Doro Wat
Doro Wat is spicy Ethiopian Chicken Stew, the national food of Ethiopia. You find it in pretty much all restaurants. Like curry, each family has it on version, but they all have similar ingredients and flavor. It’s made with chicken, onions, and simmered in a sauce seasoned with a liberal amount of Berbere Spice. Berbere is a very spicy, fragrant, and savory spice blend. Cayenne Chile Pepper provides the heat while Fenugreek, Ginger, Cardamom, and other spices provide the complex flavor. We crafted our version to be true to the traditional spices, blended to be well-balanced so no one spice overpowers the others.
Most versions of Doro Wat have hard boiled eggs added to the sauce at the end, or used as a topping when served. It is also served with rice or lentils and some Injera bread, the traditional Ethiopian flatbread. You can also use Naan bread, pita or other flatbread.
Berbere Spice is a very spicy blend, so adjust the amount you use for the amount of heat you want in the dish.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
2 Pounds Skinless, Bone-in Chicken Thighs
5 Tablespoons Butter
3 Large Red Onions, Finely Minced
6 Medium Garlic Cloves, Minced
3 Tablespoons Berbere Spice (adjust for spiciness)
1 14 oz Can Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
3 Hard-boiled Eggs, Peeled and Sliced In Half
Kosher Flake Salt
Cooked Jasmine Rice for Serving
Injera Bread, Naan Bread or other flatbread for Serving
Lemon Wedges for Serving
Directions:
Heat a large Dutch oven pan over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When it’s melted, add the minced onions and 1 teaspoon the salt. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes until they are completely softened and light golden brown. Stir occasionally to cook evenly and reduce the heat if the onions begin to brown before fully softened.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of the butter. When melted, add the Berbere Spice and and the chicken broth. Stir to combine. Add the garlic and give it another stir. Add the chicken thighs. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is fork tender. Turn the chicken pieces over every 5 or so minutes, spooning the sauce over the pieces. Once cooked, carefully place the hard-boiled egg halves in the sauce, yolk side up. Leave uncovered and let the eggs come up to temperature for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken pieces to a large serving bowl. Carefully transfer the eggs to the bowl as well. Loosely cover with foil.
Raise the temperature to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck-on pieces. Pour the sauce over the chicken and eggs in the bowl. Serve over the cooked rice, with a lemon slice and some warm Injera or Naan bread. You can also hard boil extra eggs, quarter them and serve on the side.