Chicken with sour cream and walnuts is an exquisite variation of homemade cold appetizers, combining the tenderness of boiled poultry with rich Caucasian flavors. The secret to this dish lies in the slow simmering of the meat, making it incredibly soft, and in the special sauce where rich smetana (sour cream) meets the earthiness of walnuts and the freshness of cilantro. In the summer, you can use garlic scapes instead of regular garlic to give the broth and meat a subtle, delicate aroma. This dish is perfect for those who appreciate hearty yet refined home cooking that brings the whole family together at the table.
Tender chicken steeped in a fragrant sauce made of sour cream, cilantro, and walnuts is the perfect combination for a hearty lunch.
Ingredients
- 800 g (1.7 lbs) chicken thighs
- 120 g (4.2 oz) onion
- a bunch of dill
- 2-3 garlic cloves or garlic scapes
- salt
- black pepper
Sauce ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) full-fat smetana (sour cream)
- 70 g (2.5 oz) walnuts
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- ground black pepper
- salt
How to make chicken with sour cream and walnuts
Finely chop the onion as small as possible so it practically dissolves in the broth during cooking. Toss the chopped onion into a pot. Add a few black peppercorns, salt to taste, and garlic. I am using garlic scapes for this recipe; in the summer, I always replace garlic cloves with them when boiling meat or poultry.
Finely chopped onions and garlic scapes create an excellent aromatic base for a rich chicken broth.
Rinse the chicken thighs or leg quarters under cold running water. Place the prepared chicken pieces into the pot.
Place the prepared chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Use thighs or leg quarters for maximum juiciness.
Pour in 2 liters (about 8 cups) of cold water. The water must be cold; avoid pouring boiling water if you want to make a flavorful and beautiful broth rather than just boiling the poultry.
Cover the meat specifically with cold water—this is the main secret to getting a clear and flavorful homemade broth.
Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently over very low heat for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Do not cover with a lid so the broth doesn’t boil vigorously. A gentle simmer is enough; chicken cooked this way will taste much better.
Simmer the poultry gently uncovered so the meat stays tender and the broth remains clear.
Remove the chicken from the broth. You can let the broth cool down and skim off the solidified fat, or blot it with a paper towel—the fat will stick to the paper. You can freeze the chicken broth for long-term storage.
Carefully remove the cooked meat. You can strain the broth and use it for soup or freeze it for later.
Prepare the sour cream sauce. Season full-fat smetana (sour cream) with salt and ground black pepper. For a diet-friendly version of this recipe, I would remove the chicken skin and substitute the smetana with plain yogurt.
Choose high-quality, full-fat sour cream for the sauce. For a lighter version, you can substitute it with plain yogurt.
Add finely chopped cilantro, mincing both the stems and leaves. By the way, cilantro roots are also incredibly aromatic and can be added to stews or soups as a seasoning.
Fresh cilantro gives the sauce a unique aroma and bright flavor that perfectly complements the chicken.
Toast the walnuts in a hot oven for about 10 minutes or toast them in a dry skillet. Chop the nuts with a knife or pulse them in a food processor. Add the chopped walnuts to the sauce, press a garlic clove through a garlic press, and mix everything thoroughly. Place the cooled chicken on a plate and drizzle generously with the sour cream sauce.
Generously drizzle the boiled chicken pieces with the prepared sour cream sauce mixed with garlic and chopped nuts.
Sprinkle the dish with chopped walnuts and freshly ground black pepper.
As a final touch, sprinkle the dish with toasted walnuts for a pleasant texture and rich flavor.
The chicken with sour cream and walnuts is ready! Serve it alongside fluffy mashed potatoes with butter for the most delicious lunch. Bon appétit!
The dish is ready to be served! The tender meat in a thick sauce pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes or boiled rice.
Although this chicken with sour cream and walnuts resembles the famous Georgian satsivi, it has its own unique character thanks to the use of smetana (sour cream) instead of the classic broth-based walnut paste. If you want a lighter dish, try replacing the smetana with thick plain yogurt and removing the skin from the chicken beforehand—the flavor will remain rich, but the calories will drop significantly.
Serve the finished dish best with fluffy mashed potatoes, which will soak up the remaining sauce, or with fluffy boiled rice. The clear broth left over from cooking the chicken makes an excellent base for a light noodle or vegetable soup. To bring out the walnut flavor as brightly as possible, make sure to toast the kernels in a dry skillet before chopping—this simple trick adds a mouthwatering aroma and a pleasant texture to the dish.
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