Easy Coronation Chicken Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/8/23
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Easy Coronation Chicken on a plate

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 4 cups

Coronation Chicken has made something of a comeback with a resurgence of interest in serving it at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, when street parties and celebrations marked the Queen's 60 years on the throne. It was a fitting time to bring back the old classic.

The dish was designed for the official coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 as a representation of the, then, colonial nature of the British Empire, so it includes fruit, curry, and mayonnaise. There may no longer be a British Empire, but this recipe remains a firm favorite all over the British Isles.

Coronation chicken is versatile as well—it's great for lunch boxes, picnics, and buffets. Serve it atop a bed of greens for a luncheon or dinner salad or serve it alongside a tossed salad. It makes a delicious sandwich filling for buns, sandwich bread, croissants, or pita bread. Or serve coronation chicken warm over rice or split baked potatoes.

"The coronation chicken was delicious, with excellent complex flavor. I recommend having all of the ingredients ready before starting. I used boneless chicken breasts, but you could use thighs, legs, or a combination." —Diana Rattray 

coronation chicken recipe/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon mild Indian curry paste

  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste

  • 1 tablespoon red wine

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock

  • 1 medium bay leaf

  • Sea salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 2 cups mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup apricot jam

  • 2 tablespoons double cream, lightly whipped

  • 1 3/4 to 2 pounds cooked chicken, sliced or diced

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Coronation Chicken ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. In a medium skillet, heat the oil on medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently until translucent, lowering the heat as necessary to avoid browning, 3 to 4 minutes.

    Onions in a pan with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant and the mixture is well combined, about 1 minute.

    Onions, curry paste, and tomato paste in a pan with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the red wine, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Return to the stove, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.

    Curry mixture with red wine, chicken stock, and bay leaf in a pan with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Lower the heat to low, stir in the sugar and lemon juice, and continue to simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

    Sugar and lemon juice added to the pan with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Strain the curry sauce into a bowl through a medium mesh strainer. Let cool. Discard the contents of the strainer.

    Strained curry sauce in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Slowly stir the curry sauce into the mayonnaise. Continue to stir until well combined.

    Curry sauce and mayonnaise mixture in a bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Stir in the apricot jam.

    Apricot jam added to the curry mixture in the bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. Fold in the cream.

    Cream added to the curry mixture in a bowl, with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  10. Place the cooked chicken in a large serving bowl. Toss with enough sauce to coat. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

    Chicken combined with the curry mixture on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  11. Garnish with toasted sliced almonds. Serve with a rice salad, or as a delicious filling for baked potatoes, sandwiches, or pitta bread.

    Easy Coronation Chicken on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Try using a rotisserie chicken if you don't want to cook your own chicken.
  • Poached chicken breasts are ideal for coronation chicken, or use a combination of light and dark meat from a whole cooked chicken.



Recipe Variation

  • This recipe also works well with cooked turkey.
  • Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of golden raisins to the coronation chicken.
  • Instead of apricot jam, use mango chutney.

How to Store Coronation Chicken

Refrigerate coronation chicken in a covered container for up to 3 days.



Can I use curry powder instead of Indian curry paste?

If you can't find Indian curry paste—it's usually in the Indian food section of the market—you may replace 1 tablespoon of curry paste with 2 to 3 teaspoons of mild curry powder.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
562 Calories
51g Fat
10g Carbs
15g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 562
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51g 65%
Saturated Fat 9g 47%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 528mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 204mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)