Chicken xacuti (or Chicken Shagoti) is a flavorful chicken curry from Goa, India. This flavorful Goan chicken curry features chicken simmered in a rich, aromatic xacuti masala, a blend of freshly ground spices, coconut, and chilies. You can serve this chicken curry with Bread, Pav, Poli, or Rice. Let’s see how to make this flavorful curry easily at home with step-by-step photos and a quick video tutorial.
I have called Goa my home for over 20 years, and during this time, I’ve fallen in love with Goan cuisine. Known for its seafood delights like goan prawn fry, goan fish curry, and recheado fish fry, Goa offers a paradise for food lovers. Chicken Xacuti also called Shagoti have become a personal favorite, and I’ve learned that it’s a must-have dish in most Goan households, especially for Sunday lunch or dinner.
I’ve seen this flavorful curry along with Chicken Cafreal grace the tables during festivals, celebrations, and even casual family gatherings. Whenever I dine out, I always find Chicken Xacuti listed among the top Goan specialties on restaurant menus, often served alongside other local favorites like prawns and fish curry.
Chicken Xacuti - A flavorful Goan Chicken Curry
Xacuti (pronounced ‘shakuti’) is derived from chacuti in Portuguese. The locals here call it ‘shagoti’ in Konkani language (Goa’s language). It is made with chicken cooked in freshly ground xacuti masala. You can serve it with Bread, Pav, Poli, or Rice.
To make this Goan chicken xacuti curry, whole spices, coconut, red chilies, and onions are roasted and ground to make flavorful xacuti masala. The chicken is then cooked with this masala and served with bread or Goan Pav.
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Ingredients Notes
Xacuti Masala
Shagoti is prepared with a blend of freshly roasted spices, coconut, dried red chilies, and onions. Each family has its own version of Xacuti masala, making it a unique and treasured recipe. The homemade Xacuti masala I’ve shared in this post is easy to make, bursting with bold flavors, and so much better than store-bought options. It’s a versatile masala that works beautifully in other non-vegetarian dishes like mutton Xacuti.
For the Curry
- Chicken - To make this Goan-style chicken xacuti, I have used bone-in chicken pieces as they are more flavorful. You can also use boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Coconut - Use freshly scraped/grated coconut for this Goan chicken curry recipe. You can substitute it with coconut milk.
- Whole Spices - I have used black pepper, cumin, cloves, coriander seeds, star anise, fennel, mace, cinnamon, green cardamom, and nutmeg. You can easily purchase these whole spices from a nearby Indian/Asian grocery store or online.
- Poppy seeds (Khus-khus) - You can skip the addition of poppy seeds if it not available.
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How to make Chicken Xacuti (with Stepwise Photos)
Marinate the chicken
1) Making green masala - In a mixer/grinder jar, add ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander leaves, and ¼ cup of water. Grind to a fine paste. Keep it aside.
2) Marinate the chicken - In a mixing bowl add chicken, lemon juice, turmeric powder, salt, and green masala. Combine and marinate the chicken for an hour. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator.
Making Xacuti masala
1) In a deep bottom pan, dry roast black pepper, cumin, cloves, coriander seeds, star anise, fennel, mace, cinnamon, green cardamoms, nutmeg, and red chilies over low heat until aromatic. Remove and keep it aside on a plate to cool down.
2) Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add onion slices and sauté until lightly golden. Now, add grated coconut to the pan and roast it until the coconut is lightly golden.
3) Next, add poppy seeds (Khus-khus) and roast until the coconut is golden. Remove and keep it aside on a plate to cool down.
4) Transfer the roasted ingredients to a mixer/grinder jar. Add water and grind to a fine paste. Xacuti Masala is ready.
Making the Chicken Xacuti Recipe
1) Heat 3 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until golden.
2) Next, add the marinated chicken. Cook it uncovered for 5 minutes. Now cover and cook it until the chicken is cooked. Stir it in between as required.
