Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

Have you ever tried Doro Wat? It’s one of my favorite dishes from Ethiopia and Eritrea, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Doro Wat is a very simple yet iconic chicken stew made with just a few key ingredients. It has chicken cooked with onions, garlic, ginger, and a mix of spices called berbere. There’s also spiced butter (niter kibbeh) for extra flavor, and hard-boiled eggs are added towards the end to make it more filling. Yes, I know there are a few ingredients here that might sound a bit unfamiliar, but don’t worry, I’ll be telling you all about them.

I’ve always been fascinated by African cuisine, and it’s amazing to discover all the unique flavors that come from this incredible continent. So far, I’ve tried making Nigerian Jollof Rice, Kedjenou Chicken from Ivory Coast, South African Chakalaka, Moroccan Kefta Mkaouara, and of course, the famous African Peri Peri Chicken. The variety of dishes and flavors is just astonishing, and there’s still so much more to explore.

I first tried Ethiopian food in Asheville, a city known for its diverse restaurants. I tried Doro Wat along with other stews and lentils, all served on a large piece of injera bread. The whole meal is meant to be shared with family, and it was a great experience. Now, whenever I think of cooking something from Ethiopia, Doro Wat is the first dish that comes to mind. The reason is simple. It is their national dish, and it is absolutely delicious.

What is Doro Wat

Doro Wat is a traditional Ethiopian chicken stew and is often considered the national dish of Ethiopia. The word “Doro” means chicken, and “Wat” refers to a type of stew or curry. It’s a richly spiced dish known for its deep, bold flavors, which come from the signature spice blend called Berbere, along with Niter Kibbeh, a spiced clarified butter.

Doro Wat is often made for special occasions, celebrations, birthdays, weddings, and family gatherings, as it’s a dish that brings everyone together. It comes in many versions, with or without tomato, and with different spice levels. The spicier it is, the closer it gets to the authentic taste. No matter how you make it, Doro Wat always turns out delicious.

Traditionally, it is eaten using injera, a large sourdough flatbread made from teff flour, which is used to scoop up the stew. Sharing Doro Wat is a communal experience, as the stew is served on a large piece of injera that everyone shares.

Cooking Doro Wat is a labor of love, taking several hours to prepare due to the caramelization of the onions, which forms the base of the dish. The rich sauce is a result of slow cooking and careful layering of spices. Hard-boiled eggs are added towards the end, making it a complete and hearty meal. The spice and flavor profiles of Doro Wat are what make it a standout, not just in Ethiopian cuisine, but also as one of the most iconic dishes in all of Africa.

My authentic Doro Wat recipe captures everything I love about Ethiopian cooking, and I think you’ll love it too.

Ingredients Needed

Chicken: Traditionally, Doro Wat is made using a whole chicken. It is cut into twelve pieces, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Jacob in the Bible. I like to use bone-in, skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks for more flavor, but you can use any cut you prefer.

Olive Oil: Used for sautéing and getting everything started.

Niter Kibbeh: This is Ethiopian spiced butter that adds incredible depth. If you don’t have it, you can substitute with ghee or regular butter, though niter kibbeh really gives it that authentic flavor.

Red Onion: Lots of finely chopped onions are key for the rich base of Doro Wat.

Ginger: Fresh ginger adds a nice kick of warmth to the stew.

Garlic: Minced garlic gives that familiar aromatic depth we all love.

Berbere Spice: This is the star of the dish, giving Doro Wat its distinctive spicy, smoky flavor. Some of the online products we discovered simply lack the authentic flavor as they have a lot of preservatives. The best berbere is definitely homemade. I understand that many people shy away from making a spice blend just for one dish. But trust me, it is worth it, especially since you will need quite a bit for Doro Wat, about half a cup.

And about the spice level, berbere is supposed to be spicy, but not overwhelming. This matters when making Doro Wat, since you are using quite a lot of it. It should be spicy enough to have a kick, but not so much that it takes over the dish.

Tomato Paste: Some versions totally skip any tomato element. Some versions use fresh tomatoes. I personally like a bit of acidity and richness that the tomato paste adds to the sauce.

Chicken Stock: Used for cooking the chicken and adding depth to the gravy.

Salt: Just to bring out all the flavors.

Hard-Boiled Eggs: These go in towards the end, making the dish heartier and adding some extra protein.

Authentic Doro Wat Recipe

If you’re new to Ethiopian cooking, making Doro Wat might seem a bit intimidating. There are some new ingredients, unfamiliar techniques, and it takes a bit of time to cook. But Doro Wat is actually one of the best dishes to start with when thinking of trying Ethiopian cuisine.

The two key parts of this recipe are using high-quality berbere spice and cooking the onions slowly over low heat for a long time.

The Caramelization of onions is absolutely essential to making Doro Wat. They need to be nicely browned to create a rich, flavorful sauce base. It’s important not to rush this step, as it really makes a difference. So here is how I cook my Doro Wat.

I start by heating two tablespoons of niter kibbeh along with some olive oil over medium-high heat in my Dutch oven. Once it’s hot, I add the chopped onions and sauté them for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom and burn. The goal is to get the onions caramelized to a nice golden brown.

