Coronation Chicken Curry

This is a lighter version of the classic coronation chicken although the original is still a favourite of mine.  Here I use coconut milk which gives a curry feel but you serve it cold.  It’s easy to prepare for a summer picnic and the mango chutney is essential.  I sometimes make my own but I have recommended a good brand below.  Let me know if you want my own mango recipe and I’ll write it down!  I like to serve the dish with short grain brown rice or a potato red onion salad.  

I recently made it for an 80th birthday buffet lunch and it went down a storm!

Ingredients:

GF/DF

Serves 4

1 tbsp coconut oil/sunflower oil

1 red onion, diced

1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, diced

400g chicken fillets, chopped into equal-sized pieces (I like to use organic)

2 tsp turmeric powder

4 tsp mild curry powder

2 limes

1 tin coconut milk (400ml)

1 tin coconut cream (160ml)

Large handful almonds, roughly chopped

Large handful dried apricots, roughly chopped

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

sea salt and black pepper

Mango chutney for serving (I recommend Patak’s Mango Chutney) 

Add the chopped up chicken into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tsp mild curry powder, zest and juice of one lime, salt and pepper.  Mix together and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight or if you don’t have time for 10 minutes while you cook.

Set a large saucepan to medium to high heat and add the coconut oil to fry followed by the diced red onion.  Let this soften for about 3 minutes before adding in the chopped garlic.  Mix everything around the pan for 2 minutes before adding in the coconut milk and cream.  Add the remaining curry and turmeric powder bringing everything to a gentle simmer. 

Next, add in the marinated chicken and gently poach the fillets for about 4 minutes depending on how hot the milk is and the thickness of the chicken.  You need to keep an eye on them and they should be easily falling apart when pulled with your fingers.  The key is to cook them in gently simmering liquid, not boiling! 

At this point remove from the heat and leave to cool.  When chicken is at room temperature fish out pieces and plate up on a platter. 

Sprinkle over almonds, apricots, coriander, spring onion, lime zest and juice, salt and pepper.  Add a good few spoons of mango chutney and serve.  I like to have the leftover sauce on the side in a big jug for a top-up!