Coronation Chicken : Perfect for a Celebration

Many readers will know, that here, in the UK, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service. There are many celebrations both locally and nationwide to join in and celebrate Her Majesty’s historic reign and there is a Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend which takes place from 2nd to 5th June.

On Thursday (2nd June) Eddie and I watched Trooping the Colour and the amazing fly-past, it was wonderful to see The Queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with her close family, and the great grandchildren were just adorable.

Back in 1953 a dish called Coronation chicken was first created to celebrate the Queen's coronation and has been a firm favourite ever since.

Details from Wikipedia state "Constance Spry, an English food writer and flower arranger, and Rosemary Hume, a chef, both principals of the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London, are credited with the invention of coronation chicken. Preparing the food for the banquet of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Spry proposed the recipe of cold chicken, curry cream sauce and dressing that would later become known as coronation chicken.

Coronation chicken may have been inspired by jubilee chicken, a dish prepared for the silver jubilee of George V in 1935, which mixed chicken with mayonnaise and curry. Additionally, for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, another celebratory dish was devised, also called Jubilee chicken."

In 2022 there has been a special Platinum Pudding competition to help celebrate the jubilee and the winner was an impressive trifle which can be seen here 

But back to the Coronation Chicken, if you'd like to have your own special occasion featuring this dish these are the ingredients you will need ...

Serves Six
1 chicken stock cube
500 g (British) chicken breast fillet
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tbsp tomato purée
0.5 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp apricot jam
Zest and juice of ½ a washed, un-waxed lemon
100 ml (lighter) mayonnaise
100 ml 2% fat natural yogurt
60 g flaked almonds
2 tbsp washed and chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Fresh watercress leaves, washed, to garnish

Here is how to make the dish ...
1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the stock cube and stir to dissolve. Reduce to a simmer and poach the chicken breasts for 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the fillets) until cooked through and no pink colour remains. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to cool before shredding. Discard the stock.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion for about 10 minutes, until softened. Stir in the curry powder, tomato purée, cider vinegar and jam, and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and spoon into a large bowl.
3. Add the shredded chicken along with the lemon zest and juice, mayonnaise, yogurt, ⅔ of the flaked almonds and 1 tablespoon of the parsley and stir until well coated.
4. To serve, place on a serving platter and garnish with the watercress and remaining almonds and parsley.

Optional - Serve with some crusty white bread.

For low carb bread recipes have a look here
Original recipe idea here

~ wishing all readers a happy day ~

This blog is presented in a magazine style - we hope something for everyone. You will find a variety of articles, studies, thoughts, photographs, music and recipes! However, not all the recipes ideas featured in this blog may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan