🇹 Ethiopian / Modern · Street Food & Snacks
🍗 Ethiopian Hot Pepper Chicken Wings
ዶሮ ክንፍ — Doro Kinf
Ethiopian Hot Berbere Chicken Wings — chicken wings marinated in berbere, kibbeh, garlic, and lemon for 2 hours, then grilled or fried until the berbere caramelises magnificently. The Ethiopian version of hot wings — fiercer, more complex, and completely its own.
Ethiopian berbere chicken wings are what happens when the American wing format meets Ethiopian berbere — the result is a wing of extraordinary complexity, where 15+ spice compounds caramelise on the surface during grilling.
Ingredients
Equipment: Bowl for marinating, Grill or oven at 200°C
- 1 kg chicken wings — separated at joints
- 3 tbsp berbere
- 2 tbsp kibbeh
- 4 garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp mitmita
- 1.5 tsp salt
Method
- Mix berbere, kibbeh, garlic, lemon, mitmita, and salt into a paste.
- Coat wings thoroughly. Marinate 2 hours minimum.
- Grill over medium charcoal: 12—15 minutes per side.
- Or oven: 200°C for 25—30 minutes, turning once.
- Serve with silsi (ETH146) for dipping.
Chef Tips
- The berbere caramelises magnificently on the skin.
- The 2-hour marination is the minimum — overnight is better.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Short marination — berbere doesn't penetrate.
The Science
See ETH064 for berbere crust science.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- High protein.
- Berbere antioxidants.
Cultural Note
Ethiopian berbere wings are the modern Ethiopian bar and restaurant scene's most popular snack — the intense berbere heat combined with the fat of the chicken skin makes them one of the most satisfying snacks in the Ethiopian food repertoire.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best eaten immediately. Marinate up to 24 hours.
Reheating: Oven at 200°C.
Serve with: With silsi (ETH146), With awaze (ETH144), At Ethiopian bar culture