African Chicken in Spicy Red Sauce

Ingredients

• Berbere:
• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Chicken:
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 lemon wedges

Directions

Combine cayenne pepper, black pepper, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves together in a bowl until berbere is evenly mixed. Measure 2 teaspoons berbere and store remaining for another use.

Place chicken in a shallow dish. Drizzle lemon juice over chicken and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover dish with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons berbere, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, butter, fresh ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom to onion mixture; stir to coat, about 1 minute.

Stir chicken broth, wine, and tomato paste into onion mixture; add chicken and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer, turning chicken occasionally, until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. Stir cilantro into chicken mixture and serve with lemon wedges.