Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

A deeply flavorful and spicy Ethiopian chicken stew, slow-cooked with a complex blend of spices, served with soft injera-style flatbread and nutrient-rich collard greens.

• Prep: 35 min
• Cook: 1 hr 10 min
• Total: 1 hr 45 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Ethiopian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $3.73/serving

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• spicy
• comfort food

Ingredients

• 2 pound chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, cut into large pieces)
• 4 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 yellow onions (large, finely chopped)
• 10 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
• 0.5 teaspoon ground allspice
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (15-ounce)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 6 eggs (hard-boiled, halved)
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cup warm water
• 1 bunch collard greens (1 bunch (about 1 pound), stems removed, thinly sliced)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 0.5 cup vegetable broth

Instructions

1. For the Doro Wat: Heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until they are very soft and translucent. This step is crucial for the stew's texture.
2. Add the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Stir in the paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cardamom, ground cloves, ground allspice, cayenne pepper, and ground cinnamon. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are very fragrant.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then add the chicken thighs. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. If using, add hard-boiled eggs in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
5. For the Injera-style Flatbread: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Gradually whisk in the warm water until you have a smooth batter, similar to thin pancake batter. Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes.
6. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour about 1/2 cup of batter onto the skillet, swirling to coat the bottom thinly. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges are set (no need to flip). Carefully remove the flatbread and stack them on a plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
7. For the Collard Greens: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the thinly sliced collard greens and 1/2 cup of vegetable broth.
8. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens are tender. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
9. Serve the Doro Wat warm with injera-style flatbread and tender collard greens, using the injera to scoop up the stew.

Notes

Doro Wat is even more flavorful the next day. You can prepare it ahead of time. Adjust cayenne pepper to control the spice level to your family's preference. This recipe uses common spices to simulate Berbere, making it accessible.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 590
• Protein: 42.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.5 g
• Fat: 16.7 g
• Fiber: 8.2 g
• Sodium: 1310 mg
• Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
• Sugar: 10.3 g
• Cholesterol: 185 mg