Discover the rich, aromatic flavors of Georgian cuisine with our Homemade Chicken Satsivi recipe. This traditional dish, made with a succulent home-raised chicken, offers a depth of flavor that store-bought chicken can’t match. Perfect for any occasion, this dish will be a standout at both casual dinners and festive celebrations.
Calories: 732.27 kcal/serving
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
B/F/C: 37.30 g/59.86 g/12.31 g
Ingredients for 6 Servings:
- Whole Home-Raised Chicken (weighing around 1.5–1.7 kg / 3.3–3.7 lbs): 1
- Water: 3–4 liters (12–16 cups)
- Vegetable Oil: 5 tbsp
- Onions: 4–5
- Flour: 2 tbsp
- Shelled Walnuts: 200 g (7 oz)
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Hot Chili Pepper: 1/2
- Cilantro: 4 sprigs
- Imeretian Saffron: 1/2 tsp
- Wine Vinegar: 1 tbsp
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: To taste
- Salt: To taste
Preparation:
Prepare the Broth: Thoroughly wash the chicken and place it in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil quickly. Skim off the foam with a slotted spoon and simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Carefully strain the hot broth through a fine sieve. Remove the chicken and cut it into pieces.
Fry the Chicken: In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add the chicken pieces and lightly brown them on all sides, turning occasionally.
Make the Satsivi Sauce: Place the walnuts in a blender. Peel the garlic and add it to the walnuts. Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and add the flesh to the blender. Wash and dry the cilantro, then add it to the blender along with the saffron. Blend until smooth. Dilute the mixture with 1.5–2 liters (6–8 cups) of the broth. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring constantly, for 10–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the Onions: Peel and finely chop the onions. Lightly brown them in the remaining vegetable oil. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Combine and Cook: Add the fried onions to the boiling satsivi sauce. Cook for another 3 minutes. Place the fried chicken pieces in a deep ceramic dish and pour the hot satsivi sauce over them. Let cool completely before serving.
Helpful Tip:
For a richer flavor, fry the chicken and onions in a mixture of vegetable and butter (in a 1:1 ratio). This will add a pleasant buttery note to the walnut sauce.
Pro Tip:
Satsivi sauce typically includes a variety of spices: dried basil, hot pepper, coriander, dill, Imeretian saffron, utskho-suneli, and more. Historically, these spices not only enhanced the dish’s flavor but also served as natural preservatives for longer storage.
