The Party Staple: Coronation Chicken
Created for the banquet of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, this cold dish combines cooked chicken in a creamy, curried mayonnaise sauce with apricots and sultanas. It’s a sandwich and vol-au-vent filler extraordinaire.
Ingredients:
500g cooked chicken breast, shredded (a roast chicken works perfectly)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp curry powder (mild is traditional)
2 tbsp tomato purée
100ml red wine
150g mayonnaise
100g Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp apricot jam
1 tbsp mango chutney
50g sultanas or chopped dried apricots
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and white pepper
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes (for the base sauce)
Serves: 4-6 as a sandwich filler
Method:
Heat the oil in a small pan and gently fry the onion until soft but not coloured. Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
Add the tomato purée, cook for another minute, then pour in the red wine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until it forms a thick paste. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt, apricot jam, and mango chutney.
Stir the completely cooled curry paste into the mayonnaise mixture until fully combined.
Fold in the shredded chicken and sultanas (or apricots). Season with lemon juice, salt, and a pinch of white pepper.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavours to meld. Perfect in sandwiches, on baked potatoes, or in pastry cases.