Ethiopian
Doro Wat
Ethiopian chicken and egg stew built from deeply reduced onions, berbere, and niter kibbeh.
6 servings · 45 minutes prep · 180 minutes cook
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
- 3 pounds red onions, minced extremely fine
- 3/4 cup niter kibbeh, divided
- 1/2 cup Ethiopian berbere, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup finely grated garlic
- 1 cup tej or dry white wine
- 2 cups hot water, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon korarima, freshly ground
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and pierced several times
Directions
Prepare the Chicken and Onions
- Score each chicken piece twice to the bone. Toss with the lemon juice and 2 teaspoons salt, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Drain thoroughly and pat completely dry without rinsing. Clean and sanitize surfaces contacted by the raw chicken and marinade.
- Put the onions in a wide heavy pot with no fat. Cook over medium-low for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring increasingly often, until their water evaporates and they become a deep golden, jammy paste. Add spoonfuls of water only to prevent scorching.
Build the Berbere Sauce
- Add 1/2 cup of the cooking fat and cook for 10 minutes. Add the berbere and cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly and loosening with small splashes of hot water, until the spice loses its raw edge and the fat begins to separate.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tej and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the chicken and turn each piece repeatedly in the onion-spice paste for 10 minutes.
Simmer and Finish with Eggs
- Add 1 1/2 cups hot water and the remaining teaspoon salt. Cover partially and simmer very gently for 45 to 60 minutes, turning twice, until the chicken reaches at least {{temperature:165°F}}, the leg meat is preferably near {{temperature:175°F}}, and the sauce is thick, dark red, and clings to the meat. Add the remaining water only as needed.
- Stir in the finishing spice and the remaining 1/4 cup cooking fat. Nestle in the eggs and simmer for 10 minutes so they absorb the sauce. Rest for 20 minutes before serving.
