Berbere-Spiced Chicken with Fish Sauce Brown Butter

Chicken seasoned with warm, earthy berbere is lacquered in a savory-sweet glaze of nutty brown butter, fish sauce, honey, ginger, and lime. Served with deeply charred cabbage and cool lime yogurt, it’s bold, balanced, and surprisingly simple to make.

Serves 4

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1½ tablespoons berbere

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil

• 1 tablespoon Méthode de Saignée fish sauce

• Freshly ground black pepper

For the charred cabbage

• ½ large green cabbage, cut into wedges

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil

• Kosher salt

For the brown-butter glaze

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon Méthode de Saignée fish sauce

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

For the lime yogurt

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

• ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice

• Pinch of kosher salt

Method

1. Make the lime yogurt

Stir together the Greek yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Cover and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish so the flavors have time to develop.

2. Season the chicken

Combine the berbere, neutral oil, fish sauce, and a few grinds of black pepper. Coat the chicken thoroughly with the mixture.

3. Roast the cabbage

Heat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the cabbage wedges on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil, and season lightly with salt. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until tender with deeply browned edges.

4. Cook the chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5–7 minutes per side, until well browned and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off any excess oil, leaving the browned bits in the pan.

5. Make the brown-butter glaze

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and cook, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty. Reduce the heat to low, add the ginger, and cook for 15–20 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the fish sauce and honey and stir to combine.

6. Glaze the chicken

Return the chicken to the skillet and turn and baste it in the brown-butter mixture for 30–60 seconds, until the glaze becomes glossy and clings to the chicken. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the lime juice, and turn the chicken once more to coat.

7. Serve

Spoon the lime yogurt onto each plate and add the roasted cabbage and glazed chicken. Spoon any remaining brown-butter glaze from the skillet over the chicken.