It starts with the spices. You can use pre-ground spices, but using whole seeds will intensify and deepen the flavors of the Berbere. I use a mix of both. You can purchase Berbere at select stores, but truthfully where we live it’s a challenge to find. In Spokane, it is available at the Kitchen Engine in the Flour Mill. The good thing is, it’s easy enough to make, and it’s fun.
Use a mortar and pestle, or even a coffee grinder, to grind the seeds.
Once the Berbere spice mix is done, start on the lentils.
When the lentils are simmering, rub chicken thighs on all sides with kosher salt, pepper and Berbere Spice Mix.
Heat a skillet with oil on medium high heat and place thighs skin side down, searing until golden and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Turn over and sear a few more minutes. Place in a hot oven until internal temp reaches 165F. Serve over the Ethiopian Lentils and sprinkle with Italian parsley.
Berbere Chicken with Ethiopian Lentils
Berebere Chicken and Lentils – a flavorful delicious Ethiopian recipe that features Berebere Spice.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main, Chicken
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients
Lentils
- 1 cup French Green, Indigo or Beluga Caviar lentils (do not use a split lentil)
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups diced onions
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 2–3 tablespoons Berbere Spice Mix (see below)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh Italian parsley for garnish
CHICKEN:
- 6 chicken thighs (skin-on)
- 2–3 tablespoons Berbere Spice Mix
- olive oil
- Kosher Salt
Berbere Spice Mix
- 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, ground plus more for extra spicy
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds or powdered cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds or powdered coriander
- 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds (shelled) or powdered cardamom
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds or powdered fenugreek
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns or freshly ground peppercorn
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- In a heavy bottom pot, or dutch oven, saute diced onion, carrots, garlic and ginger in 2 tablespoons olive oil, until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add 2-3 tablespoons Berbere Spice mix and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup lentils, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups water, bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and let cook until al dente, about 30 minutes.
- Pat Dry Chicken
- Salt all sides of chicken with salt and pepper
- Generously rub each piece with some Berbere Spice Mix.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy bottom skillet, on medium high heat, place chicken skin side down and sear until it is crispy and golden, about 6- 8 minutes. Turn over, and turn heat down to medium, searing for 2-3 minutes. Place in a 400 F oven until internal temperature reaches 165F (10-15 minutes)
- Serve over a bed of the Ethiopian lentils, and garnish with fresh Italian parsley.
- Berbere Spice Mix:
- If using whole seeds, lightly toast them on the stove top in a skillet for 2-3 minutes.
- Grind them using a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Remember to crush or grind the chili flakes.
Nutrition
- Calories: 405
Keywords: Berebere Chicken, Ethiopian Chicken Recipes, Berebere lentils, Ethiopian Lentil Recipes,
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe. Is it helpful for weight loss diet?
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I thought it would be really spicy but it was sweet and then had a little bit of a kick to it at the end. It was really good! I will defiantly make this again.
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I love this recipe! Easy to make, and it is soooo tasty!
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Have made this several times following the main tenets of your recipe.
I actually made a mistake the first time and after browning the chicken put it in with the onions, carrots, lentils etc in my pressure cooker. The resulting “casserole” was delicious (I’d clearly inadvertently gone off piste at this point as I’d also fortunately added a bit more water to cover everything in the pot)! Anyhow, I now deliberately do this every time and it is a firm favourite with everyone who tries it. Thanks!
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So Glad you have been enjoying this – and good to hear it works in the instant pot! Thanks for sharing!
I have made this recipe at least 4 times. Absolutely spot on every time. I love it, easy and quick!
Thanks for letting me know Toni- I really love this one too!
Very delicious! I finished lentils with juice half a lime and served chicken with lime wedges.
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Too salty
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Fabulous! I cooked the chicken and used the same pot to cook the lentils, and used chicken broth and white wine instead of water. Yummmy!
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Hello
Do you use chicken thighs with or without the bone ? Thanks
I used Bone-in, but either should work, just adjust cooking time. It will cook faster without bone. 😉
I have made this 3x already in the span of the past week as it is THAT good!!! The Berbere spice mix is absolutely divine and I keep craving it day in and day out (it is the PERFECT mixture!). I added 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to the lentils just to kick it up a notch and it turned out spicy and delicious. I also made a Persian style rice to go with.
I combined 1 Tablespoon of butter, 1 cup of rice, 1.5 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon ground saffron that was soaked in 1 tablespoon of hot water and placed this into my rice cooker. Once the rice was ready and the cooker automatically shut off, I turned it back on intermittently, as you want the rice to have a nice crisp on the bottom.
For serving, I layered this in a lovely glass serving bowl with rice on bottom, topped with lentils, chicken and chopped parsley. Simply heaven!
This sounds delicious Stephanie, thanks for sharing!!! Love the addition of Persian rice. Great Idea!!!
My friend recently returned home from serving in Ethiopia with the Peace Corps. He was staying with his family in Florida and decided to move in with my boyfriend and I in Spokane, WA (I’ll have to check out the Kitchen Engine next time after eating at the Queen of Sheba). I asked what he’d like his first meal here to be, he enthusiastically replied “Ethiopian!”. So, he is flying in today and I hope he’ll love this recipe! Thank you!
Extra potatoes!
I made this last night with some Berbere I was gifted and wanted to try, but had no clue what to do with. It was absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to make this again and again.
Thanks Marianne- I’m so glad you enjoyed the Berbere Chicken and really appreciate the feedback. Your site is beautiful!