Coronation Chicken-style curried chicken with apricot and flaked almonds

Poached chicken tossed in a creamy, gently spiced sauce with mango chutney, apricot and toasted flaked almonds — the 1953 sandwich filling that became a British classic.

Ingredients

• 4 skinless chicken breasts (around 600 g)
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns
• For the sauce: 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 100 ml Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp mango chutney
• 1 tbsp mild curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp tomato purée
• 60 g dried apricots, chopped
• 40 g flaked almonds, toasted
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• To serve: soft white sandwich bread, sliced cucumber, lettuce

Method

1. Poach the chicken. Place in a pan with the bay leaf and peppercorns, cover with cold water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes until just cooked through. Drain, cool, then dice or shred.

2. Toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden. Cool.

3. Make the sauce. Whisk the mayonnaise, yoghurt, mango chutney, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, lemon juice and tomato purée together in a large bowl.

4. Combine. Fold the chicken, apricots and most of the almonds through the sauce. Season. Chill for at least 30 minutes for the flavours to come together.

5. Serve piled into soft white sandwich bread with cucumber and lettuce, or as a salad with rice and lettuce.

Notes

Created by Constance Spry for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation luncheon in 1953.