Coronation Chicken

Coronation chicken was first created in 1953 for a banquet to celebrate the coronation of Elizabeth II. Poulet Reine Elizabeth (which now translates as Coronation chicken) was traditionally served with a dressed salad of rice, green peas and pimentos.

Today, Coronation chicken has become a staple sandwich filling in the UK, often available in bakeries and supermarket deli counters. It's a surprisingly simple dish to create a home and a great way to make use of any leftover roast chicken (that's actually the best kind of chicken to use for this recipe). In only 3 simple steps and using just a handful of ingredients, you can transform leftover chicken into a taste sensation, and in under 300 calories per portion (depending on the mayo you choose to use).

Nigel Jones, Head Chef at our Bristol retirement village, has shared his recipe below. Nigel adds a little Worcestershire sauce to give it a hint of something extra. 

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons of mango chutney
• 2-3 teaspoons of mild curry powder, to taste
• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1-3 tablespoons of sultanas, or to taste (add slightly more or significantly less according to preference)
• 500g of shredded cooked chicken (If you have cooked a roast, the leftover chicken is perfect for this recipe)

Method:

1. Mix the mayonnaise, chutney, curry powder, cinnamon, and sultanas together and season with black pepper
2. Add the shredded chicken and stir to thoroughly coat all of the chicken in the sauce. You may need to stir in a little drop of water to loosen if it feels too dry
3. Seasonal well with salt and pepper, then pop in the fridge until you are ready to serve it

There you have it! A royal recipe in 3 simple steps, enjoy.

If you wish you make Coronation chicken using raw chicken, we recommend you marianate diced chicken and leave in the fridge for two hours before cooking in the oven at 180C.