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Coronation chicken
Gently curried chicken salad created for the 1953 coronation
Coronation chicken was invented for the banquet of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 by the Cordon Bleu school in London, and it became the filling of choice for jacket potatoes, wedding buffets and garden party sandwiches across England. Poached chicken is folded through a creamy, mildly spiced sauce of mayonnaise, curry paste, apricot and yoghurt. Chef's tip: poach the chicken very gently and cool it in its liquid so it stays juicy.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (7)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put the 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken breasts in a pan with the 1 bay leaf and 6 black peppercorns, cover with cold water and bring to a bare simmer. Cook for 12–15 minutes, until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part and the juices run clear. Cool in the liquid.
25 minStep 2: Meanwhile fry the 1 small onion in the 1 tbsp vegetable oil for 5 minutes until soft, add the 2 tsp mild curry powder and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the 1 tsp tomato purée, 2 tbsp apricot jam or mango chutney and 1 tbsp lemon juice and cool.
8 minStep 3: Push the onion mixture through a sieve, or blend it, then stir into the 5 ½ oz mayonnaise and 3 ½ oz natural yoghurt. A common mistake is adding raw curry powder to the mayonnaise, which tastes dusty.
3 minStep 4: Shred or dice the chicken, fold into the sauce with the 1 oz sultanas and chill. Serve scattered with ⅔ oz toasted flaked almonds and 1 tbsp coriander, with rice salad or in sandwiches.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does coronation chicken take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken breasts?
- Boneless chicken thighs, same weight (a few minutes longer).
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
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