Doro Wat (Spicy Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

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 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.

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!

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 Key Ingredients

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.

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.  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.

Another key ingredient in Doro Wat and Ethiopian cooking at large is niter kibbeh, a seasoned clarified butter. You can find it in Indian grocery stores and well-stocked Asian markets, but as always I strongly recommend making your own for the best flavor. Check out my recipe for homemade Niter Kibbeh!

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 and saute the onion, covered, over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  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.  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.  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.

Traditionally, Tej is used, an Ethiopian honey wine.  If you have access to it, use it. Alternatively you can substitute 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.

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.

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.

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)!

 Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 27, 2013