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!Ā Ā This authentic Doro Wat recipe captures the very best of Ethiopian cooking!
Doro Wat is one of the most famous of all African dishes. Ā You will find it in every Ethiopian restaurant and virtually anyone who is familiar with African cuisine will have heard of it. Ā 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). Ā You can directly substitute beef for chicken and follow the same cooking instructions.
Doro Wat is traditionally made very spicy. Ā Super spicy. Ā Like I-don’t-know-how-Ethiopians-have-any-taste-buds-left spicy. Ā Western adaptations are still spicy, but quite tame compared to the real deal.
Traditionally Doro Wat is served with an Ethiopian flatbread called injera. Ā 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. Ā The injera is used in place of an eating utensil and is used to scoop up the chicken stew.
This recipe for Doro Wat comes by way of request from Jared (Make a Request!). Ā He said he has been trying for several years to find a good recipe. Ā 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. Ā It can take several hours for an Ethiopian to make Doro Wat. Ā 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. Ā The magic is in the slow-cooked onions. Ā 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. Ā It is best made fresh using whole spices that are toasted and ground for maximum flavor. Ā A combination of whole and ground spices are used as seen in the picture below.
The whole spices are toasted and ground up with the already ground spices to make a beautiful, aromatic, flavorful and spicy seasoning blend.
Purchasing these spices will serve you well as each of them are commonly used in a large variety of other cuisines. Ā Stored in airtight glass jars in a dark place, they will keep a very long time. Ā If you’d rather purchase berbere, you can find it online. Ā 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. Ā The best deal I’ve found for bulk berbere (and it also happens to be organic and a reputable brand) can be foundĀ HERE. Ā
Berbere makes a great rub for meat, poultry, and fish, as well as a seasoning for stews, soups, and vegetables. Ā 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.
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. Ā Add more niter kibbeh if it gets too dry.
In the meantime, finely mince the garlic and ginger.
Add the garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Ā Continue to saute, covered, over low heat for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add 4 tablespoons of berbere and 2 teaspoons salt and stir to combine.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter, cover, and simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 30 minutes you’ll have a rich and luscious sauce that’s ready for the chicken!
Traditionally, bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces are used. Ā You can either use chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks, or use boneless chicken breast. Ā I used breast this time. Ā Cut the breast into small, 1/2 inch chunks. Ā Place the chunks in a dish with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and let sit at least 15 minutes.
Add the chicken to the sauce.
Traditionally, Tej is used, an Ethiopian honey wine. Ā 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. Ā Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, boil the eggs. Ā 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.
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. Ā Adjust the seasonings according to taste. Ā Add more berbere according to heat preference.
Serve with Authentic Injera (Ethiopian Flatbread).
Be sure to also try our authentic Sega Wat, the famous and incredibly delicious Ethiopian spicy beef stew!
Lastly, for an authentic Ethiopian side dish to serve with your doro wat, try our Gomen (Ethiopian Collard Greens)!
Doro Wat (Ethiopian Spiced Chicken)
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
Ed says
Is there a reason why it wouldn’t have the reddish color? I followed the instructions exactly as indicated above (even had a friend with me to validate as we made this together). I even added additional Berere.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ed, I’d say it’s more brown than it is red, a reddish-brown. The color comes from the Berbere so that will vary from brand to brand.
Dan says
Made this last night, including niter kibbeh and berbere. Followed the recipe to the letter and what I ended up with was nothing short of incredible, and rivaled the Doro Wat at the new ethiopian restaurant in town here. Didn’t have time to make injera but have enough curry left over for another meal so will definitely make it for next time. This one’s going into the recipe book! Cheers
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Dan, I’m so happy to hear that – thank you!
Clarisse Ahmed says
Hi Kimberly, is there anything that I can substitute from the honey wine as we are Muslim š I’m a Filipino married to a guy born in Djibouti and most of his relatives are Ethiopian. This guy loves spicy food so much that I couldnt even look at him whenever time he showered his food with heaps chilli powder š and now not surprisingly tho, I’m slowly going in the same path haha. We’ve got 4 kids all under 5 which are half asian and half african. Unusual combination but I wouldnt mind them learning how to eat this kind of authentic dishes from Ethiopia.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Clarisse! I agree, your kids should definitely experience Ethiopian and Filipino dishes to further appreciate their heritage. For the 1/2 cup white wine, I’d substitute 1/4 cup white grape juice and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Happy cooking and let us know how it goes!
Tess says
I’ve tried a few versions of this dish. Your version and instructions are on point! I only subbed whole thighs for the boneless/skinless, but this rocks. :-) My husband picked up some good quality berbere from an Ethiopian market when he was in the city. The flavors finally melded right.
(Now, if I can only get the injera down.. lol)
Thanks for the recipe!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Woohooo!! I’m so happy to hear that, Tess, thanks for the feedback! Bone-in/skin-on chicken will always yield the most flavor, so that was a good call. And the injera, yes…I’ve been meaning to post my recipe for it – I need to get on that.
