Creamy coronation chicken has been a staple on buffet tables for decades and our version is really easy to make. Invented for the Coronation banquet of Elizabeth II, it was originally called Poulet Reine Elizabeth, but quickly became known as Coronation Chicken.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Cal/Serv:
292
Ingredients
6
skinless chicken breasts
2tsp.
mild curry powder
150g
mayonnaise
125g
crème fraîche
3Tbsp.
mango chutney
1tsp.
Worcestershire sauce
2
celery sticks, finely chopped
75g
dried ready-to-eat apricots, chopped
50g
sultanas
50g
flaked almonds
Large handful fresh coriander, chopped
Directions
Step 1
Put the chicken breasts into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 15min or until the chicken is cooked through (slice a breast in half to check). Drain and leave until completely cool.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan and toast the curry powder, stirring, until it smells fragrant (about 30sec). Empty into a large bowl and stir through the next seven ingredients, along with plenty of seasoning.
Step 3
Cut or rip the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the mayonnaise mixture, along with most of the flaked almonds and chopped coriander. Stir well and check the seasoning.
Step 4
To serve, garnish with remaining almonds and coriander.
Get ahead: Prepare to end of step 3 up to a day ahead (but don't add the coriander or garnish). Cover with clingfilm and chill. To serve, stir through the chopped coriander and complete recipe.
If you’re looking for a twist on the classic, you should definitely try our Coronation chicken pie recipe.
Coronation chicken was first concocted by Rosemary Hume (Head of the famous Cordon Bleu cookery school) and Constance Spry (a florist), who catered for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation banquet in 1953. It was given the name Poulet Reine Elizabeth, but later became popularised as Coronation Chicken. Some believe it was based on an earlier recipe for Jubilee Chicken, for George V in 1935.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
