History

According to Wikipedia Coronation Chicken was invented by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume, both principals of the Cordon Blue cookery school in London for the banquet of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Although apparently a version was produced for the Jubilee celebrations of George V in 1935.

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Here is a simple version:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces (about ½ inch)
• 1 cup green grapes cut into half½ cup currents or sultanas                                                            76g or 2.7oz
• ½ cup dried cranberries                                                                                                                   38g or 2.4oz
• 3 tablespoons apricot preserve
• 1 tablespoon sweet curry powder
• Juice of half a lime
• 2 tablespoons sour cream                                                                                                               ½oz or 15g
• 1 cup mayonnaise                                                                                                                           7.8oz or 220g

The real advantage of using the quantities by weight is that you can get your mixing bowl, put it on the scales, zero it, add your first ingredient, zero it again and repeat until all the ingredients are in the bowl all in the correct quantity.

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  Method:

Actually there isn’t one, you just mix all the ingredients together..It is actually best to mix the juice of half a lime, apricot preserve, curry powder, sour cream and mayo together in a large bowl. Then blend in the chicken, grapes and the dried fruit and serve.  

Serves 4  

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Notes:

• This is a great recipe for leftover roast chicken. You can use either dark or white meat or both.
• You can in fact use any combination of dried fruit. Whatever suits you best.
• You will find that the curry tastes slightly different because it is not cooked. Use a curry powder to suit your own taste
• You can substitute mango chutney for the apricot preserve to make it a little bit different.
• Coronation Chicken can be used as a sandwich filler, but for this it is best to cut the chicken into smaller pieces.

 

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Jubilee Chicken  

In 2002 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Golden Jubilee. So then came “Jubilee Chicken”. Basically Jubilee Chicken has all the same ingredients as Coronation Chicken except grated fresh ginger is substituted for the curry powder. This of course gives it a rather more oriental taste.

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Diamond Jubilee Chicken

Then in 2012 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Diamond Jubilee and yes along came Diamond Jubilee Chicken.

Heston Blumenthal, an English celebrity chef is reported to have made Diamond Jubilee Chicken dish as an item in the hamper given to guests of Buckingham Palace attending the concert in front of the palace as part of the Diamond Jubilee  

Jamie Oliver also made one called “Er’s Diamond Jubilee Chicken”which has at least twenty ingredients in it!!   In the UK it is common to celebrate occasions like Jubilees by having a “Street Party”.

All the residents of a street will band together to have a party in the street. There is singing and dancing and of course food and drink. This recipe is very popular for such occasions. Because of its simplicity this is an ideal recipe for the amateur chef.