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Tristen Epps

Trinidadian Stew Chicken
S38E2 American · 2025
Where to find them
● @cheftristenepps

Trinidadian stew chicken is brown sugar caramelized in oil until it almost burns, then chicken thrown in to coat. The technique is called "browning" in Trinidad, and if you have not done it before, your first attempt will smoke up the kitchen and you will think you have ruined dinner. You have not. That is what it is supposed to do.

Tristen Epps grew up with it. He now runs Buboy in Houston, where his Caribbean-meets-Filipino menu is one of the more interesting things happening in the city right now. Bobby, per the room, did not caramelize his sugar far enough. Stew chicken without the bitter-sweet edge of nearly-burnt sugar is just chicken in sauce. The judges noticed in one bite.

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Trinidadian Stew Chicken

25 min Prep
50 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs and drumsticks, patted dry
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper, left whole
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
  1. Caramelize the chicken: In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until it turns dark amber. Immediately add chicken pieces, working in batches if needed, and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. The sugar should create a dark caramelized crust. Remove chicken and set aside.
  2. Build the base: In the same pot, add diced onion and garlic to the remaining caramelized bits. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to deepen the flavor.
  3. Deglaze and simmer: Pour in 1 cup of chicken stock, scraping up all browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the reserved chicken back, whole scotch bonnet pepper, soy sauce, black pepper, salt, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover partially. Cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Add vegetables and braise: Add crushed tomatoes and remaining 1 cup stock. Stir in potatoes and carrot chunks. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes until chicken is tender, potatoes are fork-tender, and carrots are soft. The scotch bonnet should remain whole—remove it before serving if you prefer mild heat, or leave it for lingering spice.
  5. Finish and taste: Uncover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. The stew should be thick, glossy, and deeply brown. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Serve hot over rice or with dhal puri.
Inspired by Tristen Epps’s winning trinidadian stew chicken. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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