Berbere Brown Sugar Chicken Recipe
Berbere Brown Sugar Chicken is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring tender boneless chicken thighs cooked in a rich sauce of berbere spice, brown sugar, and fresh orange juice. This skillet recipe combines savory, sweet, and spicy elements for a delicious meal that pairs perfectly with rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Ethiopian-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
Sauce
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons berbere spice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 large orange, juiced (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
For Serving
- Cooked rice (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Season both sides of the chicken thighs generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside to allow the seasoning to penetrate.
- Sear the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil or ghee. Place the chicken in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the finely chopped red onion and sliced garlic to the same skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add spices and deglaze: Stir in the berbere spice and dried oregano. Lightly season with salt and continue stirring until the spices release their aroma but do not burn. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits. Add the fresh orange juice and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely. Adjust the salt as needed.
- Simmer the chicken in sauce: Return the seared chicken along with any accumulated juices back to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until it’s cooked through, tender, and the sauce has reduced by half.
- Serve: Serve the Berbere Brown Sugar Chicken hot, spooning the rich sauce over the chicken. Optionally, serve with cooked rice to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- For more depth, use ghee instead of olive oil for a richer flavor.
- Adjust the amount of berbere spice to control the heat level.
- Using fresh orange juice is key for a bright citrus note; bottled juice may alter the flavor.
- Chicken thighs are preferred for their tenderness and moisture retention during simmering.
- Ensure not to burn the spices by stirring continuously when adding them to the hot pan.
- This dish pairs well with steamed jasmine or basmati rice.
Keywords: Berbere chicken, brown sugar chicken, spicy chicken thighs, Ethiopian chicken recipe, skillet chicken, berbere spice recipe