Julie says
Thank you! I think I’ll try that š
Julie says
My husband and I just went for Ethiopian last night. We were so excited because the closest Ethiopian restaurant we had (1 1/2 hours away), closed several years ago, so we had been deprived of delicious Ethipoian food for quite some time. We had doro wat and I remembered how much I loved it. The version we ate had a slight kick, but was not overly spicy. I would like to order the berbere from Amazon that you mentioned, but am a little concerned that it might be too spicy. I don’t have an overly high threshold for spicy heat. Any recommendations?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Julie! Yes, that’s a tough one. Without actually sampling the different brands it’s hard to know which ones are going to be really hot or on the milder side. If you have the spices on hand you can consider making your own. Here’s my recipe for Berbere and you can simply omit the chilies to eliminate the heat, or at least cut back on them.
Melissa says
Yay, thank you! I feel confident now. I’ll let you know how it turns out :-)
Melissa says
Hi Kimberly, thanks so much for your response. I have a pretty standard soup pot. You think that will do the trick? If not, I was thinking I could cook the onions in the crockpot for the time you mention and basically use the crockpot like a dutch oven. But, if you think a regular old soup pot would work then I’ll go with that. Would love your thoughts. Thanks again!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Melissa, yes, a standard soup pot will do just fine. Really anything will work. Don’t trouble yourself taking the extra steps with the crockpot, whatever pot you have will produce an amazing doro wat, I promise! :)
Melissa Cardwell says
Hi Kimberly, this recipe of yours looks amazing and I’m planning on trying it out on a group of friends this coming Sunday. One question for you: I don’t have a Dutch oven and am having a hard time finding one. Do you think something else would work as a substitute andā¦what do you think of making this is in a crockpot? I’d love to know your thoughts. Aloha from Hawaii, Melissa
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Aloha, Melissa! No, you don’t have to have a Dutch oven, any heavy stock pot will do the job. I don’t recommend this for the crockpot though because a major key to the flavor outcome is the long sauteing process of the onions. Happy cooking and let us know how it goes!
Alan says
Thanks for the recipe! I just returned from a trip to Ethiopia and wanted to share some of the food highlights with my family. My wife and 12 year old daughter (who likes new foods that are spicy) loved it. We found a Berbere spice blend in the bulk spice section of our local gourmet market. The meal is hot spicy but not in an overwhelming way, so you still get plenty of opportunity to taste the ingredients. We will definitely be making it again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Alan, what an adventure that must have been and what a great opportunity to share your experience with your family via food. I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, thank you!
Nick says
WAW what a find !! magical taste ! Thank You
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, thank you, Nick!
Stuart says
Hi Kimberly
Thank you so much for posting this recipe, Traveled to Ethiopia (absolutely amazing and wonderful country and people with so much history and beauty plus the only country I know were you can feed a wild hyena by putting a stick with a lump of meat at the end of it in your mouth) many moons ago and fell in love with this dish and now thanks to you I can recreate it at home and make my own berere spice blend. Also love the rest of the site too thanks for sharing these other amazing dishes. Just got some German sauerkraut and sweet Hungarian paprika from my local Eastern European food shop so later this week I will be cooking up some Szegedin Goulash thanks to you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Your trip sounds incredible, Stuart. And I admire your courage – I’d be too afraid to get anywhere near a wild hyena let alone feed it from a stick in my mouth! Thanks so much for the compliment and I look forward to “seeing” you around :)
Morgan says
Hey there – just wanted to say how much I love this recipe! I’ve made it four or five times to rave reviews. I live in the largest Ethiopian neighborhood in the world outside of Ethiopia (in NW DC, Silver Spring MD) and I’m continually impressed by how complex, diverse, and interesting Ethiopian food is. Ethiopian food culture is one of the most beautiful – it is my favorite comfort food.
This recipe is not quite the same as traditional doro wot, but has it’s own unique thing going, which I’m addicted to. The interplay of the butter, spices, wine, slow-cooked onions and lemon juice is delicious and unique! This might sound super weird, but I’m using it as a gravy (over mashed potatoes) for a thanksgiving party I’m having this week. Do not knock it until you try it – great pairing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Morgan, thanks so much, I really appreciate the feedback! I agree with you about Ethiopian food. And no, I don’t think it’s strange at all using it as a gravy over potatoes, it sounds fantastic! Happy Thanksgiving!
Tim Garrett says
love your site. i’ve been looking for a good berbere and doro wat recipe for a while, and i think i’ve found it. fortunately, the city i live in, winnipeg canada, has an established ethiopian community, so injera can be bought pre-made for a reasonable price. i’m going to host an ethiopian-themed dinner party in january, when it’s -35 outside…but it will be toasty warm inside!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Tim, and welcome! You are fortunate to have such easy access to the injera, I’ve never seen it in the Seattle area. Your Ethiopian-themed dinner party sounds absolutely fabulous! Let us know what you and your guests think of the berbere and doro wat!
Anonymous says
I was in Seattle this summer. My girlfriend’s sister lives on Bainbridge Island. love the left coast! keep up the good work on your site. excellent ethnic food recipes. have you ever tried ful medames (sp?). a little ethiopian cafe in winnipeg makes it. it rocks. i’d love to get a good recipe for that. cheers.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
We’re not too far from Bainbridge and I agree, it’s a beautiful area. I love ful medames and have been wanting to create a version for my blog – thanks for the reminder. And greetings to Winnipeg!
Rachael says
We have a teenage boy from Eritrea living with us, and I wanted to make something from his homeland (Eritrea used to be part of Ethiopia), so I tried this dish. It was a huge hit and absolutely amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Rachael, I’m so glad to hear it was a hit and thank you for the feedback!