Delia Smith Coronation Chicken Recipe

Delia Smith’s coronation chicken is her curried chicken salad made with cooked chicken folded into a creamy dressing of mayonnaise, natural yoghurt, Madras curry powder, and mango chutney, then studded with raisins, dried apricots, and toasted almonds. It serves 6, takes 25 minutes if you already have cooked chicken, and is the easiest buffet dish I know.

Delia calls this a curried chicken salad rather than coronation chicken in her Summer Collection, and I think she is right to separate it from the bland supermarket versions. The yoghurt keeps the dressing light instead of heavy, and the mango chutney gives it a sweetness that curry powder alone cannot.

More Salad Recipes:

• Caesar Salad
• Couscous Salad
• Salade Nicoise

Why This Is Not Shop-Bought Coronation Chicken

Supermarket coronation chicken drowns the meat in a thick, sweet, orange sauce. Delia’s version uses half as much dressing because the yoghurt thins it just enough to coat the chicken without smothering it.

The toasted almonds and dried apricots also make a real difference. Shop versions skip them because they cost more, but they give every bite a crunch and a chewy sweetness that plain curry sauce never has.

Coronation Chicken Ingredients

• 1 medium cooked chicken, or 450g (1 lb) leftover cooked chicken, skin removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 dessertspoon of Madras curry powder
• 65ml mayonnaise
• 40ml natural yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon of mango chutney
• 40g raisins
• 40g dried apricots, chopped
• 40g blanched almonds
• 3 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
• 75g baby leaf salad, to serve
• Fresh coriander (cilantro), to garnish
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper

How To Make Delia Smith Coronation Chicken

1. Toast the almonds: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Spread the almonds on a baking tray and toast for 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop half and leave the rest whole for garnish.
2. Prepare the chicken: Strip or cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Place in a large mixing bowl with half the sliced spring onions.
3. Mix the dressing: In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, natural yoghurt, Madras curry powder, and mango chutney. Stir until smooth.
4. Combine: Pour the dressing over the chicken. Add the raisins, chopped dried apricots, and chopped almonds. Fold everything together gently.
5. Season and chill: Season with salt and freshly milled black pepper. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavours develop.
6. Serve: Arrange the baby leaf salad on a serving plate. Spoon the coronation chicken on top and scatter the remaining spring onions, whole almonds, and fresh coriander.

Common Mistakes With Coronation Chicken

The biggest one is using too much curry powder, because a dessertspoon is enough. I doubled it once thinking more would be better and it overpowered the mango chutney and yoghurt completely.

The other mistake is skipping the chill, because the flavours need at least 30 minutes in the fridge to come together. Served immediately it tastes like separate ingredients rather than one dish.

What To Serve With Coronation Chicken

For a summer buffet, I put it next to the brown rice salad and potato salad. It also works in sandwiches with thick crusty bread or stuffed into jacket potatoes.

Delia suggests baby leaf salad underneath, which I always do because the peppery leaves cut through the creamy dressing. A bowl of coleslaw on the side rounds it out.

How Long Does Coronation Chicken Keep?

Covered in the fridge, it keeps for 2 days. The flavour actually improves overnight as the curry and chutney soak into the chicken.

Do not freeze it. The mayonnaise and yoghurt split when thawed and the texture goes watery.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 340 kcal
• Fat: 20g
• Carbohydrates: 14g
• Fibre: 2g
• Protein: 26g

Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 6 servings.

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• Greek Salad
• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Vinaigrette Dressing