Chicken Berbere Recipes

Steps:

• Season both sides of chicken breast with salt. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon berbere spice mix to coat both sides of chicken breast (see Cook's Note for recipe link).
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until it just starts to turn brown. Immediately transfer chicken breast to skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a warm dish.
• Stir in lime juice, tomato paste, chicken broth, and coconut milk; stir to deglaze pan. Bring to a simmer while stirring. Add 1/2 teaspoon berbere spice and a pinch of salt. Transfer chicken breast back to skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce starts to reduce, basting chicken with pan juices as it cooks, 4 or 5 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with a drizzle of the pan sauce.

Steps:

• Brown the chicken thoroughly on high heat in a skillet in some of the fat. Set aside. Don't put too much meat into the skillet at once, or they won't brown.
• Fry the onion and garlic in additional fat in a pot on medium heat until it is transparent.
• Add berbere pepper and tomato paste and more fat if necessary in order not to burn the berbere.
• Stir for a moment, then add chicken, tomatoes, stock and lemon peel.
• Let simmer, covered, until the chicken is tender but not over-cooked (15-20 min).
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish with cilantro stems and serve immediately with rice or on flat bread.

Steps:

• Make the spice blend: Combine the berbere, paprika, celery salt, white pepper, cumin, garlic powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Brine the chicken: Stir 1 cup salt and 8 cups cold water in a large bowl until the salt dissolves. Add the chicken to the brine, cover and refrigerate 1 hour, 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Marinate the chicken: Whisk the buttermilk, coconut milk, minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the prepared spice blend in a large bowl. (Reserve the remaining spice blend for sprinkling.) Submerge the chicken in the marinade; cover and refrigerate overnight. Heat the oil: Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it almost come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Fill a large cast-iron skillet about halfway with peanut oil; add the rosemary and whole garlic cloves. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360 degrees F, or until a pinch of flour added to the oil sizzles and rises to the surface.
• Bread the chicken: While the oil heats, mix the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, cornstarch and white pepper on a baking sheet. Remove the chicken from the marinade with tongs, letting the excess drip off. Roll the chicken in the flour mixture to coat thoroughly, then sprinkle more of the flour mixture on top.
• Fry the chicken: Shake off any excess flour from the chicken, then, using tongs, carefully lower each piece into the hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until just cooked through, about 7 minutes. (Reduce the heat to medium if the crust starts to brown too quickly.) Transfer to a rack and let rest, 10 minutes. Discard the garlic cloves and rosemary. Fry again: Reheat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F to 380 degrees F. Fry the chicken again, this time in 2 batches to avoid crowding the pan, until the breading is crisp and deep golden brown, about 1 minute.
• Season the chicken: Transfer the chicken to the rack to cool slightly, and sprinkle with the reserved spice blend. Keep the fried chicken warm in a 250 degrees F oven for up to 1 hour before serving, or let cool and pack for a picnic.

Steps:

• Combine all the spices in a small skillet. Toast over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool completely. This spice blend will keep, tightly sealed, in your pantry for several months. For longer storage, keep in the freezer.

Steps:

• Remove giblets from chicken. Wash chicken and pat dry.
• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Place the chicken in a plastic bag, add the marinade and make sure the marinade penetrates underneath the skin and inside cavity. Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.
• Remove chicken from the marinade. Place in a rotisserie and cook according to manufacturer's instructions, or roast in 350F oven for 15 minutes a pound, or until cooked thoroughly.
• From Margarita's International Recipes.