# Coronation chicken



## BML (Aug 29, 2016)

Probably against my better judgement I have agreed to a Birthday Bash in the form of a Buffett and one of the dishes I suggested is Coronation chicken.  As the event will be in October we thought it best to spread it over two days and there will be about twenty people each day.

I need answers to the following questions as I have never cooked this:
Do I buy a couple of chickens, cook them and pull them to bits or what?
Is it possible to actually buy coronation chicken already made up and if so from where?
There are so many recipes on the internet could any one offer a nice one?
Many thanks.


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## Kayelle (Aug 29, 2016)

Greetings and welcome to Discuss Cooking BML. 

This is a new one on me. As an American, I've never heard Coronation Chicken. Mr. Google gave me lots of recipes along with the explanation... 
Invented for the Coronation banquet of Elizabeth II,  this recipe was originally called Poilet Reine Elizabeth, but quickly  became known as Coronation Chicken.


It sounds delicious to me and I'll be trying it.


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## medtran49 (Aug 29, 2016)

BML said:


> Probably against my better judgement I have agreed to a Birthday Bash in the form of a Buffett and one of the dishes I suggested is Coronation chicken. As the event will be in October we thought it best to spread it over two days and there will be about twenty people each day.
> 
> I need answers to the following questions as I have never cooked this:
> Do I buy a couple of chickens, cook them and pull them to bits or what?
> ...


 
Well, I've never heard of Coronation Chicken, but looked it up and it looks very similar to a recipe that Chef Curtis Grace served in his Ninth Street House, plus his catering business out of Paducah, Ky.  One of the pithy little quotes/sayings in his cookbook is something along the lines of "little old ladies can be rude and shove if we happen to run out of chicken salad at lunch."  It was written firmly with tongue in cheek as a southernism but not actually too far off the mark considering some of the remarks I've heard from little old ladies waiting in line if they have run out.  I know we'd always make sure we got there early so we could have the chicken salad.  The house sweet tea was perfect to go with this and is the first recipe in this link. 

Ninth Street House of Grace Tea

The chicken salad recipe is further down.  

It calls for chicken breasts but I'd always use the whole chicken, cook, cool and shred.  I'm pretty sure the restaurant baked the chicken just from the taste/texture of it, though you could probably boil or pressure cook the chicken too.  

The mayo should be made from scratch OR a very close facsimile.  With a buffet for a lot of people, I'd go for commercially made mayo as close in taste and texture to homemade as possible.  I've always either made it or used Hellman's since that's an American brand that I think is closest to homemade.  

I melt the butter, add the spices and let it cool, then fold into the mayo.  I'm not fond of marjoram but this uses so little combined with the curry that you don't even know it's there and I'm sure it adds something to the overall flavor.  

If I'm making for company, I always keep out some of the grapes and almonds to garnish the top so it looks pretty.


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## medtran49 (Aug 29, 2016)

Oh, skip the paprika and I don't usually use all the parsley either but regardless it must be finely minced or it gives an odd mouth feel.


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## expatgirl (Aug 29, 2016)

curry powder and chicken......always a great combo and as an American you can't go wrong with Hellman's mayo.....good luck with your "crowning" moment


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## Aunt Bea (Aug 29, 2016)

This is a nice recipe, similar to Coronation Chicken, that I have made in the past.  The recipe is from the Bush Family Cookbook, pages 82 and 83.  I really like the presentation in a pineapple rooster.

https://books.google.com/books?id=QFLvIE4JKFgC&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=bush+family+cookbook+curried+chicken+salad&source=bl&ots=hHfb4s1SGJ&sig=MLgTBbpCmimq_C9F3ftZ7amqtXk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0-5-unufOAhXBKCYKHQg3DvIQ6AEIKDAB#v=onepage&q=bush%20family%20cookbook%20curried%20chicken%20salad&f=false

If you are pressed for time you could probably make this with a couple of plain rotisserie chickens from the grocery store.  

Whatever recipe you decide on make a small practice batch before the big event to be sure that you are comfortable with the recipe.

Good luck!


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## BML (Aug 29, 2016)

Many thanks for the advice which I have not really read properly yet but I will in the morning.

