42 min
Instant Pot Mild Curry Chicken and Rice with Sweet Peppers
One pot turns chicken thighs, basmati rice, sweet peppers and peas into a gently spiced family dinner with fluffy grains instead of mush.
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Ethiopian Doro Wat with Eggs & Injera
Tender chicken and hard-cooked eggs meet a deeply oniony, mild-first berbere sauce, with injera ready for scooping up every drop.
Directions
Season the chicken
Pat the chicken dry, toss with lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and let stand while the onions cook.
Build the onion base
Select Sauté Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Melt the butter, add onions and cook 10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and lightly golden. Add garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.
Deglaze completely
Pour in the broth and scrape the heating plate until no browned or sticky spots remain. Cancel Sauté. Stir mild berbere, paprika, cardamom, cinnamon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into the thin broth.
Layer without scorching
Nestle chicken in one layer. Whisk tomato paste with 1/2 cup liquid from the pot, spoon it over the chicken and do not stir it down onto the heating plate.
Pressure-cook
Confirm the contents are below the model's maximum-fill line. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes; allow about 12 to 15 minutes to reach pressure.
Release in stages
Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses. If liquid sputters, close the valve, wait 2 minutes and resume slowly. Open only after the float valve drops.
Verify and finish
Check several chicken pieces beside but not touching bone; each must reach 165°F. Transfer chicken briefly if needed, select Sauté and simmer sauce 5 to 8 minutes until it coats a spoon. Add the hard-cooked eggs and chicken and heat through.
Serve mild-first
Spoon doro wat and one egg per person over injera. Keep the pot gentle and offer hot berbere at the table.
Why this works
Why it worksLong sautéing concentrates the onions before pressure cooking, creating body without flour or a risky cornstarch thickener.
Why it worksA fully scraped base and 1 1/2 cups of thin broth support steam production; diluted tomato paste stays above the heating plate.
Why it worksThe timed natural release protects the sauce from violent boiling while bone-in chicken stays succulent.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe 1 1/2-cup thin-broth base, ten-minute cycle and staged release are written for this capacity.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerCheck several chicken pieces beside the bone for 165°F before reducing the onion-rich sauce.See current options →
Compare on AmazonSilicone-tipped tongsA secure gentle grip moves hot chicken pieces and hard-cooked eggs without tearing them.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use all drumsticks or all bone-in thighs of similar size; keep the same timing and verify every piece at 165°F.
- For dairy-free doro wat, use refined coconut oil or a neutral oil instead of butter or ghee.
- If injera is unavailable, serve with warm naan or rice, understanding that the flavor and texture will differ.
Cook notes
- Total time includes about 12 to 15 minutes to reach pressure, the 10-minute cycle, a 10-minute natural release and finishing time.
- Use a 6-quart cooker and follow the exact model manual for minimum liquid, fill limits, locking and venting. Do not double this recipe.
- Berbere brands vary sharply in heat; choose a mild blend for the pot and put hotter seasoning on the table.
- Never force the lid or cover the steam valve with a towel.
Storage
Cool chicken and sauce in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate up to 4 days; refrigerate eggs separately if practical. Reheat the stew and eggs to 165°F, adding broth if thick. Freeze chicken and sauce without eggs for up to 3 months.
Questions
Can I pressure-cook raw eggs in the stew?
Use separately hard-cooked, peeled eggs here. Their predictable texture and post-pressure addition keep the chicken timing and liquid ratio unchanged.
Why is my doro wat thinner than expected?
Pressure cookers retain evaporation. Simmer uncovered on Sauté after the chicken reaches 165°F; the onion-rich sauce will tighten in 5 to 8 minutes.
Can I use boneless chicken breasts?
They are not recommended for this 10-minute pressure cycle because they can dry out. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks better match the timing and photographed dish.
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Instant Pot Ethiopian Doro Wat with Eggs & Injera
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1. Season the chickenPat the chicken dry, toss with lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and let stand while the onions cook.
2. Build the onion baseSelect Sauté Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Melt the butter, add onions and cook 10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and lightly golden. Add garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.
3. Deglaze completelyPour in the broth and scrape the heating plate until no browned or sticky spots remain. Cancel Sauté. Stir mild berbere, paprika, cardamom, cinnamon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into the thin broth.
4. Layer without scorchingNestle chicken in one layer. Whisk tomato paste with 1/2 cup liquid from the pot, spoon it over the chicken and do not stir it down onto the heating plate.
5. Pressure-cookConfirm the contents are below the model's maximum-fill line. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes; allow about 12 to 15 minutes to reach pressure.
6. Release in stagesLet pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses. If liquid sputters, close the valve, wait 2 minutes and resume slowly. Open only after the float valve drops.
7. Verify and finishCheck several chicken pieces beside but not touching bone; each must reach 165°F. Transfer chicken briefly if needed, select Sauté and simmer sauce 5 to 8 minutes until it coats a spoon. Add the hard-cooked eggs and chicken and heat through.
8. Serve mild-firstSpoon doro wat and one egg per person over injera. Keep the pot gentle and offer hot berbere at the table.