The Ultimate Makeover Coronation Chicken Recipes

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: CORONATION CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large pan, then pour in enough cold water to just cover. Roughly chop one of the onions, drop into the pan with the carrot, tarragon and bay leaves. Cover, bring to the boil, then lower to a gentle simmer for about 1 ¾ hrs or until the chicken is cooked (the legs will fall easily away from the body). Remove from the heat, but leave the chicken in the liquid to cool for about 3 hrs. When cold, lift the chicken out of the stock then strain (skim off any fat from the stock) and keep 200ml for the sauce. Can be done a day ahead and chilled. The excess stock can be chilled the frozen.
• Finely chop the second onion. Heat oil in a small saucepan, tip in the onion and fry until softened and pale golden, about 5-8 mins. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 min, stirring. Pour in the reserved chicken stock, then stir in the tomato purée. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. At the same time, put the apricots in a small pan with enough water to just cover them, then simmer for 15 mins. Drain, reserving 1 tbsp of the liquid. Purée the apricots in a small blender with the reserved liquid then press through a sieve (you should get about 1 tbsp purée). Remove curry sauce from the heat then stir in the sugar. Strain through a sieve, pressing as much through as you can with a wooden spoon, then stir in the lime juice and apricot purée and leave until cold.
• Mix together the mayonnaise and fromage frais, then stir in the cold curry sauce. Season to taste with a good grinding of pepper.
• Cut the spring onions into long, slim slivers, then set aside. If you want them to curl, put into a bowl of iced water while you finish the salad. Remove the skin from the chicken. Strip the meat off the bones in chunky pieces, remove the breasts separately and thickly slice. Gently toss the chicken with the curried sauce, the coriander and most of the mango. Scatter the watercress onto a platter. Spoon the chicken mix on top, tuck in the rest of the mango and finish with a pile of (drained) spring onions.

CORONATION CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the chicken breasts into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 15min or until the chicken is cooked through (slice a breast in half to check). Drain and leave until completely cool.
• Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan and toast the curry powder, stirring, until it smells fragrant (about 30sec). Empty into a large bowl and stir through the next seven ingredients, along with plenty of seasoning.
• Cut or rip the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the mayonnaise mixture, along with most of the flaked almonds and chopped coriander. Stir well and check the seasoning.
• To serve, garnish with remaining almonds and coriander.

CORONATION CHICKEN

Steps:

• Begin by poaching the chicken. Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt, then place in a single layer in a large pot. Add the peppercorns and 1 of the bay leaves. Pour cool water over the chicken until it is covered by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and place on a plate to cool. Shred the chicken, by hand, into large pieces and set aside in a medium bowl.
• Cool the poaching liquid completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container and reserve for another use (see Cook's Note).
• For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darker in color, about 1 minute. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the red wine, 1/4 cup water, mango chutney, lemon juice and remaining bay leaf and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Remove bay leaf.
• Combine the mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl using a rubber spatulate. Add the cooled curry mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to combine.
• To finish the salad, mix the shredded chicken with the dried apricots and sliced almonds. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and gently coat the chicken with the sauce using a rubber spatula. Finish the salad by gently mixing in the cilantro.

CORONATION CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large pot, cook chicken in lightly salted boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut into 1/2-inch strips.
• In a large bowl, stir together chicken strips, raisins, and half of the mango.
• In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, curry powder, chutney, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then toss gently with chicken mixture. Stir in half the nuts. Transfer to a platter, and garnish with remaining mango strips and cashews.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: CHICKEN PIE

Steps:

• Pour the stock and wine into a large, wide frying pan. Add the garlic, thyme, tarragon sprig and carrots, bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 3 mins. Lay the chicken in the stock, grind over some pepper, cover and simmer for 5 mins. Scatter the leek slices over the chicken, cover again then gently simmer for 10 more mins, so the leeks can steam while the chicken cooks. Remove from the heat and let the chicken sit in the stock for about 15 mins, so it keeps moist while cooling slightly.
• Strain the stock into a jug - you should have 500ml (if not, make up with water). Tip the chicken and veg into a 1.5 litre pie dish and discard the herb sprigs. Pour the stock back into the sauté pan, then slowly pour in the cornflour mix. Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the crème fraîche, mustard, chopped tarragon and parsley. Season with pepper. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Tear or cut the chicken into chunky shreds. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture, then stir everything together.
• Cut each sheet of filo into 4 squares or rectangles. Layer them on top of the filling, brushing each sheet with some of the oil as you go. Lightly scrunch up the filo so it doesn't lie completely flat and tuck the edges into the sides of the dish, or lay them on the edges if the dish has a rim. Grind over a little pepper, place the dish on a baking sheet, then bake for 20-25 mins until the pastry is golden and the sauce is bubbling. Serve immediately.