Royal Recipes – Coronation Chicken is the first star of the new 15-part food programme on BBC 1. This newly commissioned series is based around Royal food and the Royal family and is presented by Michael Buerk.

Episode 1 of Series 1 takes a look at Coronations and the food served at Coronation Feasts and Banquets.

The first recipe tackled was a Royal Recipe for Coronation Chicken.  Originally created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, it’s changed over the years and is now more of a chicken in curry sauce.

Paul Ainsworth cooked up a modern version of Coronation chicken – after which Michael Buerk and Paul tasted both to see how they compared.  No measurements for ingredients were provided in the programme itself.

To make Paul Ainsworth’s Coronation Chicken:

1. Poach chicken breasts in coconut milk with lemon grass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, chicken stock and a little salt.  These were brought up to temperature and then simmered for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, he sweated down sliced/chopped white onions and added turmeric, mango chutney, curry powder to them.  He then ladled a ladle of the chicken poaching stock into the onion/curry mix and that then had to be reduced down until it was a paste (he didn’t say how long that takes, but any reduction isn’t quick!).
3. The paste then needs to be cooled.  Once cool it can be added to a mayonnaise and yogurt mix.

To Serve Coronation Chicken: 

• Take a chicken breast and carve it into thick slices, keeping it still as a breast, lay the breast on a plate. Repeat for a second chicken breast.
• Spoon the cold curry mayonnaise yoghurt mix on top, don’t drown the chicken as you still need to be able to taste the flavours of the poaching sauce.
• Top with some fresh coriander and a few toasted almonds.

Compare the Original Recipe to the Modern Twist:

The original Coronation chicken recipe was quite rich and included red wine, which gives it a pink look – it was invented by Rosemary Hume.  Michale and Paul both felt that the original recipe tasted a bit bland and that the fattiness of the mayonnaise wasn’t very pleasing.

For the modern twist the flavours of the chicken poaching milk came through.  They both preferred the modern version, with Michael Buerk saying “If there’s something that’s improved over the years, it’s Coronation Chicken”

You don’t have to go to these lengths, though, check out these: Coronation Chicken Recipes – easier and quicker recipes.

Image taken from BBC footage