Why You’ll Love This this Royal Coronation Chicken
This coronation chicken brings together tender, juicy chicken pieces in a creamy curry-spiced sauce that’s fancy enough for royalty but simple enough for your Tuesday night dinner.
The combination of mayonnaise, apricot chutney, and those warm spices creates this amazing sweet-and-savory flavor that honestly makes regular chicken salad seem kind of boring in comparison.
Plus, you get to poach a whole chicken like some sort of culinary wizard, which sounds way more intimidating than it actually is—trust me, if you can boil water, you can totally handle this.
Ingredients List
Let’s gather up everything you need to create this absolutely delicious royal-worthy chicken dish that’ll have your taste buds doing a little happy dance.
- 3 lbs whole chickens
- 2 onions, peeled and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh coriander
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 pint red wine
- 1/4 pint mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons apricot chutney
- 1/4 pint whipping cream
- 3 ounces mixed salad greens, washed
- 2 ounces salted cashews
- 1 apricot, quartered
- 1 sprig fresh coriander
A Few Things to Keep in Mind:
- This recipe is definitely on the richer side with all that mayonnaise and whipping cream, so maybe save it for special occasions rather than your everyday lunch rotation
- The good news is you’re getting lean protein from the chicken, and those spices like cumin and coriander actually have some nice antioxidant properties
- If you want to lighten things up a bit, you could swap half the mayo for Greek yogurt, though it won’t be quite as authentically royal
- The cashews and fresh herbs add some nice nutrients to balance out all that creamy goodness
Step by Step Directions
Transform your kitchen into a royal culinary journey with these straightforward steps to create the perfect Coronation Chicken.
- Prepare the chicken: Trim excess fat and skin, wash and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Cook the chicken: Place in large pan with half the chopped onion, 1 bay leaf, and coriander sprigs; cover with water and bring to boil.
- Simmer: Cover and cook for 1 to 1½ hours until tender, then cool in liquid for 30 minutes.
- Shred the meat: Drain chicken, remove and discard skin, then slice all meat from carcass into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the curry base: Heat oil and sauté remaining bay leaf, onion, coriander seeds, cumin, and curry powder for 2-3 minutes.
- Add liquids: Stir in tomato puree, lemon juice, and red wine; simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Strain: Press mixture through a metal sieve and let cool completely.
- Create the dressing: Mix mayonnaise, apricot chutney, and cooled curry mixture together.
- Whip cream: Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form, then fold into the dressing along with chicken pieces.
- Season and serve: Mix well, season to taste, arrange salad leaves on serving plate, and spoon chicken mixture over top.
- Garnish: Top with salted cashews, quartered apricots, and fresh coriander sprigs.
For best results when whipping cream, consider using a stand mixer professional to achieve perfect soft peaks with consistent texture and minimal effort.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chutney alternatives: Mango chutney, peach preserves, or even orange marmalade can step in, though you might want to add a squeeze of lemon to balance the sweetness.
- Wine workarounds: White wine, chicken broth, or even apple juice work if red wine isn’t your thing, though the flavor profile shifts slightly.
- Cream-free version: Extra mayonnaise instead of whipped cream makes it more stable for picnics, plus one less bowl to wash.
- Vegetarian twist: Roasted cauliflower or chickpeas create a surprisingly satisfying plant-based version, though calling it “Coronation Chicken” becomes a bit of a stretch.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This creamy, curry-kissed chicken practically begs for the right companions to make it a proper meal.
- Crusty bread or rolls – Something with a good chew to soak up that gorgeous sauce, because letting any of it go to waste should be illegal.
- Rice pilaf or coconut rice – The grains catch all those lovely curry flavors, and coconut rice adds an extra layer of richness that makes sense with the apricot sweetness.
- Fresh cucumber salad – The cool crunch cuts through all that creamy richness, plus it’s about as revitalizing as a dish can get.
- Warm naan or pita bread – Perfect for scooping, which is half the fun of eating this dish anyway.
- Roasted vegetables – Think carrots, bell peppers, or zucchini with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of the same spices you used in the chicken.
- Simple green salad – Sometimes you just need something light and clean to balance out all that indulgent creaminess.
- Minted yogurt sauce – A cool, tangy side that plays beautifully with the curry spices without competing for attention.
- Pickled onions or chutneys – The acidity cuts through the richness while adding little pops of flavor that keep each bite interesting.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Getting this dish right is all about patience and not overthinking the fancy bits, because honestly, even royalty probably had kitchen mishaps.
- Don’t rush the chicken poaching – Low and slow keeps the meat tender instead of turning it into expensive rubber, and that cooking liquid is liquid gold for soups later.
- Strain that curry base like your life depends on it – Those whole spices and onion bits will turn your elegant dish into something that looks like it survived a blender explosion.
- Let everything cool completely before mixing – Hot curry sauce plus mayonnaise equals broken, oily sadness that no amount of whisking will fix.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks only – Overdo it and you’ll have curry-flavored butter instead of that silky, dreamy texture we’re after.
- Taste and adjust the curry mixture before adding chicken – It should be bold enough to flavor all that meat and cream, but not so spicy it makes people question your judgment.
- Make it a day ahead if possible – The flavors meld together overnight like they’re having a little party in your fridge, and honestly, who doesn’t love a dish that gets better with time?
- Keep some extra apricot chutney handy – Because someone always wants a little more sweetness, and it’s easier than explaining why the balance is already perfect.
- Use a proper mixing bowl – This stuff expands more than you think, and nobody wants to clean curry-mayo splatter off their countertops.
Nutritional Facts
This royal dish packs a surprising nutritional punch behind all that creamy indulgence.
- Calories: Approximately 385 per serving (serves 6-8)
- Protein: 28-32g per serving from the chicken, making it a solid protein powerhouse
- Fat: 24-28g per serving, mostly from the mayonnaise, cream, and cashews – but hey, good fats count too
- Carbohydrates: 8-10g per serving, primarily from the apricot chutney and vegetables
- Fiber: 2-3g per serving from the salad greens and cashews
- Sodium: 420-480mg per serving, depending on your mayonnaise brand and seasoning heavy-handedness
- Vitamin A: High content from the curry spices and apricots
- Vitamin C: Moderate levels from the lemon juice and fresh coriander
- Iron: Good source from the chicken and spices like cumin and coriander
- Healthy fats: Cashews provide monounsaturated fats and magnesium
- Antioxidants: Curry powder, turmeric, and fresh herbs pack anti-inflammatory compounds
- Calcium: Modest amounts from the cream and mayonnaise
- No artificial preservatives: When made from scratch with quality ingredients
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond all those impressive nutritional benefits, Coronation Chicken carries fascinating secrets that’ll make you appreciate this royal dish even more.
I uncovered this recipe was actually created for Queen Elizabeth II‘s coronation luncheon in 1953 by Le Cordon Bleu’s Rosemary Hume. She originally called it “Poulet Reine Elizabeth.” The dish was designed to feed 350 guests at Westminster School’s Great Hall.
What’s remarkable is how it became Britain’s most popular sandwich filling by the 1970s. The curry powder wasn’t just for flavor—it masked any potential “off” taste from chicken that might’ve sat too long at royal banquets.
