The Charmed Kitchen

When a friend was coming over for lunch I decided to make us Ethiopian chicken for her. She really enjoyed it. With a mix of warm and sweet spices Ethiopian Chicken is full of rich flavor. Easy to make, too. You can make it with any cut of chicken. I used a whole chicken, cut up, in this batch. Traditionally the chicken should be on the bone, but feel free to swap out boneless chicken, if you prefer. Just reduce the cooking time by 15 minutes.

I actually mix larger batches of the spices in this recipe to keep on hand so I can use it easily any time I want those warm flavors. When I mix it in batches, I don’t add the salt. I can add salt later and in some dishes, I might not need to add extra salt. I use this blend in soups and vegetable dishes and with other proteins. It’s very versatile.

Ethiopian Chicken

1 chicken, cut into pieces or 3-4 lbs. chicken pieces like wings, thighs or drumsticks

1 T. paprika

1 t. each cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, salt and ginger

1/2 t. allspice

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. flour

3 T. oil

2 large onions, sliced thin

1 c. tomato sauce or 2 c. stewed tomatoes, I used a pint of home canned tomatoes

1 c. chicken stock

Combine spices with flour in a plastic bag. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time and shake to coat. Set aside. Add onion to hot oil in large skillet and cook until onions are browned. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Add sauce and stock. Cover and simmer 35 minutes, adding water if sauce gets too thick. Serve by placing chicken on plate and spooning over the sauce. Serve over cooked grains such as rice, millet, quinoa, couscous, wheat berries etc. This dish is also good served with lentils and cooked greens. Serves 4.