side is nice and golden/cooked.
Step Three:
Once the mushrooms have cooked, remove them and use the same oil to sautee your fresh herbs. Let those cook for about 2-3 minutes before adding in the potatoes and carrots.
Now, stir to combine with the herbs then add in your dry seasoning along with the coconut aminos. Add in your water, ketchup, and agave, and cover the pan to allow to cook for about 15 minutes.
Step Four:
Once the potatoes and carrots have properly cooked, add your mushrooms back in and allow to simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Add salt if necessary and adjust anything else to your preference and enjoy!
How to store vegan brown stew chicken
Vegan Jamaican brown stew chicken can last up to 5 days in the fridge (if it isn’t eaten up by then!) making it great for meal prep. Simply store in an airtight container and reheat on the stove when desired.
For a meal prep upgrade, make some of my delicious authentic Jamaican rice and peas and sort with the brown stew into small containers for the week.
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