Slow-Cooked Ethiopian Chicken Curry with Caramelized Onion Base

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-30 · Updated 2026-06-30

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A slow-cooked Ethiopian chicken curry featuring richly caramelized onions and a robust berbere spice profile that forms a deeply aromatic sauce. This Ethiopian-inspired curry recipe, ready in about 100 minutes, pairs whole chicken cut into pieces, red onions, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 70 min Serves 6 Ethiopian cuisine 480 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 pounds whole chicken cut into pieces
4 large, finely sliced red onions
6 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 tablespoons berbere spice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons niter kibbeh or clarified butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
for serving lemon wedges

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Instructions

Step 1: In a large heavy pot, melt 4 tablespoons niter kibbeh or clarified butter over medium heat until hot and fragrant. Add 4 large finely sliced red onions and cook slowly, stirring frequently, for 25 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized and golden brown.
Step 2: Add 6 minced garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, cooking for 3 minutes until aromatic.
Step 3: Stir in 4 tablespoons berbere spice and 3 tablespoons tomato paste, cooking for 3 minutes to toast the spices and thicken the base.
Step 4: Season 3 pounds chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, then add to the pot, turning to coat well with the spice and onion mixture.
Step 5: Pour in 3 cups chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour until chicken is tender and sauce is richly flavored.
Step 6: Adjust seasoning if needed, and serve hot with lemon wedges alongside injera or steamed rice.