Prepare and Fry the Chicken: Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. In a large bowl, season them generously with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp thyme, and 1 tsp curry powder. Toss well to coat. Heat the 250ml of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Carefully place the chicken pieces in the hot oil (in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding) and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. You are not cooking them through, just browning them. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

Sauté the Onions: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the finely sliced half-onion to the same pot with the flavourful oil. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

Create the Pepper Blend: While the onions are sautéing, place the chopped red bell peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, the remaining 1.5 chopped onions, tinned tomatoes, garlic, and ginger into a high-powered blender. Blend until you have a smooth, vibrant purée.

Fry the Stew Base: Pour the blended pepper mixture into the pot with the sautéed onions. Be careful as it may splutter. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. The goal here is to cook off the excess water. You'll see the mixture thicken considerably and deepen in colour.

Deepen the Flavour: Add the tomato purée to the pot. Stir it in and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. What works best for me is to keep stirring until the base is very thick, a deep red, and you can see the oil starting to separate from the pepper paste and pool at the edges. This step is crucial for developing that rich, non-acidic flavour.

Add Spices: Stir in the remaining 1 tsp of dried thyme, 1 tsp of curry powder, and the bay leaves. Cook for another 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant.

Simmer the Stew: Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock and stir everything together gently. Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it cook for 45-60 minutes. The chicken should be completely tender and cooked through, and the sauce should be rich and glossy.

Final Seasoning: After simmering, give the stew a final stir. Taste it and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving.