Brown stew chicken is classic in the Caribbean island of Jamaica. It is a dish made with tender and juicy chicken infused with aromatic spices and stewed until the flavors deepen. Jamaican brown stew chicken is truly a comforting dish, so when I first switched over to a plant based diet I thought about having to say goodbye to one of my favorite dishes.
But, I quickly remembered that eating a vegan diet is about getting creative with your meals, especially when you’ve lived most of your life accustomed to certain comfort meals. With this vegan brown stew chicken recipe, I found a way to eat one of my favorite Caribbean dishes without any of the guilt!
How to make brown stew chicken vegan
Easy, replace the chicken with a vegan option. Some of my top choices are seitan and tofu. In this recipe we’re using seitan because it has the best texture. Seitan has a meaty and chewy texture that closely resembles chicken. Nowadays, you can buy vegan chicken in the freezer section of any grocery store, but I opt for seitan because I am able to make it at home and I know exactly what ingredients I are going into it.
What is seitan?
Seitan, also known as vital wheat gluten, is a plant based alternative for meat. It has a fibrous mouthfeel to it, and you will often see it used as a meat substitute in vegetarian and vegan dishes because of its chewy texture and ability to absorb flavors.
Seitan is made from the main protein found in wheat. The process of making seitan involves separating the gluten from the starch in wheat flour by rinsing it repeatedly in water until all that’s left is a stretchy, protein-dense dough.
One of the benefits of using seitan in this recipe is that it can absorb the rich flavors of the sauce and spices, creating a satisfying and hearty dish. Additionally, seitan is a good source of protein, making it a great option for vegetarians and vegans.
I do want to note that seitan has the tendency to get soggy if overcooked, so be sure to follow the instructions to learn how to avoid that with your vegan brown stew chicken.
How to make vegan brown stew chicken
To make vegan brown stew chicken, cook the seitan in the same way you would cook chicken, and it will take on the flavors of the sauce and spices.
It’s important to note that when you are making your seitan it should be cooked in a flavorful broth to give it a nice flavor. Seitan tends to be bland if not prepared correctly.
- To start, combine seitan, onion, garlic, chili pepper, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, and thyme and create a marinade. Allow mixture to marinate for at least 25 minutes.
- Add oil to pot and cook only the seitan from the marinade on medium heat until it becomes crispy.
- Once seitan is cooked, remove from pot and add everything in the marinade to the pot and cook for a few minutes on low heat.
- Add vegetable broth and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and allow to simmer for an hour.
- Remove from the heat, return seitan to the pot, and let rest for five minutes for flavors to meld. Serve and enjoy!
What are great sides for vegan brown stew
This dish pairs perfectly with other Jamaican recipes like rice and pigeon peas and steamed cabbage. I would also pair this meal with fried sweet plantain, white rice and roasted vegetables.
This recipe is easy to make and is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. With the rich and savory flavors, this dish is perfect for any occasion, and a great way to impress everyone with your flavorful vegan creations!
Thank you for reading my vegan brown stew chicken using seitan recipe, if you give it a try be sure to tag us on instagram @breakthrukitchen or #breakthrukitchen so we can see your creations! Don’t forget to subscribe down below to get notified when I post more recipes like this.
Vegan Brown Stew Chicken Jamaican Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped
- ⅓ red chili pepper chopped
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1½ tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 cup seitan pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- To taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine seitan, onion, garlic, chili pepper, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, and thyme and create a marinade. Allow mixture to marinate for at least 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, add oil to pot and cook only the seitan from the marinade on medium heat until it becomes crispy.
- Once seitan is cooked, remove from pot and add everything in the marinade to the pot and cook for a few minutes on low heat.
- Add vegetable broth and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and allow to simmer for an hour.
- Remove from the heat, return seitan to the pot, and let rest for five minutes for flavors to meld. Serve and enjoy!
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