Adding a Southeast Asian twist to a classic favourite – coronation chicken…
Ah, coronation chicken…a retro classic once fit for royalty, has this crown jewel lost a little bit of its shine?
For non-British readers, coronation chicken in its modern form is essentially a creamy curried chicken, usually used as a sandwich filling or salad topping. It was originally a dish created for the coronation luncheon for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Originally named Poulet Reine Elizabeth, it comprised of poached chicken combined with a cream-based sauce that contained not only curry powder, but also tomato puree, wine, lemon and apricot puree. In the 1950’s, it’s not hard to see why this became popular – a touch of luxury (following post-war rationing) combined with a hint of the exotic.
However, while Her Majesty continues to rule with no signs of slowing down, sadly the reign of coronation chicken has faltered over the years.
A far cry from the original version, what we know now as coronation chicken is a pale shadow of its former self – basically chicken drowned in mayonnaise and a dash of curry powder, maybe with sultanas or raisins, and even almonds if one is feeling generous.
[As a side note, can anyone explain to me the British fascination with sultanas and curry? Thankfully we’ve come a long way from watery, jaundice-yellow curries studded with dried fruit!]
Those intervening years are a mystery – a quick search has uncovered no clues as to its evolution (or should that be devolution?). However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it were simply the product of years of simplification and dilution – the smallest common denominator that appeals just enough to the widest audience.
For me however, coronation chicken has as much to do with nostalgia as much as taste (probably more!) and in my view occupies that niche within any cuisine that borders on the kitsch or passé – foods that you secretly like, but think you probably shouldn’t…right up there with prawn cocktail, chicken kievs and chicken and mushroom vol-au-vents among countless others.
At its worst, modern versions of coronation chicken are sweet, cloying and grainy from hastily added curry powder. With this interpretation however, the attempt was to incorporate a Southeast Asian slant to the dish. It maintains the same building blocks of creamy chicken, mayo, fruit and nuts, but alongside the Indian influence I’ve upped the ante with additions of lemongrass and coconut milk for oomph.
The chicken is marinated with the spices and aromatics and pan fried or grilled – this removes the problem of raw curry powder, imparts more flavour to the actual chicken and adds those charred, crispy notes associated with great Asian street food. I did a quick test of grill (left) vs cast iron pan (right). As you can see you get better sear with the pan which also keeps it more succulent, so that’s the winner for me.
Once the chicken is cooked, it’s chopped up and mixed with the rest of the ingredients – yoghurt is added alongside the mayonnaise to lighten the mix and add a bit of tartness, and a hint more garlic and ginger for added kick. A couple of spoons of mango chutney go in for added fruity sweetness.
Lastly, the pickled cucumber and onion added on top balances out the creaminess of the chicken and chopped peanuts are scattered on top for texture and nuttiness.
So there you have it…Coron-Asian chicken – injecting a bit more of Asia into a British classic 🙂
Recipe inspired by Felicity Cloake’s How to cook the perfect coronation chicken via the Guardian.
- 450 grams boneless chicken thighs (about 4)
- 10 grams lemongrass (finely chopped, about 1 small stalk)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salr
- 2 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander (1 small bunch)
- 200 grams cucumber (about half a long one)
- 100 grams red onion (half an onion)
- 250 mililitres white vinegar (1 cup)
- 100 grams white sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons chopped roasted peanuts
- shredded lettuce (optional)
- 1 baguette (or three rolls or bread of your choice)
- *Quick note - Ideally, you’ll want to leave the chicken and pickles marinate/ pickle overnight*
- Plan to marinate the chicken overnight, or at least for a few hours. If your chicken fillets are unever in thickness, trim or flatten them to a uniform thickness (about a couple of cms or an inch) so that they cook evenly.
- Mix the marinade ingredients together and toss well with the chicken to ensure everything is well coated and leave to marinate in the fridge.
- You’ll need to make the pickles ahead of time - allow at least a couple of hours for them to pickle, ideally overnight.
- In a small pan, heat the vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved, then leave to cool. Peel and slice the cucumber and onion thinly and place in a bowl, then pour over the vinegar mixture, stir well and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To cook the chicken, either grill or pan fry for about 10 minutes or until cooked, turning halfway through. When cooked, leave to cool a little, then roughly chop and mix with dressing ingredients. Add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise to start with and taste - if you prefer it a bit thicker and creamier, add the additional tablespoon.
- To serve, fill the baguette or rolls with some lettuce if you like, fill with the chicken mixture, then top with the pickles and peanuts.