Doro Wat (Ethiopian-Style Spicy Chicken)

By Joan Nathan

Updated December 3, 2017

  • Melina Hammer for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(617)
Comments
Read comments

Doro wat is a popular chicken dish in Ethiopia, and for Ethiopian Jews like Meskerem Gebreyohannes, it is also a fine centerpiece for a holiday like Hanukkah. Mrs. Gebreyohannes makes her doro wat with a Berbere spice mix imported from Ethiopia, but for this recipe, it is not needed, as the spices are listed individually. Doro wat is easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time. You can lower the heat by ratcheting up the sweet paprika, rather than the cayenne.

Featured in: A New African Tradition for Hanukkah

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 8 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar

  • 4 to 5 large onions, peeled and quartered

  • Fresh ginger (1-inch piece), peeled and grated

  • ½ head of garlic, peeled

  • ⅓ cup olive oil

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons hot chile powder like cayenne

  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika

  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

  • ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek

  • ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste

  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

  • Injera, pita, naan or rice, for serving

  • Hard-boiled eggs, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

22 grams carbs; 233 milligrams cholesterol; 474 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 558 milligrams sodium; 46 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees and rub the chicken with the lemon juice and vinegar.

  2. Step 2

    Put the chicken in a rimmed baking sheet and bake, discarding the juices after 20 minutes, then draining again after 10 more minutes. Remove meat from oven and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    As the chicken cooks, put the onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor with a steel blade and finely chop until almost ground, leaving a bit of texture.

  4. Step 4

    Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion mixture and simmer, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes or until the onions have turned golden. Then stir in 1 tablespoon of the chile powder, the sweet paprika, ginger, coriander, cardamom, thyme, fenugreek, salt and pepper.

  5. Step 5

    Cook for a few minutes, taste the sauce, and if you prefer more bite, add more chile. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, for about 15 more minutes, adding as much as a cup of water to reach the consistency of a thick sauce. Add more salt and pepper, if desired.

  6. Step 6

    Serve with injera, pita, naan or rice and, if you wish, hard-boiled eggs.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
617 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Sandy

Why not reserve the drippings for the sauce?

Joan Nathan

Sandy, What a great idea! Meskerem does not do this but when I shared your comment with her, she replied it would add more flavor to the dish if it were used instead of some of the water.

Patrice

Try straining the onion juice before cooking the onions in oil. Processing the onions creates a lot of juice.They really won't brown because you're basically boiling them in their own juice. I reserve the onion juice, mix it with the lemon juice and vinegar (i use plum vinegar), marinate the chicken in that for 30 min then I brown the chicken in a pan and set it aside until my onions are golden and the spices are mixed in with them.

Dwight Homer

Surprised that this recipe for Doro Wat resorts to using 4 or 5 large onions instead of a comparable (by weight) quantity of shallots to assure that the Ethiopian flavor profile emerges sufficiently. The peppers chosen also could be closer by type to those found in North African or Levantine regions. Mildly hot but definitely so.

Matt

Without Niter Kibbeh it's nowhere close to as tasty and I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned. I use chicken drumsticks but bone in thighs are also good.

Matt

Daring Gourmet has a good recipe

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.