I have just looked on the internet for a “Coronation Chicken” recipe and the first one was missing a number of items that an apprentice cook needs.  In my case I need an idiot proof recipe. 

1.	Heat oil in saucepan, add the chopped onion, cover and saute gently for 5 minutes until the onion is soft but not brown.

What sort of oil and how much?

2.	Stir in the curry powder and cook for another two minutes, this will help bring out the flavour.

How much curry powder?

3.	Add the stock, tomato puree, lemon juice and chutney.

What sort of stock and how much of it.  The same questions goes for the tomato puree, lemon juice and chutney?

4.	Stir until bubbling, then cook for 5 minutes and the mixture reduces and thickens.

5.	Allow to cool for half an hour or so, then stir in the mayonnaise and cream.

How much mayonnaise, what sort of cream and how much of it?

6.	Add chicken (which should be chopped into reasonable sized chunks) and mix thoroughly.

What sort of chicken, a whole chicken stripped down or chicken breasts and what way should they be cooked?  Then there is the amount of chicken needed to allow for ten helpings at a buffet?


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## Kayelle (Aug 29, 2016)

youtube.com is your friend ....

Try this one...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bob6jJTjlqk


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## GotGarlic (Aug 29, 2016)

You don't necessarily want to use the first search result. A good recipe will include a list of ingredients as well as the method. The more search terms you use, the better your results will be. 

Try this one: http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/recipes/coronation-chicken1


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## Cooking Goddess (Aug 29, 2016)

Hi, *BML*. I've never heard of Coronation Chicken until you brought it up, but among other choices I found a recipe on the New York Times. I find their recipes to be clearly explained and easy to follow, so you might want to add this version to the recipes you are considering. Good luck with the event, and if you remember, tell us how it all turned out.

*Coronation Chicken Salad*


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## expatgirl (Aug 30, 2016)

have a good time and enjoy!


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## CakePoet (Sep 1, 2016)

We use  precooked chicken from the store when we do coronation chicken,  my Scottish father in law gave  me the recipe he uses and  it very basic, does have  mango chutney  in it  and no lemon juice ( due do my allergies) and it really yummy.


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## Addie (Sep 1, 2016)

Cooking Goddess said:


> Hi, *BML*. I've never heard of Coronation Chicken until you brought it up, but among other choices I found a recipe on the New York Times. I find their recipes to be clearly explained and easy to follow, so you might want to add this version to the recipes you are considering. Good luck with the event, and if you remember, tell us how it all turned out.
> 
> *Coronation Chicken Salad*



Can't get any clearer instructions than this recipe. Good find CG.


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## di reston (Sep 1, 2016)

Coronation was 'designed' (!) to provide a third course of one of the coronation banquets of Queen Elizabeth II, where etiquette required a cold third course, which in those days, not only at Buckingham Palace's state banquets but also the banquets of the upper aristocracy on State occasions. It had to be poultry. The first course would be soup in the French style - and, back then, the chefs would all have trained at the Cordon Bleu School of Cookery in Paris - so the menu would have been designed to conform with the formalities of the time - then fish, then poultry, not game, then two main courses, red meat or fish like turbot, followed by English strawberries, which have a wonderful taste. Etiquette required, then as it is today, something that the majority of guests were happy and yet suitable for an occasion of high state like the coronation of the queen of the Commonwealth countries. Of course,  these things of State are slightly less formal these, but back then, Coronation Chicken was an amazingly impressive surprise - who would have seen the Queen eating curry back then! I think it went quickly out of fashion because of the pale imitations and cheap versions that suddenly appeared, first because the British weren't used to that kind, and secondly because the cheap versions didn't taste very good! Any way, here is the recipe:

2 young roasting chickens, poached in homemade stock
1 bouquet garni
salt and pepper
Cream of curry sauce:

1 tbs canola
20z onion finely chopped
1 dessertful curry powder, like the one you used to get
1 tsp tomato puree
1 wineglass dry red wine
3/4 glass water
1 bay leaf
salt, sugar, pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste (fresh)
1 - apricot purèe
34 pint mayonnaise (Helmann's is perfect)
2-3 lightly whipped cream
A little extra cream
Cook the chicken, take the meat off the bones and shred
Make up the sauce in the order of the ingredients, but heat the curry powder in hot oil first. Check everything for taste as you go. Combine the chicken with the sauce. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.

di reston

Enough is never as good as a feast   Oscar Wilde


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## Kayelle (Sep 2, 2016)

OK, maybe this is a dumb question, but in every recipe here, it's called for a small amount of "tomato puree". What exactly is that in "American English"?

