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We feel conflicted about coronation chicken. On the one hand, it’s associated with the royal family, which is, increasingly, not something a lot of people (or indeed sandwiches), want. On the other hand, it tastes fantastic. Curried mayonnaise = good. Chicken = good. Yet, it’s also a filling with high ‘glass counter potential’. Metal tray sandwich shops require frequent visitation to prevent the sandwich-filling a
quarium from becoming a problem. There are many great additions to mayonnaise; a crust is not among them.
What the coronation chicken sandwich deserves is liberation. Why should her perspiration continue to line cardboard triangles? Why should she be at the mercy of journalists, elbowed into endless Christmas leftovers listicles? Coronation chicken is a sandwich that is simply good to eat for lunch, either made from scratch, or with a bit of leftover chicken from a roast. If she were given a gastropub makeover as ‘slow-roasted Poulet de Bresse with spiced Cacklebean-yolk mayo’ you’d lap it up, and you know it.
Sultanas in coronation chicken: yay or nay?
There are a few options and they are: sliced white bloomer, a soft sourdough/yeast hybrid, a non-aggressive wholemeal or a crusty baguette. The key, really, is freshness. Perhaps this goes without saying but since we’re here: your bread should be absolutely newborn. If you’re using a baguette, why not give it a little warm through in a low oven? Treat yourself.
Leftover chicken works incredibly well and allows for a second dose of pleasure from your roast. However, we also love to make CC with poached chicken breast (method below) because it reliably swerves dryness. While we do not endorse the addition of sultanas or flaked almonds - neither belong in a sandwich - our writer of tomorrow’s paid newsletter, Stuart Heritage, disagrees.Â
Coronation Chicken Sandwich
Serves 2 This is our go-to CC sandwich. The mango chutney adds a little sweetness, the nuggets of onion their characteristic bite and the herbs a fragrance that lifts this filling to something beyond the average.
2 raw chicken breasts or 2 handfuls of shredded leftover roast chicken
Chicken stock, if poaching the chicken
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yoghurt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon mango chutney
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
Sliced cucumber
Squeeze lemon juice
If poaching the chicken, combine the breasts with the chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Turn the heat off, cover and allow to rest for 4 minutes more before checking for doneness - this will depend on the size of your chicken breasts.
Combine the mayonnaise, yoghurt, curry powder, garam masala, mango chutney, coriander, red onion and lemon juice and mix well. Dice the chicken and add it to the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and adjust seasoning/add more lemon juice or spice as necessary.
Pile into your chosen bread, and eat.
Coronation Cauli Fritter Sandwich
Serves 2Â Use something sturdy for this one, to contain the fritters. We used a fluffy flatbread (recipe in our Mergwich newsletter) flavoured with nigella seeds, which was excellent. White bread, baguette, focaccia or even a brown bap will work.
Bread of your choice
Cauliflower Fritters
½ a large cauliflower, small leaves and florets separated
2 teaspoons garam masalaÂ
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
70g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
Oil, for frying
Curried Mayo
1 tablespoon curry powder
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yoghurtÂ
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander
1 teaspoon mango chutney, plus a bit extra
Quick Pickled Red Onions
½ red onion, finely sliced
75ml rice vinegar
175ml hot tap water
2.5 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Make the quick pickled red onions by combining all the ingredients and mixing well. Set aside.
Make the mayo by combining the mayonnaise, curry powder, yoghurt, garam masala, coriander, lemon juice and mango chutney and mixing well.
Cook the cauliflower florets and leaves for 3 minutes in boiling salted water, then drain and rinse under cold water.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and mix in the curry powder. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs, then mix well. Add the florets and leaves and mix to coat.
Heat oil for deep frying to a temperature of a 180C. Deep fry the leaves and florets for a couple of minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
Make the sandwich by spreading one side of the baguette lengths generously with the curried mayo. Top with the hot fritters and a scattering of pickled onions, plus a spoonful more mango chutney, if you like.
Coronation Chickpea Sandwich
Serves 2 You will remember that we also used chickpeas in place of tuna in our tuna melt newsletter and they also make a fantastic substitute for chicken here. Let’s all appreciate the versatility of chickpeas. We tried a variation on this using crispy roasted chickpeas as a garnish, which only served to cement our belief that ‘crispy’ (read: dry) roasted chickpeas aren’t actually very nice. This is just a brilliant sandwich without them.
Coronation Chickpeas
Your choice of bread
1 tin chickpeas, drainedÂ
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
Small squeeze of lemon juice
1 tablespoon mango chutney
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander
Sliced cucumber
Quick Pickled Red Onions
½ red onion, finely sliced
75ml rice vinegar
175ml hot tap water
2.5 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Combine all the quick pickle ingredients, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Mash the drained chickpeas and combine with all the other filling ingredients (except the cucumber) and season well.
To make the sandwiches, spread a generous layer of the chickpea mixture onto the bread and top with cucumber slices and pickled onions. Serve immediately.