We were looking for a sandwich filling as an alternative to ham when we saw the coronation chicken pots. When you buy prepared food it is often not as good for you as when it is homemade. So what better than a homemade healthy coronation chicken recipe.
About Coronation Chicken
Coronation Chicken was invented for the late Queen’s Coronation back in 1953. It is a chicken meat dish made from an Indian inspired creamy curry sauce. As well as having coronation chicken sandwiches you could have it in a wrap. Alternatively you could have the coronation chicken with salad or on a jacket potato. Then there’s the option to have it with rice or Bombay potatoes. Plus as coronation chicken contains apricots and/or sultanas it is also a good way to get fruit into the diet!
Once made it can be stored in the fridge for 2/3 days or frozen for a later date (up to 2 months). If you do freeze it then please make sure it is defrosted thoroughly before consumption, and give it a good stir.
How to Make Healthy Homemade Coronation Chicken
This Coronation Chicken recipe is one adapted from Liana’s Kitchen (see here for the original). There’s also a wealth of other recipe ideas so please do check out that blog!
On that post it is stated that you can use the recipe to make use of leftover chicken. However, leftovers isn’t currently a thing in my house but this may change when the boys leave home!
Ingredients for Making Coronation Chicken
Some of these ingredients are optional or can be swapped for alternatives. For example instead of the Crème Fraiche and Greek Yoghurt you can use the equivalent amount of mayonnaise.
- 3 Chicken Breasts
- 50% Less Fat Crème Fraiche 300ml
- Greek Yoghurt 150g
- 2 teaspoons of mild curry powder
- Ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
- Mango chutney (1 tablespoon)
- Lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
- Chopped apricots 140g (optional and/or sultanas)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Optional chopped fresh coriander
- Bay leaves (optional)
- Peppercorns (optional)
- Water (to poach the chicken breasts)
Equipment
This recipe is so simple that if your chicken is already cooked you will actually only need two things – a bowl and spoon!!
- Pan (if poaching the chicken)
- Bowl
- Spoon
Method
The Liana’s Kitchen recipe recommends poaching the chicken which I had never done before! They were right though it turned out delicious!
Poaching the Chicken Breasts
- Simply place your chicken breasts in a pan with optional bay leaves and peppercorns.
- Then add water to cover the chicken breasts with 1 or 2 inches to spare.
- Next there is the option to gently season the water with salt and pepper.
- Bring to the boil and reduce the heat – simmering for 15-20 minutes or until cooked.
- Turn off the heat but leave the chicken breasts in the water allowing to cool down.
- Once cooled down then drain it from the liquid. Finally it can be shredded or diced before adding to the coronation chicken sauce.
- Note the sauce can be made whilst the chicken breasts are cooling.
Making the Coronation Chicken Sauce
It is really easy to make Coronation Chicken sauce – simply mix in your bowl the 300ml of Crème Fraiche with the 150g of Greek Yoghurt. Add in your 2 teaspoons of mild curry powder and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix this together until well combined.
You may want to play around with the amount of curry powder and cinnamon because even these small amounts our son found it was too cinnamon heavy. Alternatively you can also use curry paste.
Next you want to stir in 1 tablespoon of mango chutney, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and any salt and pepper to season.
This is then when you will add your cooked chicken. Mix until it is well combined.
Here is where you have the option to add apricots and/or sultanas. The original recipe doesn’t say an amount but I used the whole bag and this seemed to work okay!
Finally you have the option to stir in some fresh coriander!
Check out my blog category for more recipes