Doro Wat

Ethiopian chicken stew slow-cooked in the crockpot. It's sure to warm you up on a cold day.



1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsps butter
3 large onions, diced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups chicken broth
8 hard-boiled eggs (peeled and sliced, to add later)

Empty the can of tomatoes into a 6-quart slow cooker. Put in the chicken thighs, lemon juice, butter, onion, and spices. Pour in the water. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (high for 4 to 5) until onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through and begun to fall apart. Ladle into a wide-mouth bowl and place egg slices into each dish.



I probably should have titled my version of this recipe as 'Doro Wat for Wimps'. Apparently for this stew to be more authentic you should use at least a tablespoon of cayenne pepper. A TABLESPOON?? We must be serious sissies at my house because even the meager half-teaspoon proved to be too much for us. Cole declared this meal too spicy to eat, and Bennett kept sticking his tongue out and saying 'bleh', which I think we can assume translates into 'too spicy' or possibly 'yucky.' Either way, it was bad according to Bennett. My initial thought had been to leave the eggs out, but I'm glad I didn't since it turned out to be their favourite part of this meal! Everyone loved the eggs so much that I'm wondering if I should be serving hardboiled eggs more often. Tony and I enjoyed the stew itself too, but I have to admit I did find it hot. It wasn't unbearably hot, but not far from my limit. The flavours were incredible though and thought it was a wonderful taste experience. This stew was a great introduction to Ethiopian cuisine for me, and I'd be interested in trying some more Ethiopian recipes in the future.

-Recipe adapted from A Year of Slowcooking