DORO WAT (ETHIOPIAN-STYLE SPICY CHICKEN)

Doro Wat (Ethiopian-Style Spicy Chicken) image

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.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories dinner, poultry, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

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
1/2 head of garlic, peeled
1/3 cup olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons hot chile powder like cayenne
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Injera, pita, naan or rice, for serving
Hard-boiled eggs, for serving (optional)

Steps:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and rub the chicken with the lemon juice and vinegar.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Serve with injera, pita, naan or rice and, if you wish, hard-boiled eggs.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 523, UnsaturatedFat 17 grams, Carbohydrate 15 grams, Fat 25 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 59 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 573 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams