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Alicha wat (chicken)
Mild turmeric chicken stew
Doro alicha — mild, golden turmeric chicken stew
Not every Ethiopian stew is fiery: alicha wat is the gentle, golden one, coloured with turmeric instead of berbere and seasoned with ginger, garlic and a few green chillies. Families across the country cook doro alicha when someone wants something soothing, when children are at the table, or as the mild partner to a spicy wat on a festive spread. The chicken simmers in a soft onion and spiced-butter sauce until tender, with a fragrant, buttery and slightly peppery flavour. Serve with injera or rice and a fresh tomato salad. Chef's tip: add the green chillies whole and fish them out before serving if you want flavour without heat.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the stew
- 2 lb chicken thighsbone in, skin removed
- 3 onionsfinely chopped
- 2 ⅛ oz niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter)or unsalted butter with a pinch of ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- ⅔ oz fresh gingergrated
- 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 green chilliesslit lengthways
- 1 ¾ cups waterhot
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 potatoes (optional)medium, cut into chunks
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Cook the 3 onions in a heavy pot with the 1 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium-low heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and pale gold. A common slip is letting them brown: browned onions turn the sauce muddy instead of bright yellow.
14 minStep 2: Add the 2 ⅛ oz niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter), 4 cloves garlic and ⅔ oz fresh ginger and cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
3 minStep 3: Stir in the 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric and cook for 1 minute, just until the onions turn a vivid yellow.
1 minStep 4: Add the 2 lb chicken thighs and turn it in the sauce for 3 minutes until coated. Use a separate board for the raw chicken.
3 minStep 5: Pour in the 1 ¾ cups water, add the 1 tsp salt, the 2 green chillies and the potatoes if using. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes, turning the chicken once.
30 minStep 6: Check that the chicken reaches 165°F (165 °F) in the thickest part and the juices run clear. If the sauce is thin, uncover and simmer for 5 minutes more until it coats the meat.
5 minStep 7: Season with the ½ tsp black pepper, remove the chillies if you want it very mild, and serve hot with injera.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does alicha wat (chicken) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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