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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Keto Doro Wat

    Published: Dec 17, 2021

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    Keto Doro Wat

    Keto Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.

    This Keto Doro Wat is a quicker, lower carb version of the Ethiopian stew. TONS of flavour - and heat! Serve with coconut cauliflower "rice".

    In my pre-low carb days, we LOVED Ethiopian foods.

    Whether in restaurants (in the “Before” times, anyway!) or when cooked at home, we could *destroy* a big spread of Ethiopian dishes, and go through a stack of Injera while we were at it.

    Unfortunately, a lot of it is extremely carbby - which I realized during a recent craving.

    Anything based with potatoes or beans - including our favourite, Yemisir Wat - Berbere Lentils - are pretty much out.

    Injera - a fermented, spongy Ethiopian bread made from Teff flour - was similarly out. I have no idea how to replicate THAT one, but I’ll definitely be thinking on it.

    Not one to give up when presented with a problem, though, I did look at one possibility to make low carb - Doro Wat.

    Doro Wat is a very spicy chicken stew, usually served with hard boiled eggs in it. Yes, it’s generally served with injera...

    ... that aside, I could see the potential for getting doro wat on the menu again.

    The thing is, most of the main ingredients in doro wat aren’t actually all that high in carbs.

    Chicken and eggs? Perfectly fine.

    Berbere -the spice mixture with a PUNCH - isn’t super high carb, either. (Note: You can buy it, or make it. Here's my >Berbere recipe!)

    Keto Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.

    Keto Doro Wat

    The real problem comes with the onion. Onions are shockingly high in carbs, and doro wat starts out with a *WILD* amount of onions.

    So... that was where the carbs would be cut from.

    As a result, this isn’t a super authentic doro wat recipe. Not only did I cut the amount of onion used, I replaced a percentage of it with green onion.

    Green onions are NOT a part of authentic doro wat, but they are a fair amount lower in carb than regular onions, so it seemed like a good compromise.

    Because green onions don’t behave the same way as regular onions when it comes to caramelizing, I was able to cut the cooking time significantly.

    This does change the profile of the dish a bit, but really... I already knew this was an approximation, rather than the authentic dish.

    ... and it is a FANTASTIC approximation, at that!

    While it’s not quite as deep in flavour as the source material - both as a result of cutting back on the onions, and cutting the cooking time - this version is fabulous.

    Tons of flavour, and definitely hits the spot when craving Ethiopian food!

    Low carb Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.

    The Only Problem...

    ... the lack of injera!

    I just haven’t yet figured out a good way to replicate injera.

    Teff flour has unique properties as it is, and coming up with something that not only behaves the same way, but has that distinct, slightly sour taste?

    ... I need more time to work on it.

    In the meantime, I figured out an easy - if maybe not the most authentic - workaround.

    While not Ethiopian, coconut rice is a staple in Nigerian and Cameroonian cuisine. Same continent, anyway - just a few countries over.

    (Man, I really hope I’m not diving into cultural appropriation / bastardization territory, here!)

    ... and the flavours and textures of coconut rice - well, coconut CAULIFLOWER rice, anyway - actually work really well as a base for this lower-carb doro wat.

    I really hope I’m not insulting anyone or being offensive at all, my apologies if I am.

    I just desperately miss good Ethiopian food, and needed to get creative to scratch that itch in a way that is healthy for me, at this moment.

    Anyway, let’s get to it...

    Keto Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.

    How to Make Keto Doro Wat

    Full recipe follows at the end of this post, but here's the pictorial overview!

    Trim chicken and place in a plastic zip baggie.

    Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and ginger, pour over chicken. Seal baggie, allow to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.

    A 5 part image showing the marinade being made and poured into a baggie with chunks of chicken.

    In a large pan, melt the butter. Cook the onions and green onions over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until sort of a khaki colour.

    A 5 part image showing the onions being cooked in butter until brownish.

    Add the berbere, stir well, and continue to cook for another minute or so, until fragrant.