 Is it tomato paste like in the tube or can, or maybe tomato sauce? What the heck is "tomato puree"?


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## CakePoet (Sep 2, 2016)

It is tomato paste, it is a much thicker more condensed form of tomatoes then tomato sauce.

I have learned a lot  of difference between UK and USA cooking terms by  using the wrong things.


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## di reston (Sep 2, 2016)

Also described as 'tomato concentrate', and it comes in tubes, like 'tomato paste paste'. I sent what the recipe said, but going back to those days, it would have actually been 'tomato paste', and a little goes a long way. You're quite right, though, it's easy to trip up over terms!

di reston

Enough is never as good as a feast   Oscar Wilde


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## Mad Cook (Sep 2, 2016)

BML said:


> Probably against my better judgement I have agreed to a Birthday Bash in the form of a Buffett and one of the dishes I suggested is Coronation chicken.  As the event will be in October we thought it best to spread it over two days and there will be about twenty people each day.
> 
> I need answers to the following questions as I have never cooked this:
> Do I buy a couple of chickens, cook them and pull them to bits or what?
> ...


I've been making coronation chicken for years. It was originally made for a "do" to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's coronation by  (NOT as frequently stated, for the actual coronation feast) by Constance Spry   and Rosemary Hume, principals of the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London

It's simple to make. Personally I'd buy whole chickens and cook them myself (you could buy ready cooked chicken but it's more expensive and you'd have to be sure of the quality). Some recipes demand the breast only but as it is coated in a curry sauce it's unlikely that anyone would notice the presence of meat from the rest of the bird. Ideally the chicken is poached but if you prefer you could roast it.

OK - The recipe. I can't find my recipe as the books are still in store but this is as near as ******. I don't think I use tomato puree but it's up to you.

*INGREDIENTS* 


SERVINGS 8 UNITS US
4 cooked chicken breasts (Cooked and cut into bite-sized chunks)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1⁄4 pint chicken stock
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1⁄2 lemon, juice of (I think I use lime juice - fresh of course - and the zest goes into the mayo mixture)
2 tablespoons mango chutney (or Apricot Jam) 
1⁄2 pint mayonnaise
3 tablespoons double cream (Thick)

*** (called tomato paste in the US, I think. It's a concentrated form of cooked tomatoes with (sometimes) salt. NOT canned tomatoes or passata which are too wet)***

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in saucepan, add the chopped onion, cover and saute gently for 5 minutes until the onion is soft but not brown.

Stir in the curry powder and cook for another two minutes, this will help bring out the flavour.

Add the stock, tomato puree, lemon juice and chutney.

Stir until bubbling, then cook for 5 minutes and the mixture reduces and thickens.

Allow to cool completely, then stir in the mayonnaise and cream.

Add chicken (which should be cut into reasonable sized chunks not "shredded") and mix throughly.

Keep chilled until ready to put out on the buffet table for service.

Enjoy.

Coronation chicken can be very nasty when you buy it in a pot for making sandwiches but home-made with care it is very good.

Bon Appetit!


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## Mad Cook (Sep 2, 2016)

NB Di Reston's versions uses red wine which I wouldn't recommend as it will discolour the sauce. If using wine use white.


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## di reston (Sep 2, 2016)

My submission is the version I found (I'm afraid I'm not very good at putting text on the computer). I have to say, that the red wine was in the recipe I found, and I thought it seemed a bit strange. Would you actually put in white wine, or would you change a thing or to to make the recipe more appealing?

