Classic Coronation Chicken | Don't Go Bacon My Heart (2024)

Here I’ll show you how to make Coronation Chicken in the easiest and most delicious way possible!

Coronation chicken is an absolute British classic. There’s a few different ways to make and serve it, but today I’ll show you how I make mine. I’ve kept its traditional roots in tact so if you’re new to this dish you’re in safe hands 😉. Follow me…

Coronation Chicken

When I tell you this stuff is running through my veins I truly mean it. This is actually one of the first recipes I ever made, and it’s still one I make to this day. Just quickly, for those new around here:

What is Coronation Chicken?

Coronation chicken is a cold chicken salad, most commonly served as a sandwich filler, but can also be seen in leafy salads and baked potatoes. It’s believed to have been created in the 1950s when it was created and served to Elizabeth II at a banquet.

What does Coronation Chicken taste like?

Coronation chicken has a really unique flavour. It’s creamy yet tangy and fruity yet savoury.

Coronation Chicken Sauce

I’m a firm believer that coronation chicken should have a saucy consistency. As such, it’s important that the sauce itself is full of flavour. Here’s what you’ll need:

Coronation Sauce Ingredients

• Mayo – Full fat whole egg mayo for a fuller flavour.
• Greek Yogurt – Many recipes actually use all mayonnaise, but I find it far too rich and heavy. As such I like to go 50/50 with mayo and yogurt.
• Curry Powder – I’m a sucker for spice, but here you really want more of the flavour from the curry powder, not so much the spice. As such I usually go for mild curry powder.
• Mango Chutney – This is a crucial ingredient. It adds fruitiness, tanginess and sweetness to the sauce, all of which are essential in coronation chicken.
• Lemon Juice – Livens up the sauce.

I like to make the sauce separate then incorporate it with everything else. This way you get more of an even distribution of ingredients and can easily adjust seasoning if needed. You can also make the sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge until needed!

How to make Coronation Chicken

Once the sauce is ready to rock and roll it’s all plain sailing from there. For the chicken itself you’ll want to use rotisserie chicken. That or you can fry up some chicken breasts, leave to cool and dice up from there. In both cases though it’s important the chicken is cold or room temp. If it’s still warm it’ll make the sauce go gloopy.

Coronation Chicken Fillings

• Chicken – discussed above.
• Coriander/Cilantro – This adds a nice burst of flavour and compliments the curry powder really well.
• Spring Onion – Spring onion is great because it offers a light onion flavour without overpowering. It also has a subtle texture which works great here.
• Sultanas – These are essential for coronation chicken. Can sub raisins.
• Flakes Almonds – These adds a nice crunch. Can omit for allergy reasons.

Can I make Coronation Chicken ahead of time?

Yep! You’ll find making ahead of time will actually allow the flavours to marry a little more. Just be aware as it rests it becomes less saucy, where the chicken begins to soak up the sauce.

How long does Coronation Chicken last in the fridge?

This depends on how long you’ve had the cooked chicken for. Chicken cooked the day of making this means the coronation chicken will comfortably last 3 days tightly covered in the fridge, longer at your discretion.

Serving Coronation Chicken

There’s a few different ways you can serve coronation chicken. Typically you’ll find it in two contexts here in the UK. First is in a sandwich filler, often found in supermarkets. Second is at a baguette/sandwich shop or some sort of deli. If you’re serving it in a sandwich I recommend Giraffe or Tiger Bread (something with a nice crust) and only add iceberg lettuce and butter. That’s how I always serve mine. You don’t need anything else!

Two other ways to serve coronation chicken are on a baked potato or with a leafy salad. Heck just grab a spoon already, I’m starving! 🤪

For more coronation recipes check out my Coronation Chicken Curry and Coronation Chicken Pasta Salad!
For another classic sandwich filler check out my Chicken Tikka Sandwich Filler!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this coronation chicken shall we?!

How to make Coronation Chicken(Full Recipe & Video)

If you loved this Coronation Chicken recipe then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!