Caribbean Chicken Pepper Pot

Ingredients

• vegetable oil
  ¼ cup
• onion

  halved and sliced
  1 medium
• bay leaves
  2 unit
• kosher salt

  plus additional for seasoning
  1½ tablespoons
• ground allspice
  2 teaspoons
• heaping teaspoon dried thyme
  1 unit
• tomato paste
  ⅓ cup
• freshly ground black pepper
  1 unit
• skinless

  bone-in chicken thighs (about 2½ pounds)
  8 unit
• water
  3½ cups
• scotch bonnet chile

  pierced (if you like it really hot, mince it)
  1 unit
• fresh okra

  trimmed, halved crosswise
  8 ounces
• thick sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)

  each cut into 4 rounds with skin on
  3 unit
• bunch collard greens (about 1 pound)

  stems removed, chopped
  1 unit