    Add the chicken - marinade and all - to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and cook until chicken is browned on all sides.

    A 5part image showing the berbere and chicken being added to the pot and browned.

    Add broth, stirring well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

    Once the 30 minutes are up, taste the sauce and add more berbere if you’d like. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

    Peel the boiled eggs. Use a fork to gently prick each egg, all over the surface - not too deep, though!

    A 5 part image showing the chicken broth and eggs being added to the pot and the finished dish being served.

    Add eggs to the pan. Gently stir to cover the eggs in sauce, simmer another 10 minutes.

    Serve hot, with coconut cauliflower rice.

    Low carb Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.

    Coconut Cauliflower Rice

    4 cups shredded cauliflower (we used frozen)
    ½ cup Coconut milk (canned type)
    Salt, to taste

    Place cauliflower rice in a microwave safe dish, cook on high for 7 minutes or so, until desired texture is reached.

    Stir in coconut milk until well combined. Season with salt, to taste.

    Serve hot.

    Low carb Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.

    More International Keto Recipes

    Looking to add some international flavour to your menu? Try some of these low-carb versions of my favourites!

    Keto Cabbage Rolls
    Keto Chicken Biryani
    Low Carb Chicken Korma
    Keto Gyoza [Potstickers]
    Keto Manakish
    Easy Keto Ramen Recipe
    Keto Orange Chicken
    Keto Pad Thai
    Keto Perogies
    Keto Sauerkraut Buns
    Keto Sushi Rice
    Low Carb Shanghai Noodles
    Low Carb Vietnamese Noodle Salad
    Paleo Stuffed Grape Leaves
    Sugar Free Furikake Seasoning
    Easy Keto Butter Chicken

    ... also, be sure to check out our International Keto Recipes for even more options!

    Share the Love!

    Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @LowCarbHoser - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!

    Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.

    Well, the published nonsense, anyway!

    Keto Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.

    Low carb Doro Wat - a red chicken stew - on a serving of coconut cauliflower rice.
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    5 from 1 vote

    Keto Doro Wat

    This Keto Doro Wat is a quicker, lower carb version of the Ethiopian stew. TONS of flavour - and heat! Serve with coconut cauliflower "rice".
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 15 mins
    Marinating time2 hrs
    Total Time3 hrs 25 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: African, Ethiopian
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free
    Servings: 6 People
    Calories: 504kcal

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs Boneless skinless breasts
    • 10 Garlic cloves pressed or finely minced
    • 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 tablespoon Ginger puree
    • ¼ cup Butter
    • 1 Large onion chopped
    • 1 cup finely chopped green onions
    • ¼ cup Berbere
    • 1 ½ cup Chicken broth
    • Salt and pepper.
    • 6 Hard boiled eggs

    Instructions

    • Trim chicken and place in a plastic zip baggie.
    • Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and ginger, pour over chicken. Seal baggie, allow to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours
    • In a large pan, melt the butter. Cook the onions and green onions over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until sort of a khaki colour.
    • Add the berbere, stir well, and continue to cook for another minute or so, until fragrant.
    • Add the chicken - marinade and all - to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and cook until chicken is browned on all sides.
    • Add broth, stirring well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
    • Once the 30 minutes are up, taste the sauce and add more berbere if you’d like. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
    • Peel the boiled eggs. Use a fork to gently prick each egg, all over the surface - not too deep, though!
    • Add eggs to the pan. Gently stir to cover the eggs in sauce, simmer another 10 minutes.
    • Serve hot, with coconut cauliflower rice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 352mg | Sodium: 1369mg | Potassium: 1049mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 799IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 9mg

    More Keto Soups & Stews

    Looking for some more keto recipes for low carb soup and stew? I've got you...

    Keto Italian Wedding Soup
    Easy Keto Ramen
    Hearty Keto Beef Stew
    Keto Clam Chowder
    Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

    But wait, there's more! Keep an eye on my Keto Soups and Stews section for new recipes!

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    « Keto Pad Thai
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