Do let me know how you get along with it, what you did, and how it worked. I'd be interested to know. An Italian would put a recipe like that in the trash bin!

di reston

Enough is never as good as a feast  Oscar Wilde


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## Mad Cook (Sep 8, 2016)

di reston said:


> My submission is the version I found (I'm afraid I'm not very good at putting text on the computer). I have to say, that the red wine was in the recipe I found, and I thought it seemed a bit strange. Would you actually put in white wine, or would you change a thing or to to make the recipe more appealing?
> 
> Do let me know how you get along with it, what you did, and how it worked. I'd be interested to know. An Italian would put a recipe like that in the trash bin!
> 
> ...


To be honest I've never thought about wine in C/chicken. If I did use it ( perhaps to thin down the sauce?) I'd probably use white wine - or perhaps white vermouth?


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## Kayelle (Sep 8, 2016)

Mad Cook said:


> To be honest I've never thought about wine in C/chicken. If I did use it ( perhaps to thin down the sauce?) I'd probably use white wine - or perhaps white vermouth?



I love cooking with wine and sometimes I put it in food. 
When I made C/chicken a few days ago, I used white wine and we both thought it was delicious. The story didn't end well in the middle of the night after dinner. Unlike some people, I'll spare everyone from too much information! Let's just say, I promised the Sous Chef I won't make it again.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 8, 2016)

I feel the need to head to Costco for a rotisserie chicken...It's a three hour drive...


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## Roll_Bones (Sep 24, 2016)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I feel the need to head to Costco for a rotisserie chicken...It's a three hour drive...



Thats a shame.  Our issue is we have no Publix around us except for several stores about 15-20 miles away range.
I will drive that far for fresh baked bread when I must.
But I don't like too!

Costco is 10 miles or more, but its all freeway driving for the most part.


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## RPCookin (Sep 25, 2016)

Our closest grocery store is 20 miles away on 2 lane blacktop.  The closest decent store (Safeway) is an hour away.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 25, 2016)

RPCookin said:


> Our closest grocery store is 20 miles away on 2 lane blacktop.  The closest decent store (Safeway) is an hour away.



10 miles to the closest, about an hour to Scottsbluff, Nebraska.  I've only been to the SuperWallyworld for groceries, they tell me there are other grocery stores, but can't be seen from the highway.  I should explore the Bluffs better...


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## RPCookin (Sep 26, 2016)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> 10 miles to the closest, about an hour to Scottsbluff, Nebraska.  I've only been to the SuperWallyworld for groceries, they tell me there are other grocery stores, but can't be seen from the highway.  I should explore the Bluffs better...



We have a Walmart (hate that place for food) and 2 smaller grocery stores (okay and preferred to Walmart, but limited stock) 20 minutes away in Sterling.  That's why we will do the hour each way to Sidney NE to Safeway about once a month.  We watch the ads online and go when there are a few things that we want.


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## Mad Cook (Sep 26, 2016)

RPCookin said:


> We have a Walmart (hate that place for food) and 2 smaller grocery stores (okay and preferred to Walmart, but limited stock) 20 minutes away in Sterling.  That's why we will do the hour each way to Sidney NE to Safeway about once a month.  We watch the ads online and go when there are a few things that we want.


"Ecky-thump" as they say in Lancashire! And I complain about a 15 minute _*walk *_to the nearest shops!


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## RPCookin (Sep 26, 2016)

Mad Cook said:


> "Ecky-thump" as they say in Lancashire! And I complain about a 15 minute _*walk *_to the nearest shops!



LOL... to walk to the closest store would be a full day, and that's just to get there.  It would be another day to get home again, and that's without anything to carry.  There was a time when Fleming had a couple of grocery stores, a drug store - even a movie theater.  That was back in the 1920's, when a lot of folks around here were still in horse-drawn wagons. 

I know that my father-in-law has no memory of the drug store being open since he  moved to Fleming in about 1947. He is 93, and grew up just 6 miles east of here in Daley.  Grocery stores have tried to make it a couple of times in the last 30 years, but never lasted long.  We have a pub and restaurant on Main Street that's open 4 days a week, the Farmer's Co-op grain elevator where we get our gas (petrol), and that's it for retail in town.

This is my wife's grandfather - he farmed with horses until he retired and passed the farm to my father-in-law about 1949:


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