Chicken Satsivi (Chicken in Walnut Sauce)

Name: Chicken Satsivi (Chicken in Walnut Sauce)
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 1 chicken (about 4 pounds), whole or cut into pieces; Kosher salt; ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter; 2 medium onions, finely chopped; 8 cups walnuts; 1 Tbsp. blue fenugreek; ½ tsp. ground cloves; ½ tsp. ground cinnamon; ½ tsp. ground coriander; ¼ tsp. crushed saffron threads; 2 cloves garlic, crushed with a garlic press; ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, plus more as needed; Adjika (homemade or store-bought Georgian red pepper sauce), for serving (see note); Tkemali sauce (sour plum sauce, see note), for serving (optional)

By Rose Previte

November 10, 2023

Chicken in walnut sauce with pomegranate seeds on a serving platter.

Photo by Jennifer Chase

Chicken satsivi always transports me right back to the night I first encountered Georgian food prepared by a lovely cook in Moscow. The sight and smell of all the walnuts she chopped reminded me of home, but this dish was like nothing I had tasted before. I don’t know what alchemy turns finely ground walnuts into the creamiest (cream-free!) sauce I’ve ever had, but I’m so glad my Georgian friend Mamuka was willing to share this recipe.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Maydān' by Rose Previte with Marah Stets. We’ve selected this book as one of the best cookbooks of 2023. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

Blue Fenugreek
$9 At Amazon
Saffron
$10 At Burlap and Barrel
Food Processor
$300 At Amazon
Tkemali Sauce
$15 At Amazon
Adjika
$12 At Amazon

Cooks' Note

The term adjika refers both to a red pepper powder that is similar to paprika and a hot red pepper sauce, which is what I’m referring to here. Both forms of adjika can be found at stores that carry Georgian and Armenian items, and online.

Tkemali sauce is made from the sour plums that are a major component of Georgian cooking. I’ve never seen the equivalent in fresh sour plums here, but bottled tkemali sauce can be found at Georgian and Russian markets and online. It adds a sour and sweet flavor that really brightens this dish and wherever it’s added.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 chicken (about 4 pounds), whole or cut into pieces

Kosher salt

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 medium onions, finely chopped

8 cups walnuts

1 Tbsp. blue fenugreek

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground coriander

¼ tsp. crushed saffron threads

2 cloves garlic, crushed with a garlic press

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, plus more as needed

Adjika (homemade or store-bought Georgian red pepper sauce), for serving (see note)

Tkemali sauce (sour plum sauce, see note), for serving (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water by 3 inches. Season the water generously with several pinches of salt. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the meatiest part of the thigh registers at least 180°F, 35 to 45 minutes. Strain the chicken and reserve the broth separately. Place the chicken on a cutting board.
Step 2
Set a broiler rack 6 inches below the heat source and set the broiler to high. Cut the cooled chicken into 8 pieces (unless it is already cut up) and arrange the pieces skin side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle all over with salt. Broil until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 3
Meanwhile, to prepare the walnut sauce, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a couple of pinches of salt and cook, stirring, until translucent and softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 4
Process the walnuts in a food processor until very finely chopped. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl. Add the blue fenugreek, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, saffron, garlic, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt. Use your hands to knead and rub the walnuts until they are very oily and stick firmly together when pressed between your fingers; this will take about 20 minutes.
Step 5
Add the sautéed onions and about 1 cup (240 ml) of the reserved broth to the walnuts and stir until the mixture takes on the consistency of sour cream; the color will lighten considerably. Add more broth as necessary to loosen the walnuts.
Step 6
Whisk enough broth into the walnut mixture to make it pourable, and pour it into the large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pieces of chicken. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer if necessary to reheat the chicken. Remove from the heat.
Step 7
Serve hot, and pass the adjika and tkemali sauce, if using, separately at the table.

Recipe excerpt from the new book Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond by Rose Previte and Marah Stets. Text © 2023 by Rose Previte. Photos copyright © 2023 by Jennifer Chase. Published by Abrams. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abrams.