Name: Marcus Samuelsson's Winning chicken doro wat
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in, cut into 2-inch pieces; 6 dried red chilies, stemmed and seeded; 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp ground fenugreek; 1 tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp ground cloves; ½ tsp ground black pepper; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper; 3 tbsp clarified butter or ghee; 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste; 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved

chicken doro wat

25 min Prep

50 min Cook

4 Serves

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 dried red chilies, stemmed and seeded
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved

Instructions

Toast dried chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Soak in ¼ cup hot water for 10 minutes until softened, then blend with soaking liquid, chopped onion, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
Heat ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then brown in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate.
In the same pot, add the chili-onion paste and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until oil begins to separate from the spices and paste darkens slightly.
Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add fenugreek, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne; cook for 1 minute more until spices bloom.
Return chicken to pot and stir to coat with spice paste. Pour in chicken stock and red wine vinegar, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and braise for 35-40 minutes until chicken is tender and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar for balance between heat, richness, and acidity. Gently fold in hard-boiled egg halves and warm through for 2 minutes.
Transfer to a serving vessel, ensuring sauce coats the chicken. The consistency should be thick and clingy, not soupy. Serve with injera or over rice.

Inspired by Marcus Samuelsson’s winning chicken doro wat. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.