3) When the chicken is cooked, add xacuti masala to it. Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Cover and cook until it comes to a boil. Taste and add salt as per taste.
4) Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Oil will float on the surface. It is an indication that the masala is cooked. Chicken Xacuti is ready to serve. Serve with Pav or Poli or steamed rice.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low to medium heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and to avoid the burning of spice.
- Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- Marinating the chicken keeps the chicken tender and juicy. Also, enhances the flavor.
- Try to make this curry at least 1-2 hours in advance. The curry tastes better the next day. The flavors get enough time to combine.
- Add a very small piece of nutmeg. If you do not have it skip it. Do not add more as it can make the masala bitter.
Chicken Shagoti Variations
- You can make Mutton Xacuti or Crab Xacuti with the same recipe by substituting chicken with mutton or crab.
- Even vegetarian versions link Paneer Xacuti or Mushroom Xacuti can be made by substituting chicken with paneer or mushroom.
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Recipe Card
Goan Chicken Xacuti Recipe (Chicken Shagoti)
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Deep bottom pan/Kadhai
Ingredients
To make green masala
- 1- inch ginger roughly chopped
- 20 small garlic cloves
- 2 green chilies add as per your spice preference
- 1 cup tightly packed coriander leaves with stems
To marinate the chicken
- 1 kg chicken, curry cut
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt to taste
- green masala
To make Xacuti masala
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns (if you prefer less spicy add ½ teaspoon black peppercorns)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 8 cloves
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ star anise
- 1 teaspoon fennel
- 2 petal of mace
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 2 green cardamoms
- a small piece of nutmeg
- 8 byadgi red chilies (or kashmiri red chilies)
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 2 onion sliced
- 1 whole grated coconut
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds Khus-khus
To make Goan chicken curry
- 3 teaspoon oil
- 1 small onion chopped
Instructions
Preparations
- Making green masala - In a mixer/grinder jar, add ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander leaves and ¼ cup of water. Grind to a fine paste. Keep it aside.
- Marinate the chicken - In a mixing bowl add chicken, lemon juice, turmeric powder, salt and green masala. Combine and marinate the chicken for an hour. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator.
Making Xacuti masala
- In a deep bottom pan, dry roast black pepper, cumin, cloves, coriander seeds, star anise, fennel, mace, cinnamon, green cardamoms, nutmeg and red chilies over low heat until aromatic. Remove and keep it aside on a plate to cool down.
- Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add onion slices and sauté until lightly golden. Now, add grated coconut to the pan and roast it until the coconut is lightly golden.
- Next, add poppy seeds (Khus-khus) and roast until the coconut is golden. Remove and keep it aside on a plate to cool down.
- Transfer the roasted ingredients to a mixer/grinder jar. Add water and grind to a fine paste. Xacuti Masala is ready.
Making the Chicken Xacuti Recipe
- Heat 3 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and saute until golden.
- Next, add the marinated chicken. Cook it, uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Now cover and cook it until chicken is cooked. Stir it in between as required.
- When the chicken is cooked, add xacuti masala to it.
- Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Cover and cook until it comes to a boil.
- Taste and add salt as per taste.
- Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Oil will float on the surface. It is an indication that the masala is cooked.
- Chicken Xacuti is ready to serve.
- Serve with Pav or Poli or steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low to medium heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and to avoid the burning of spice.
- Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- Marinating the chicken keeps the chicken tender and juicy. Also, enhances the flavor.
- Try to make this curry at least 1-2 hours in advance. The curry tastes better the next day. The flavors get enough time to combine.
- Add a very small piece of nutmeg. If you do not have it skip it. Do not add more as it can make the masala bitter.
- Storage Suggestions:
- Store the leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
- Let the chicken curry come to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat until piping hot and serve.
- For longer self-life freeze it. Stays good for a month. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Preeti
I’ve made this chicken xacuti recipe many times, and it's simple to make. The aromatic spices blend (homemade Goan xacuti masala), is so delicious that it takes this curry to the next level. Enjoy Goan flavors at home with this recipe.