The BEST Coronation Chicken Recipe | Mary Berry Classics (2024)

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What is the Original Coronation Chicken?

The original Coronation Chicken, created for the Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation dinner in 1953,. The whole dish, created by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume, was even published in newspapers so people could prepare it while watching the ceremony on TV.

The original Coronation sauce consists of cooked chicken pieces in a curry-flavored mayonnaise-based sauce, often enriched with additional ingredients like apricot puree, lemon juice, and red wine. Traditionally served cold, the recipe is popular for the combination of savoury and sweet flavours and makes a perfect filling for sandwiches and salads.

The original recipe had apricots instead of grapes and didn’t contain a single sultana.

Why You’ll Like It

• Easy for Meal Prep: Ready in just 15 minutes and stays fresh in the fridge for a few days!
• Sweet and Tangy: The sweet grapes and apricot jam mixed with tangy lemon and curry offer a refreshing taste.
• Creamy: With fresh cream and mayo it’s a luxurious mix!
• Outing friendly: Use in salads, as a filling for your sandwich or roll, or as a pasta sauce.

For The Perfect Coronation Chicken Recipe

• Chicken: Prepare the chicken from the day before so you can quickly prepare a packed lunch for the office, a nice picnic, or any outing. Pan-fry, boil, poach, bake, or grill. Nevertheless, the chicken will taste amazing!
• Poaching times: Quick tip for poaching times:
  • Whole Chicken: A medium-sized whole chicken takes around 30-45 minutes of poaching.
  • Chicken Pieces: It usually takes about 15-25 minutes, depending on their size.
  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken: Poaching time is generally shorter, ranging from 10 to 20 minutes. Easy peasy!
• Curry: Use mild curry powder and adjust the amount according to your taste.

Variations of Mary Berry Coronation Chicken

• Add toasted almonds or cashews for added crunch
• Subs the fresh cream with Greek yoghurt for a lighter option.
• Adjust the amount of curry powder to your spice preference.
• Fruits. Experiment with different fruits like fresh mango, dried sultanas or apricots.
• Swap apricot jam with mango chutney for a different flavour.

Other coronation chicken variations:

• Coronation Chicken Recipe Jamie Oliver
• Coronation Chicken Recipe Delia Smith

How to store Coronation Chicken Mary Berry?

• Refrigerating the Coronation Chicken. Cool the sauce completely first. Store any leftover sauce in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
• For freezing, Remove the salad and fresh grapes. Transfer to freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight. To reheat. Remove the salad and fresh grapes. Microwave for 1-2 minutes stirring occasionally or otherwise heat for a couple of minutes until the recommended temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached.

Serving The Coronation Chicken Recipe

Begin by spreading the luxurious coronation sauce on slices of soft white bread or a freshly baked whole wheat loaf. Imagine each bite of tender chicken, enveloped in the rich, spiced sauce, paired with the subtle crunch of fresh bread. If you prefer pita bread, envision how wonderfully this cold curried chicken would fit inside a pita pocket, perhaps with a few cucumber slices for extra freshness.

For a change from the usual sandwich filling, serve the Coronation Chicken atop perfectly toasted bread or crisp jacket potatoes, allowing the creamy, flavorful topping to shine. If you’re looking for a bread-free choice, try it on a bed of crisp salad or fluffy rice.

Complete your meal with a vibrant array of grilled veggies—such as aubergines, zucchini, carrots, and parsnips. These seasonal vegetables add a visually stunning and delicious contrast, making your dish not only tasty but also visually stunning.

Health Info

• Calories: 435.8
• Sugar: 39.2
• Sodium: 365
• Fat: 39.2
• Carbohydrates: 12.3
• Fiber: 1.2
• Protein: 10.8

Note: Mary Berry’s coronation chicken salad is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free and nut-free.

More Salad Recipes:

• Quinoa and Mango Salad – a healthy filling salad with Corn and Black beans
• Chicken Satay Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce – for an Asian flair without the curry powder
• Chicken Hoisin – used in pancakes but can taste awesome as filler in wraps.
• Ina Garden Summer Garden Salad
• Creamy Chicken Mushroom Pesto Pasta – a Mediterranean-style pasta with sun-kissed tomatoes that you can eat warm or cold.