Recipes

Coronation Chicken Salad

  • Serves

    makes about 6 cups

MICHAEL KRAUS

Made for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation lunch, in 1953, this curry powder- and mango chutney-laced chicken salad has been wildly popular in Britain ever since. This recipe first appeared in our April 2011 special Sandwich Issue with the article Salad Days.

Ingredients

  • 10 whole black peppercorns
  • 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
  • 2 yellow onions (1 roughly chopped, 1 finely chopped)
  • 1 (4-lb.) whole chicken
  • 1 (3″) piece ginger, peeled (2″ thinly sliced, 1″ finely chopped)
  • 1 leek, roughly chopped
  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 2 cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 star anise
  • 12 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 12 orange, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp. curry powder
  • 14 cup flour
  • 14 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp. currants
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped dried apricots
  • 1 14 cups mayonnaise
  • 12 cup Greek-style yogurt
  • 14 cup mango chutney
  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 12 cup slivered toasted almonds

Instructions

Step 1

Place peppercorns, celery, roughly chopped onion, chicken, thinly sliced ginger, leek, halved garlic head, star anise, lemon, orange, and salt in a 6-qt. saucepan; add water, covering ingredients by 1″. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour. Remove saucepan from heat and let cool. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Pour stock through a fine strainer into a 4-qt. saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Let cool. Meanwhile, remove meat from chicken and tear into thick strips, discarding skin and bones; refrigerate.

Step 2

To make the sauce, heat butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 3–5 minutes. Add curry powder, cook for 2 minutes, and stir in flour. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add reduced stock and bring to a boil; cook, stirring constantly, until thick, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Pour sauce through a fine strainer into a large bowl and discard solids. Stir currants and apricots into sauce, and let cool. Add mayonnaise, yogurt, chutney, and lemon juice to cooled sauce, season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Add chicken to cooled sauce, and toss to combine; refrigerate. Add almonds just before serving.

Continue to Next Story

Want more SAVEUR?

Get our favorite recipes, stories, and more delivered to your inbox.