Doro Wat Chicken
Submitted by AlwaysHisLady
Ethiopia’s beloved chicken stew simmered in spiced butter, berbere sauce, red wine, and caramelized onions. Tender chicken pieces with hard-boiled eggs in a fiery, aromatic sauce that warms you to the bone.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
2 hrsDoro Wat is the crown jewel of Ethiopian cooking. This spicy, deeply layered chicken stew is traditionally served on injera for holidays and special gatherings, but it deserves a spot in your weeknight rotation too.
The foundation is five cups of thinly sliced red onions, cooked low and slow in spiced butter until they practically melt into the sauce. Then comes the berbere, that iconic Ethiopian spice blend that brings warmth, heat, and a complexity you won’t find in any other cuisine.
Chicken pieces marinated in lime juice get nestled into this fiery, wine-laced sauce and simmered until fork-tender. Hard-boiled eggs go in at the end, soaking up all those incredible flavors.
Chef Tips
- Don’t rush the onions. Cooking them low and slow until they’re completely soft is the secret to Doro Wat’s signature velvety sauce
- Marinating the chicken in lime juice for a full hour tenderizes the meat and adds a bright note that balances the heat
- If you can find niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter), use it. Regular butter with a pinch of fenugreek and cardamom works as a substitute
- Serve on injera flatbread for the authentic experience, or over steamed rice if injera isn’t available
- Score the hard-boiled eggs with a knife before adding them so the spicy sauce can penetrate
Ingredients
Directions
Place chicken pieces in a bowl and marinate for one hour in lime juice.
In heavy saucepan sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons of the spiced butter.
Cover the pot and cook the onions over low heat until they are very tender, but not browned.
Stir them occasionally.
Add the remaining butter to the pot, along with the Berbere sauce, wine, garlic, cayenne, and ginger.
Add ½ cup water and mix well.
Bring to a simmer and add the chicken pieces.
Cook, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender, adding more water if you need to in order to keep the sauce from drying out.
When the chicken is tender, taste for salt.
Add the peeled eggs and heat through.
Top with black pepper and serve.
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