Coronation Chicken Salad
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Coronation Chicken Salad is an iconic dish that was served at the coronation luncheon in 1953 for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth ll. There are many variations for this Indian-inspired, curried chicken salad, but I like this one the best!
I got this variation of a recipe for coronation chicken from a chalet girl. So what do chalet girls, India, and the Queen’s coronation have to do with chicken salad?
How I Learned About Coronation Chicken Salad
When I was living in London, my dad came to visit me. We took a trip to Paris and Val D’Isere, in the Alps, to go skiing. (This post was originally published on August 20th, 2012)
We stayed in a chalet with mostly British visitors, and the chalet girls were all British Sloane Rangers.
The chalet girls cooked breakfast and supper every day and were all well trained at either Swiss, London, or Parisian cooking schools.
When they were done with their cooking and cleaning duties, they were able to spend the rest of the day skiing.
Wistful thoughts of skiing all day, all season long, began to plague me. But alas, I had a real job, a life in London, and was only on a two-week holiday.
One day we were served chicken coronation salad, which was first created for Queen Elizabeth ll for her coronation in 1953. It was so delicious, and I asked for the recipe.
Fortunately, the girls must have gotten lots of requests for their recipes because they’d printed a little paper cookbook with some hand-drawn illustrations. For 5 pounds I got a copy, and have made many dishes from it ever since.
Who Invented Coronation Chicken?
Angela Wood helped to invent the dish after spending days perfecting the recipe. It was originally named Poulet Reine Elizabeth, or chicken Queen Elizabeth.
The coronation chicken salad recipe was first served during the Queen’s coronation banquet in 1953.
Since the inventors clearly did so with a nod to the British Raj in India, coronation chicken is believed to have been inspired by the jubilee chicken created for George V, the Emperor of India, in 1935.
Coronation Chicken Salad Ingredients
For a coronation salad, curry powder is a necessity! Depending on your curry powder, you can add more or less to your coronation chicken salad. Let your taste buds decide. I tend to use a medium curry powder, but you can also get mild or hot.
The addition of the Major Grey’s chutney gives it a certain nuance, but there can be very large chunks. Chop the big pieces up a bit.
Sometimes I switch it up by adding raisins, apples, or cashews to the chicken salad.
Coronation chicken salad can be served as sandwich filling, or on a bed of lettuce for a low-carb lunch.
Perfect Tea Sandwich Filling!
Coronation chicken salad is perfect as a filling for delicate tea sandwiches. If you will be using it for tea sandwiches, you’ll want to chop the chicken, grapes and almonds into smaller pieces. Use a soft white bread and trim the crusts. Here is more information on how to make tea sandwiches.
Coronation History
My dad was in London for the coronation. Well, not there in Westminster Abbey, but there, with millions of others on the mall.
I still have some of the coronation souvenirs he brought back. This commemorative cup and saucer are from the May 12th, 1937 coronation that never happened!
Edward the Vlll abdicated in December of 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, but by then, the date had been set, and the china cast. The dinner plate from Elizabeth’s coronation, which of course did go off without a hitch, is also in my collection.
She’s now the longest-reigning monarch in Britain’s long history. The Winston Churchill toby jar is one of my favorite pieces. Naturally, Winston was there for both the abdication and the subsequent coronation. For King Charles’s Coronation, Coronation Quiche was served.
How to Make Chicken Coronation Salad
What is in coronation chicken salad? It’s chicken, mayo, curry powder, chutney, grapes, and other seasonings.
To get started on this royal salad, start by dicing up any of the large pieces of chutney.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat until oil shimmers. Add chopped shallots and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add curry powder and mustard, to allow it to “bloom” for another minute or two, while stirring.
Turn off heat and add chutney, apricot jam, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
In a food processor or blender and pulse the curry, shallot, chutney, jam mixture to make a smooth paste.
In a bowl, mix diced chicken, almonds, grapes and curried mayonnaise mixture.
Serve as a filling in a sandwich or on a bed of lettuce for a lower carb or gluten-free option.
Chicken Salad is a Great Idea For Leftover Chicken
Chicken salad is nothing new for sure. It’s the perfect way to add moisture to an otherwise dry chicken or (turkey) breast.
Even though I prefer dark poultry for flavor when eating a plain bird, I always opt for white breast meat when making a chicken salad.
This coronation chicken salad recipe, or any chicken salad recipe, is also perfect for leftover turkey, making it particularly popular around the holidays.
Do you love chicken salads as much as I do? Then check out my Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad for a great fall salad.
Apricot Almond Tarragon Chicken Salad is another salad, perfect in the summer.
Coronation Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoons oil neutral flavored, a mild olive oil or coconut oil.
- 3 Tablespoons shallot diced. (1 medium).
- 2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder use more or less depending on your taste.
- 2 tablespoons Major Grey chutney dice any large pieces.
- 3 Tablespoons apricot jam
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 ounces chicken breast meat cooked, cubed or shredded. (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup red or green grapes halved
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped raw almonds
Instructions
- Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced shallots and saute briefly, 1-2 minutes. Add curry powder and mustard, and stir another minute. Remove from heat.
- Dice any large pieces of chutney. Add chutney, apricot jam, lemon juice, salt and pepper to shallots and curry mixture.
- In a food processor or blender pulse or blend chutney/curry mixture with the mayonnaise until a smooth paste. Check seasoning, adding additional salt, black pepper, lemon juice or curry powder to taste if needed.
- In a bowl, fold in chicken, curried mayonnaise, grapes and almonds. Remember that the addition of the chicken, grapes and almonds will dilute the flavor, so re-season accordingly.
- Serve as a filling in a sandwich or on a bed of lettuce for a lower carb or gluten free option.
I love this chicken salad! Usually, I make the Beyond the Grave chicken salad recipe from a Mary Kay Andrew’s book, but I had some chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken that was slightly less than I needed for that one.
I served the Coronation Chicken salad on toasted croissants and it was delicious!
Thank you posting it!
I’ve never put it on croissants, but that would be next level!
It was delicious, but my husband wanted me to tone down the spice next time. I may cut back on the curry powder. I did include, in addition to the grapes, sultanas and cashews.
Have you tried using a mild curry powder? What kind of curry powder did you use?
I made this chicken salad to eat for lunch this week. It’s so good! I didn’t have grapes so I used golden raisins that I rehydrated. it was delicious! I’m definitely making this again! Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks so much Allison! I do the same as well!
Very good and a “keeper” recipe. However I will make a few adjustments the next time I make it. It was too sweet, so I’ll reduce (or leave out) the apricot jam. It also needed some “crunch”…I’ll add some celery next time as well.
Thanks Leslie! Traditionally major greys chutney would be used which isn’t as sweet as apricot jam. You could try that? Were the almonds not enough crunch for you?
I was three years old at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 … I have a photograph of me, along the route, waving my Union Jack. Perhaps, I saw your dad, Cynthia!
I often make this delicious Coronation chicken recipe, when the pulled rotisserie chicken starts building up in the freezer. I like to serve it in a bed of lettuce, with tomatoes and cucumbers … or, for high tea, alongside cucumber sandwiches, and scones. A few times, I tried less expensive mango chutney… but, Major Grey is the only way to go. I sometimes use homemade garam masala, instead of curry powder.
Enter.
I love this delicious salad! It’s easy to make and a big hit whenever I serve it. I haven’t made any variations but the suggestions in the above reviews are good ideas! Thank you for posting this recipe.
I would love to try the Coronation Chicken Salad Recipe. It seems easy and I’m sure it’s delicious!