Next, I stir in the ginger and garlic and let them sauté for about five minutes until they become fragrant. Then, I add the berbere spice, a quarter cup of hot water, tomato paste, salt, and another two tablespoons of niter kibbeh. I let this cook for 30 minutes, stirring now and then. If needed, I add a bit more hot water to keep that thick gravy consistency going.

Once that’s all ready, I add in the chicken pieces, keeping them whole, and mix them well with the onion mixture. I cover it up and let it cook for about 10 minutes. After that, I add the chicken stock, turn the heat down to medium-low, and cover it again. It cooks for 45 minutes to an hour until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, stirring occasionally to make sure everything is cooking evenly.

While the chicken is cooking, I boil the eggs, peel them, and make a few slits in each one. Once the chicken is done, I taste the stew and adjust the salt if needed, then add the eggs and let everything cook together for another 5 to 10 minutes.

When it’s ready, I serve it hot with injera, bread, or rice.

Alpana’s Tips

Take Your Time with the Onions: I always make sure to take my time cooking the onions. Slow-cooked onions are the key to a rich, flavorful base, so I cook them over medium-low heat until they’re deeply caramelized. It’s important not to rush this part, it really makes a big difference.

Use Good Quality Berbere: The flavor of Doro Wat depends a lot on the berbere spice, so I try to use high-quality berbere. I love making it homemade, but a good store-bought one can also work well.

Balance the Heat: Berbere can be quite spicy, but Doro Wat should be flavorful, not overly hot. If I find the berbere too spicy, I adjust the amount to make sure it still tastes balanced.

Add Water Gradually: When I cook the onions with the spices, I like to add hot water gradually. This helps keep a thick, gravy-like consistency while letting the flavors really come together.

Prepare Niter Kibbeh in Advance: Niter kibbeh is amazing for adding depth to the dish. I try to prepare it in advance, so I have it ready not just for Doro Wat, but also for other Ethiopian dishes.

Use Bone-In Chicken: I usually use bone-in chicken for this dish because it adds more flavor to the stew. Drumsticks, thighs, or even a whole chicken cut into pieces works great.

Slit the Eggs: I like to make a few slits in the boiled eggs before adding them to the stew. This way, they absorb more of the flavorful sauce, making them even tastier.

Serve Fresh with Injera: Doro Wat tastes best when served with fresh injera, which soaks up the spicy, flavorful sauce. But if I don’t have injera, I serve it with bread or even my Indian Rotis and rice, it still tastes delicious.

If you’re curious about exploring African cuisine, why not start with my Doro Wat? The rich, spiced sauce and tender chicken make it truly comforting. It’s a perfect introduction to the bold, rich flavors that make Ethiopian food so special, and I promise you’ll love every bite.

More great chicken stew recipes:
Pollo Guisado
Chicken Chasseur
Chicken Provencal
Chicken Caldereta
Fricase de Pollo
Chicken Paprikash
Chicken Tagine
Asopao de Pollo

Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

Doro Wat is an iconic stew from Ethiopia and Eritrea, featuring chicken cooked in a mixture of onions an berbere seasoning.

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Ingredients

• 4 lbs chicken (I use bone in skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks)
• 3Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Tbsp Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter, you can sub it with ghee or regular butter), divided, see notes
• 4 large red onions, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp ginger, minced or crushed
• 1.5 Tbsp garlic, minced or crushed
• ½ cup Berbere spice (homemade highly recommended) see notes
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt to taste
• 5-6 hard boiled eggs

Instructions

1. Heat the 2 Tbsp niter kibbeh or butter along with the olive oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven. Add the chopped onions and sauté, cover for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, making sure the onion doesn't stick to the bottom and get burnt. The onion should be caramelized to golden brown.
2. Stir in ginger and garlic and saule for 5 minutes.
3. Add in berbere spice, 1/4 cup hot water, tomato paste, salt and 2 Tbsp niter kibbeh and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. You can keep on adding 1/4 cup of hot water a few times to get the thick gravy consistency going.
4. Add the chicken pieces and mix well with the onion mixture. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add chicken stock, reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour till chicken is fully cooked and fall off the bone tender, stirring occasionally.
6. Meanwhile, boil the eggs and peel and slit them in a few places and set aside.
7. Once chicken is cooked, taste and adjust for salt, add in eggs and cook for 5-10 minutes.
8. Serve hot with injera, bread or rice.

Notes

Homemade Berbere Spice

3 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp fenugreek powder
¼ tsp cardamom powder
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp allspice powder
¼ tsp nutmeg powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Measure all ingredients and mix them together in a bowl.

Homemade Niter Kibbeh

• 1 lb butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 Tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp peppercorn
• 3 black cardamom
• 4-5 green cardamom
• 6 cloves
• 1 tsp fenugreek powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 star anis

Toast the whole spices over medium heat in a dry skillet for a few minutes until very fragrant. Be careful not to scorch the spices.

Then place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring it to an very low simmer. Continue to simmer over low for at least one hour. Be careful not to burn the butter and skim off the foam. Strain through cheesecloth or fine sieve and store in a clean glass jar. It’ll last 6 months in the fridge, a week or two on the counter.

Leftovers: Doro wat can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It also freezes well; just let it cool completely, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.