🇪🇹 Ethiopian / Tigrinya · Chicken Dishes
🍗 Ethiopian Tigray Chicken Stew
ትግርኛ ዶሮ — Tigraway Doro
Tigrinya Chicken Stew — the northern Ethiopian Tigray version of Doro Wat, distinguished by its unique spice balance with more cardamom and cloves, and the addition of rue (tena adam). The northern highland chicken stew that carries the distinctive Tigrinya aromatic signature.
The Tigrinya chicken stew reflects the northern highlands' spice preferences — the cardamom and cloves are more prominent than in southern Doro Wat, and the rue (used in mekelesha) is added to the sauce. The result is slightly more aromatic and slightly less purely berbere-driven than the national version.
Ingredients
Equipment: Heavy pot
- 1 whole chicken — 12 pieces
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (marinade)
- 4 onions — finely diced
- 4 tbsp kibbeh
- 5 tbsp berbere
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp dried rue (tena adam) or thyme
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp ginger
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 hard-boiled eggs — pierced
Method
- Marinate chicken 30 minutes in lemon and salt.
- Dry caramelise onions — 25 minutes.
- Add kibbeh. Add berbere, cardamom, and cloves. Toast 4 minutes.
- Add rue or thyme, garlic, and ginger. Cook 2 minutes.
- Add chicken. Add water. Simmer covered 90 minutes.
- Add eggs. Simmer 20 more minutes.
Chef Tips
- The cardamom and cloves are the Tigrinya distinction — use them generously.
- Rue (tena adam) gives the characteristic Tigrinya note — find it dried at Ethiopian shops.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Omitting cardamom — not Tigraway without it.
The Science
See ETH051 for Zigni (northern beef stew) science — the same cardamom and clove addition applies here.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Cardamom supports digestion and respiratory health.
- Rue has traditional medicinal properties.
Cultural Note
Tigraway Doro is the taste of northern Ethiopia — the Tigray highlands' distinct culinary identity expressed through the same dish that unites all Ethiopia, but made unmistakably its own through cardamom, cloves, and rue.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 5 days.
Reheating: Gently.
Serve with: Injera (ETH001), With Ambasha (ETH005) for a complete Tigrinya table