Ethiopian Doro Wat: Berbere Chicken Stew with Jammy Eggs

Doro wat is Ethiopia's beloved national dish, and once you taste it you'll understand the devotion. Bone-in chicken is slow-simmered in a deeply spiced, brick-red sauce built on a mountain of caramelized onions and fiery berbere, with jammy eggs nestled in at the end to soak up all that flavour.

The secret is patience: cook the onions low and slow until they collapse into a jammy base, then bloom the berbere and niter kibbeh until the oil runs red. This weeknight-friendly version skips nothing on flavour and comes together in one pot.

Step-by-step instructions

Start with the eggs and the onions, the two slow elements of the dish. Lower 4 large eggs into boiling water and cook for exactly 7 minutes for jammy yolks, then plunge into ice water and peel. Meanwhile, in a dry heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, cook the finely diced red onions, stirring often, until they soften and turn deeply golden, about 15 minutes. This onion base is the heart of doro wat, so don't rush it.

Add the niter kibbeh (or butter), minced garlic, grated ginger and berbere to the softened onions. Stir constantly and let the spices bloom until intensely fragrant and the fat turns a glowing deep red, about 3 minutes. This is where the dish gets its signature colour and warmth.

Spoon in the tomato paste and stir for a minute to cook out its raw edge, then pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom to loosen everything into a glossy brick-red sauce. Nestle the chicken drumsticks into the pot and turn them to coat in the sauce.

Cover and simmer gently, turning the chicken every so often, until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 35 minutes. Taste and season with salt and a bright squeeze of fresh lemon juice to balance the richness.

Score the peeled jammy eggs lightly and tuck them into the sauce to warm through for a couple of minutes. Spoon the doro wat into a deep dark bowl, ladle over extra sauce, and scatter with fresh parsley. Serve traditionally with injera, or with rice to mop up every drop.

Doro wat is the kind of dish that rewards a slow Sunday but is forgiving enough for a weeknight. Make a double batch of the onion-berbere base and it only gets better the next day, when the flavours have had time to deepen.