Goan Chicken Xacuti Recipe | Spicy Coconut Masala Chicken Curry

🌶️ GOAN CHICKEN XACUTI

                          A traditional Goan curry bursting with flavor and spice

“Chicken Xacuti (pronounced ‘sha-koo-tee’) is one of Goa’s most beloved curries. With layers of flavor from roasted coconut, spices, and poppy seeds, this dish is bold, aromatic, and full of heritage. It’s a weekend special that brings families together.”

📌 Servings: 3
⏱️ Cooking Time: 15–20 minutes
👩‍🍳 Recipe by: Puja Raghuvir Naik

---

📝 Ingredients

For Marination:

• 1 kg chicken (cut into pieces)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp curd

Marination Paste:

• ½ bunch fresh coriander leaves
• 5 green chilies

For Xacuti Masala Paste:

• 1 tsp oil
• 2 onions (chopped)
• 2 green chilies
• 1-inch piece ginger
• 5 garlic cloves
• ½ bunch fresh coriander leaves
• 1 cup grated coconut

Whole Spices for Xacuti Masala:

• 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamoms
• 1 tsp aniseeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 8 dry red chilies (preferably Kashmiri)
• 1 flower of mace (javitri)
• 1 star anise
• ¼ piece nutmeg
• ½ tsp turmeric powder

---

🍲 How to Make Chicken Xacuti

Marinate the Chicken

Wash the chicken thoroughly. Marinate with salt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, curd, and the marination paste (blend coriander + green chilies). Let it rest for 30 minutes or more.

Prepare the Masala Base

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add chopped onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until onions turn golden.Add grated coconut and continue sautéing until the coconut becomes golden brown. Let it cool.

Roast the Spices

In the same pan, dry roast all the whole spices on a low flame for 3–5 minutes, until aromatic and slightly browned. Let them cool.

Grind the Masala

Blend the roasted spices and the sautéed onion-coconut mixture together into a smooth paste using a little water.

Cook the Xacuti

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the ground masala paste and sauté for 5 minutes.Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Cook covered on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and coated in the masala (approx. 20–25 minutes).

Final Touch

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and turn off the heat.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Serve your rich and aromatic Goan Chicken Xacuti with:

• Steamed rice
• Goan pav (local bread)
• Roti or naan

“Chicken Xacuti is a Goan family favorite — how spicy do you like yours? Share your version in the comments or tag @goanregularrecipes if you try this!”