Doro Wat Chili (Spicy Ethiopian-Style Chicken Chili)

★★★☆☆
Prep: 30 mins Cook: 1 hr Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 large red onions, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)2 large red onions, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons water30 ml water
  • ½ cup store-bought or homemade niter kibbeh, divided, plus more as needed120 ml store-bought or homemade niter kibbeh, divided, plus more as needed
  • ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper120 ml finely chopped red bell pepper
  • ¼ cup finely chopped garlic (about 12 garlic cloves)60 ml finely chopped garlic (about 12 garlic cloves)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (about 1 2-inch piece)30 ml finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (about 1 2-inch piece)
  • 1 pound ground chicken (white and dark meat)455 g ground chicken (white and dark meat)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt5 ml kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste45 ml tomato paste
  • 2½ tablespoons berbere40 ml berbere
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder30 ml garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder30 ml onion powder
  • 3 cups chicken stock720 ml chicken stock
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • Crumbled feta cheese, for garnishCrumbled feta cheese, for garnish
  • Crispy fried onions, for garnishCrispy fried onions, for garnish
  • Thinly sliced scallions, for garnishThinly sliced scallions, for garnish
  • Injera or cornbread, for servingInjera or cornbread, for serving

Instructions

  1. 1. Process onions and 2 tablespoons water in a food processor until very finely chopped, about 15 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
  2. 2. Heat ¼ cup niter kibbeh in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion mixture; cook, stirring often, until onion starts to stick to bottom of Dutch oven, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining ¼ cup niter kibbeh, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is meltingly tender and begins to fry and brown, about 15 minutes, adding additional niter kibbeh, 1 tablespoon at a time, if mixture looks dry.
  3. 3. Add bell pepper, garlic, and ginger to Dutch oven; cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add ground chicken and salt; stir vigorously using a whisk to break meat into small crumbles. Cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until meat is cooked through but not browned, about 5 minutes.
  4. 4. Add tomato paste, berbere, garlic powder, and onion powder to Dutch oven; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and diced tomatoes. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until chili is slightly thickened and flavors meld, about 30 minutes.
  5. 5. Divide chili evenly among bowls; garnish with feta cheese, fried onions, and scallions. Serve hot with injera or cornbread.
Inspired by the flavors of the Ethiopian staple doro wat, this boldly-spiced chili is comfort in a bowl. The chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw the chili overnight in the refrigerator before warming it on the stovetop over medium-low. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, December 2025 / January 2026.
Wine Pairing: Medium Red — Côtes du Rhône or Zinfandel — The bold berbere spice blend and rich chicken flavors pair beautifully with medium-bodied reds that have enough fruit to complement the heat while maintaining enough structure to stand up to the complex Ethiopian spices
Source: Tristen Epps, Food & Wine magazine
Ethiopian, Spicy, comfort food, ground chicken, Berbere, Niter Kibbeh, winter, one-pot