Ethiopian Doro Wat Chicken Stew Recipe

Name: Ethiopian Doro Wat
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 lbs/800 g chicken thighs and drumsticks; juice of 1 small lemon; 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, clarified butter (ghee), or niter kibbeh (fragrant butter); 6 teaspoons berbere spice mix (or less, to taste); 6 large red onions (chopped); 2 to 3 garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped); 1 inch of fresh ginger (peeled and finely chopped); salt to taste; 11 ounces/450 mL of water or chicken stock (add as required); 1 tablespoon garam masala; 6 eggs (boiled and peeled)

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

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Doro wat is an onion-based chicken stew from Ethiopia. If you walk into any Ethiopian or Eritrean restaurant around the world, you will undoubtedly be served this incredibly tasty dish. Doro wat is frequently served on top of injera with other wats and salads. During the Lent period before Easter, different types of lentils, chickpeas, and vegetables are often consumed.

You will notice many recipes published on the internet call for the use of chicken stock. This is normally needed where a smaller quantity of onions have been used, and therefore, more liquid is needed. In recipes where a significant quantity of onions has been used, the extra liquid is not necessary as there is enough wat base for cover; the chicken pieces will cook on a low heat resulting in the "sweating" out of its own liquids. Naturally, you will be cooking this in your kitchen to suit your time and effort. If by your judgment, the recipe could use more moisture, add a little water as required.

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2 pounds (800 grams) chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 small lemon, juiced
6 tablespoons vegetable oil, clarified butter, ghee, or niter kibbeh, fragrant butter
6 large red onions, chopped
2 tablespoons berbere spice mix, more or less to taste
1 (1-inch) piece) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
11 ounces (450 milliliters) water, or chicken stock, add as needed
1 tablespoon garam masala
6 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Marinate the chicken pieces in the lemon juice. Refrigerate, covered, while you cook the onions.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil or butter in a large Dutch oven, or other heavy-duty pot over medium-low heat, add the onions and cook gently for an hour until reduced into a sweet paste. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons oil or butter. Add the berbere spice, followed by the ginger and garlic and fry until fragrant. More berbere spice can be added depending on how much heat is desired.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Add the chicken pieces to the pot along with the stock and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer on low heat for 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Halfway through, sprinkle the garam masala over the wat and continue cooking, stirring occasionally.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Add the boiled eggs to the wat and stir to coat completely. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if desired. Serve the doro wat on top of injera to enjoy it the traditional way. Alternatively, this can be enjoyed with Indian flatbread or rice.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
616	Calories
41g	Fat
20g	Carbs
46g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	616
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 41g	53%
Saturated Fat 9g	46%
Cholesterol 382mg	127%
Sodium 692mg	30%
Total Carbohydrate 20g	7%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 46g
Vitamin C 18mg	90%
Calcium 93mg	7%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 809mg	17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.