Doro Alicha (Chicken with Onions & Spiced Butter Sauce)

Place chicken in a large shallow nonreactive dish and rub with lemon juice and salt. Set aside, turning the chicken occasionally.

Place onions in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and continue cooking, stirring often and adding more water by the 1/4 cup as needed to prevent browning, until very soft and translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. Add niter kibbe (or clarified butter) and ginger; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes more. Increase heat to medium and stir in garlic, turmeric, makulaya (or basil and thyme) and matafecha (or white pepper, cardamom and cinnamon); cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add tej (or mead or wine) and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken (and any accumulated liquid from the dish) into the onion sauce. Pour in enough water to almost cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, turning the chicken occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part without touching bone registers at least 165 degrees F, 15 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, hard-boil eggs: Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and cover the eggs with ice-cold water; let stand until completely cooled. Peel.

Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl; cover to keep warm. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced by about half, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the eggs to the sauce and simmer, gently turning once or twice, for 4 minutes. Cut the eggs in half and serve with the chicken and sauce in shallow bowls.