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Meat, Africa and overseas

Doro wat with injera

Doro wat is an Ethiopian chicken stew simmered in berbere with slow cooked onions, served with hard boiled eggs and injera. For 4 people, it takes about 1h40 and a medium skill level, at €3.90 per person. The key is cooking the onions low and slow without fat until they melt before the spices go in.

Tonight, the Ethiopian celebration dish, doro wat, a chicken stew with berbere and slow cooked onions, served with hard boiled eggs and injera.

Doro wat with injera
Total time
1 h 40
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.90
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Doro wat starts with a smell, the onions slowly melting down in the pot long before any spice gets added. Once the berbere goes in, the sauce turns a deep red and fills the kitchen with paprika, chili, and a touch of cinnamon. The chicken simmers in there until it nearly falls off the bone, and the sauce clings to every bite.

It's a celebration dish in Ethiopia, the kind shared around one plate, scooping up the stew with injera instead of a fork. At home, it's a good excuse for a dinner that breaks from the usual routine, whether that's a Sunday night or a meal with friends curious to try something new. Set aside some time, but most of it is hands off simmering.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 1 kg
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 30 g

Pantry

  • Berbere (Ethiopian spice blend)often in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Injera 8
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 60 g
  • Eggs 4

Allergens Eggs, Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Blend the onions, then cook them dry in a large pot, stirring, until they turn soft and jammy. 25 min

    No berbere on hand? Mix paprika, chili, cumin, ginger, and a touch of cinnamon.

  2. Add the butter, crushed garlic and ginger, the tomato paste, and the berbere, and cook while stirring. 10 min

    The spices heat in the fat, which releases their aroma.

  3. Add the chicken to the pot, pour in a glass of water, and let it simmer gently. 45 min

    Turn the chicken halfway through, so the sauce coats it on every side.

  4. Hard boil the eggs, peel them, and score them lightly. 10 min

    The slits let the sauce seep in and color the egg white.

  5. Add the eggs to the stew, warm the injera, and serve everything together. 5 min

    No injera on hand, thick wheat pancakes or plain wraps work just fine.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm yellow onions, they release less water and melt down faster into a thick golden base.
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt, berbere is already salty depending on the brand, so you might not need much more.
  • If the sauce reduces too fast while the chicken cooks, stir in hot water rather than cold so the simmer doesn't stall.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for stewing beef to make sik sik wat, just extend the cooking time a bit.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with cooked red lentils or chickpeas, added near the end of cooking.
  • For a quicker version, use boneless chicken thighs, they cook in about 25 minutes instead of 45.

What to serve it with

  • Extra injera for scooping
  • Tomato and red onion salad
  • Spiced black tea or Ethiopian coffee

Storage

Doro wat keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the flavor actually improves the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months without the hard boiled eggs, which are best added fresh when reheating. Warm it gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

What exactly is berbere?

Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend made with chili, paprika, cumin, ginger, and sometimes cinnamon or fenugreek. You can find it at specialty grocers, or recreate a version with spices already in your kitchen.

Can you make doro wat ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended, the sauce tastes even better after a night in the fridge. Reheat gently the next day and add the hard boiled eggs just before serving.

What can replace injera if you can't find it?

Thick, slightly tangy wheat pancakes or plain wraps work well as a substitute. The main thing is having something soft to scoop up the stew.

Why do the onions cook without any fat at first?

This dry cooking slowly melts them down and concentrates their natural sweetness before the butter goes in. That base is what gives doro wat its thick texture and deep flavor.

How long does it take to make a doro wat with injera?

Count 1 h 40 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a doro wat with injera?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a doro wat with injera cost?

About €3.90 per serving, or €15.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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