Entree: Ethiopia – Gurage – ዶሮ ወጥ ➤ Doro Wot (Spicy Ethiopian chicken stew braised in berbere and spiced clarified butter)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 1 hr

Cook 50 min

Additional 10 min

Total 2 hrs

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in chicken pieces (about 6–8 pieces), skin removed if preferred (such as bone-in chicken thighs)
- 4 large onions, finely chopped, approx. 1.5 lb (700 g) total
- 4 large eggs for hard boiling (approx. 200 g total)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter) or substitute 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter plus 1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable oil and 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cardamom
- 3 tbsp (45 g) berbere spice mix
- 2 tbsp (33 g) tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, approx. 9 g
- 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock or water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper
- Injera for serving (no measurement)

Instructions

1. Hard-boil the eggs: place eggs in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes. Cool, peel, and set aside.
2. In a wide heavy-bottomed pot, cook the chopped onions over medium-low heat without oil, stirring frequently, until very soft and deeply caramelized, about 40–50 minutes. Patience here develops the stew’s characteristic depth.
3. Once the onions are richly browned, add the niter kibbeh (or butter/oil mixture) and sauté 2–3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and ginger and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the berbere and tomato paste, stirring constantly for 2–3 minutes to bloom the spices and coat the onions. If the mixture becomes too dry, add a splash of stock.
5. Add the chicken pieces, toss to coat with the spiced onion mixture, then pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and braise for 35–45 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally and adjust liquid as needed.
6. Add the peeled hard-boiled eggs to the pot during the last 10 minutes of cooking so they absorb some sauce. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot with injera, tearing pieces of injera to scoop up the chicken and sauce.