Berbere-Spiced Chicken & Lentil Stew

Ok. I do not understand the other reviews. I found the chicken to be overcooked( 7 hrs at low crockpot setting) I used 4 Tbsp of berbere- got no heat whatsoever. The lentils basically disintegrated/ non existent . Definitely needed more salt. I was severely disappointed with this recipe. And will not make again.

We have been making this recipe for a while now and love it. The first time I made it, I used the Garam Masala method as we could not find Berbere spice. I finally found the Berbere and, like others, found it way too spicy (and I love spicy). I also preferred the flavor of the Garam Masala mix so we went back to that method. Which works for you probably does depend a lot on the brand in terms of heat and that is true even for the Garam Masala. After I ran out of the Garam Masala in my cupboard, I bought the brand I found at my local South Asian store and the spice level was through the roof. When you buy the Garam Masala, check the ingredients because the spice mix varies a lot. If one of the first is red/chili pepper, it will be very spicy. Like other users, I found the chicken was overcooked and almost disappeared. I now put the chicken in several hours after I start it. I also use a mix of lentils - whatever I have on hand - and don't find them overcooked or mushy. Served with rice and/or naan and a side veg, it is an awesome meal.

I made this exactly as written, except I made it in the instant pot pressure cooker (25 min) instead of a slow cooker. I used McCormick's berbere spice blend, and the 5T was just right; not too spicy. Another reader said she added carrots; I think I'll do that next time, great idea!

Actually, I love this recipe except for the spice level. I LOVE spicy food but this was beyond spicy, which takes away from the flavor in my opinion. I actually made it again with less berbere spice and added sour cream and it was 5 star in my opinion.

This is easy and delicious. We use 3 tbsp of Penzey’s Berbere. It has plenty of kick at that level while still preserving the individual taste of the components. I also tend to throw more veg in the pot, there is always room. Have found the leftovers freeze nicely for a midweek meal or work lunch.

This is easy and delicious. We use 3 tbsp of Penzey’s Berbere. It has plenty of kick at that level while still preserving the individual taste of the components. I also tend to throw more veg in the pot, there is always room. Have found the leftovers freeze nicely for a midweek meal or work lunch.

OMG! This is my very favorite recipe. Tonight I added a quarter teaspoon of clove and it is even more fantastic! I love the spice level, but I like my food hot. I did notice that the longer it cooks, the milder it gets.

This was really good. I made my own Berbere mix which was not too spicy so 5 tbsp. would have been fine. I would definitely make it again.

Holy hell that is spicy!!! It smelled so good but is inedible at this spice level. Was thinking maybe you all meant teaspoons when you said 5 tablespoons?? Will definitely make it again with way less berbere spice because it smells incredible!! UPDATE: I rinsed the lentils and chicken and reheated in a pan adding sour cream. It is still spicy and has flavor but at least I salvaged dinner!! Can't wait to make this again...minus 4Tblsp of spice!!

Great Recipe - Too Spicy + More Veggies After looking at the other reviews, I used 1.5 Tbsp of the Berbere spice, and was still a bit too spicy (the spice overwhelmed the delicious flavors)! Otherwise, a great dish and the chicken turned out perfect after putting in the crock pot for 5 hours on high. Next time, I will lower to less than 1 Tbsp of Berbere, put the lentils in after a few hours, and add more vegetables like carrots and bell peppers.

Fast, easy, delightful! First, I thought this was a GREAT combination of my favorite Ethiopian lentils and Doro Wat (without all the butter). I didn't find it a overly spicy (in fact, I thought it could have used a little more heat like Doro Wat) and I used the entire 5 Tlbsp. This leads me to believe that berbere spice must vary in its heat level by brand. I would suggest tasting your particular brand of spice before adding it to the recipe and adjusting accordingly. I used red onions because that's what the recipe called for and I happened to have them on hand. I'm not sure why the recipe calls for the red onions, and I'm not sure they're necessary. My lentils (I cooked my stew for 9 hours on low because that's how long I was gone) fell apart a little more than I would have liked, and that affected the texture. Green or brown lentils might have held up better, but the lentils I love at our Ethiopian recipe are also red. Maybe next time I will braise the chicken instead of cooking it in a slow cooker to see if that helps the texture of the lentils. Regardless, I WILL be making this again! Yum! Pros: Minimal prep, slow cooker recipe, amazing flavor Cons: Lentils fell apart more than I would have liked