It is made using poultry (such as chicken or turkey) put into a walnut sauce, typically seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, fenugreek, coriander and cinnamon.

The term satsivi is also used as a generic name for a variety of poultry made with the walnut sauce.

Traditionally, satsivi is made of walnuts, water, garlic, a combination of dried herbs (usually Imeretian saffron and fenugreek), vinegar, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste.

[1] In this way, satsivi in the Caucasus is similar to the nut- or legume-based paste sauces to the south such as the hummus (which often contains garlic, lemon juice as a souring agent, and tahini, or sesame butter/paste) varieties found in Syrian, Lebanese, or generically Levantine cuisine.

[citation needed]Boiled turkey or chicken pieces submerged in satsivi is a staple of winter holiday feasts.