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Coronation Chicken close up with toasted flaked almonds
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5 from 6 votes

Coronation Chicken Curry

Coronation Chicken is an absolute British classic. This recipe takes a cold sandwich filler and turns it into a dreamy creamy coronation chicken style curry. Super quick and easy, this dish is sure to be on the table for your next family dinner!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Marinating2 hours
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: British
Servings: 4
Calories: 488kcal
Cost: £2 / $2.50

Equipment

  • Medium Mixing Bowl & Cling Film (for marinade)
  • Large Deep Frying Pan, Tongs & Wooden Spoon (for curry)
  • Large Bowl (for storing cooked chicken)
  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
  • Serving Spoon

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

  • 1.2lb / 600g boneless skinless Chicken Thighs diced in to bite sized chunks
  • 1 cup / 240ml full fat Plain Yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp Curry Powder (I use 'medium')
  • 1 tsp Ginger, minced/very finely diced
  • 1 tsp Garlic, minced/very finely diced
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Sauce

  • 1 cup / 240ml Double/Heavy Cream, at room temp
  • 1/2 cup / 120ml Chicken Stock
  • 1/4 cup / 80g Mango Chutney
  • 1/4 cup / 60g full fat Plain Yogurt
  • 1/4 cup / 40g Sultanas
  • 2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Coriander/Cilantro, plus more to serve if desired
  • 2 large Spring Onions, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Curry Powder (I use 'medium)
  • 1 tsp Ginger, minced/very finely diced
  • 1 tsp Garlic, minced/very finely diced
  • squeeze of Lemon Juice, (up to half a lemon)
  • 1 tbsp Oil for frying, plus more as needed (vegetable, canola, sunflower)
  • Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

To serve

  • Rice
  • Toasted Flaked Almonds
  • Coriander/Cilantro
  • Flatbreads

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the diced chicken with garlic, ginger, curry powder, salt & pepper. Pour in the yoghurt and stir to combine. Cover with cling film and marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours. Take out the fridge around 30mins before needed. If you're pushed for time just marinate at room temp for 30mins.
  • Add 1 tbsp oil to a large pan over high heat. Use tongs to transfer half of the chicken to the pan and spread it out so each piece has a little room (don't pour in the marinade, just the chicken). Leave to fry for a few mins until it begins to char, then flip each piece and continue frying until lightly charred on the other side (a little char = extra flavour). The chicken should just about be cooked through (will continue cooking in a sec). Remove the chicken and place it in a bowl to one side, then scrape out any large bits of char and repeat with the second batch, adding more oil if needed.
  • Remove the second batch then lower the heat to medium. Add in a dash of oil if needed, then add ginger, garlic, sultanas and spring onion. Fry for a couple of mins to soften. Stir in 1 tbsp curry powder and toast for a minute or so. Stir in chicken stock and cream, then stir in yoghurt, mango chutney and coriander/cilantro. Stir the chicken back in and bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Allow everything to bubble away for around 10mins until the sauce thickens, stirring somewhat frequently. Finish by stirring through a squeeze of lemon juice, then check for seasoning and adjust if needed. The lemon just brightens up the dish and cuts through the richness of the cream.
  • Serve over rice with toasted flaked almonds and coriander/cilantro over the top.

Video

Notes

a) Marinating - Even if you're in a rush/forgot to set a marinade in the fridge, still do try and marinate the chicken, even if just for 20/30 mins. If you're only marinating this long just leave at room temp. Chicken needs to be at or close to room temp before frying.
b) Chicken Breast - Feel free to sub for chicken breast. I use chicken thighs as they tend to be slightly more tender and have more flavour to them, so if you are using chicken breast I'd definitely recommend marinating.
c) Frying - It's important to ensure the oil is hot, hence the use of vegetable/canola oil (much higher smoking point than olive oil). You just want the chicken to take on colour, so don't panic if it's not cooked all the way through. It will continue cooking when resting and added back into the sauce. I find it easiest to add and remove with a pair of tongs.
d) Flaked Almonds - Try not to think of these as just garnish, they add a nice crunch to the dish and combine beautifully with the other ingredients. Of course you can leave them out for allergy reasons, it will still be delish!
e) Leftovers - I've just polished some off about 5 minutes ago straight from the fridge between two slices of bread. Also reheats perfectly!
f) Calories - Based on the following: 1 tbsp vegetable oil, without rice and without the yogurt. Marinades are really difficult to calculate as there's no way to tell how much remains on the chicken. However, plain yogurt is relatively low fat/low cal so shouldn't alter the calories too much!

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.1g | Protein: 37.6g | Fat: 32.5g | Saturated Fat: 15.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11.1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 242mg | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 651mg | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 9.8g | Vitamin A: 3550IU | Vitamin C: 71.8mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1.8mg