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Doro Wat (Spicy Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

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There is a reason why Doro Wat is the national dish of Ethiopia and one of the most famous of all African dishes – it’s fabulous!   This authentic Doro Wat recipe captures the very best of Ethiopian cooking!

Doro Wat Ethiopian

Doro Wat is one of the most famous of all African dishes.  You will find it in every Ethiopian restaurant and virtually anyone who is familiar with African cuisine will have heard of it.  Another version, though not as commonly known here, is Sega Wat, made with beef (fyi, you’ll find recipes online calling it Sik Sik Wat, but I’ve confirmed with the chefs of several Ethiopian restaurants that it’s Sega Wat).  You can directly substitute beef for chicken and follow the same cooking instructions.

Doro Wat is traditionally made very spicy.  Super spicy.  Like I-don’t-know-how-Ethiopians-have-any-taste-buds-left spicy.  Western adaptations are still spicy, but quite tame compared to the real deal.

doro wat recipe authentic traditional ethiopian chicken stew spicy eggs

Traditionally Doro Wat is served with an Ethiopian flatbread called injera.  It’s kind of a spongy pancake made with teff flour (a grain indigenous to the area), and the batter is left to ferment for up to 4 days before its used.  The injera is used in place of an eating utensil and is used to scoop up the chicken stew.

doro wat recipe ethiopian african injera chicken spicy

This recipe for Doro Wat comes by way of request from Jared (Make a Request!).  He said he has been trying for several years to find a good recipe.  Jared, this recipe is both authentic and delicious – I think you’ll be very happy with it!

The key to authentic, great-tasting Doro Wat is good quality, flavorful berbere, and a very long cooking process.  It can take several hours for an Ethiopian to make Doro Wat.  You can cut back on the cooking time and your Doro Wat will still taste good, but it won’t taste like it’s supposed to.  The magic is in the slow-cooked onions.  And it takes time for the magic to happen.

A central ingredient of Doro Wat is Berbere, a fiery, bright red and flavorful Ethiopian spice blend.  It is best made fresh using whole spices that are toasted and ground for maximum flavor.  A combination of whole and ground spices are used as seen in the picture below.

Doro Wat prep 6

The whole spices are toasted and ground up with the already ground spices to make a beautiful, aromatic, flavorful and spicy seasoning blend.

Ethiopian Berbere recipe

Purchasing these spices will serve you well as each of them are commonly used in a large variety of other cuisines.  Stored in airtight glass jars in a dark place, they will keep a very long time.  If you’d rather purchase berbere, you can find it online.  You need 1/4-1/3 cup for this recipe alone, so forget the tiny 2-3 oz jars of it you usually find for sale.  The best deal I’ve found for bulk berbere (and it also happens to be organic and a reputable brand) can be found HERE.  

Berbere makes a great rub for meat, poultry, and fish, as well as a seasoning for stews, soups, and vegetables.  It’s a great all-purpose spice, so you’ll be able to make good use of this bulk package if you decide to buy versus make your own.

So now that you’re equipped with Ethiopian berbere and authentic Ethiopian injera, you’re ready to make Doro Wat!

Doro Wat Recipe

Let’s get started!

Use a food processor to very finely mince the onion – you want an almost chunky puree.

grated onions

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of niter kibbeh in a Dutch oven (I use and love Lodge) and saute the onion, covered, over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add more niter kibbeh if it gets too dry.

cooking onions in niter kibbeh

In the meantime, finely mince the garlic and ginger.

Add the garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Continue to saute, covered, over low heat for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

adding butter garlic and ginger

Add 4 tablespoons of berbere and 2 teaspoons salt and stir to combine.

adding berbere

Add 2 tablespoons of butter, cover, and simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

adding more butter

After 30 minutes you’ll have a rich and luscious sauce that’s ready for the chicken!

cooking the mixture

Traditionally, bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces are used.  You can either use chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks, or use boneless chicken breast.  I used breast this time.  Cut the breast into small, 1/2 inch chunks.  Place the chunks in a dish with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and let sit at least 15 minutes.

Add the chicken to the sauce.

adding chicken

Traditionally, Tej is used, an Ethiopian honey wine.  As a substitute we’re going to use white wine with a teaspoon of honey.

Add the chicken stock, salt and honey wine to the mixture.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

cooking the chicken in the sauce

In the meantime, boil the eggs.  Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle, peel and pierce them all over with a fork, about 1/4 inch deep, to allow the sauce to penetrate.

preparing the eggs

After 45 minutes you’ll have a rich, luscious spicy chicken stew ready for the eggs!

Add the eggs and continue to simmer, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Adjust the seasonings according to taste.  Add more berbere according to heat preference.

adding the eggs

doro wat recipe authentic traditional ethiopian chicken stew spicy eggs

Serve with Authentic Injera (Ethiopian Flatbread).

injera recipe ethiopian flatbread authentic traditional teff

Be sure to also try our authentic Sega Wat, the famous and incredibly delicious Ethiopian spicy beef stew!

sega wat recipe ethiopian beef stew spicy authentic best

Lastly, for an authentic Ethiopian side dish to serve with your doro wat, try our Gomen (Ethiopian Collard Greens)!

gomen recipe ethiopian authentic traditional collard greens

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Doro Wat (Ethiopian Spiced Chicken)

The national dish of Ethiopia, this spicy chicken stew is simply outstanding!
4.98 from 119 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine African, ethiopian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 647 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 lbs chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces, or 3 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons niter kibbeh
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups yellow onions finely minced to a chunky puree in food processor
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
  • 1/4 cup Ethiopian berbere
  • or use HOMEMADE BERBERE (HIGHLY recommended!)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 cup Tej Ethiopian honey wine, if you have it, or white wine mixed with 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs pierced all over with fork about 1/4 inch deep

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour lemon juice over. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
  • Heat the niter kibbeh or butter along with the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the onions and saute, covered, over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon butter and continue to saute, covered, for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the berbere and the 2 remaining tablespoons of butter and saute, covered, over low heat for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the chicken, broth, salt and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Adjust the seasonings, adding more berbere according to heat preference. Add the boiled eggs and simmer on low heat, covered, for another 15 minutes.
  • Half or quarter the eggs and arrange on the plates with the stew. Serve hot with injera, bread or rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 647kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 43gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 376mgSodium: 885mgPotassium: 680mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 525IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Doro Wat
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




4.98 from 119 votes (72 ratings without comment)

231 Comments

  1. I plan to make this, but with half the ingredients.

    Problem is, niter kibbeh is practically impossible to find in the UK and gathering all the ingredients to only use 1 tablespoon of it is crazy. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute for niter kibbeh?

    1. Hi, you can omit the niter kibbeh (use ghee or a combination of butter and oil instead) and add an additional teaspoon of the berbere seasoning. If you ever do decide the make the niter kibbeh though, it is well worth it because it’s really versatile. Even though you only need a tablespoon of it for the doro wat, you’ll find yourself using it to cook all kinds of food in, whether it’s scrambled eggs or pork chops or adding it to sauteed vegetables, it adds so much flavor!