Coronation Chicken Tacos – The Ultimate Fusion Food
Coronation Chicken, anyone? For those looking for a dish fit for Royalty, here’s a modern, easy take on a nation’s favourite. This coronation chicken recipe is deliciously creamy, tangy, and fruity while featuring curry spices, creating a delightful filling for Tacos – the ultimate street food!
It’s Coming Around Again
Coronation Chicken, originally called Poulet Reine Elizabeth, was created in 1953 to mark the celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth ll. It was served at her coronation luncheon – and it’s still a firm favourite today. A version is served at Café Le Cordon Bleu, London on its lunch menu, in homage to the dish’s creator, Rosemary Hume. And, while it’s not actually set to feature on the coronation menu, it’s an old favourite which I’ve updated with a modern twist, making it the ideal food to share at any coronation celebration – from street parties to canapés in the garden.Coronation Chicken Spices
Coronation Chicken has a deliciously spicy flavour profile that includes ginger, coriander seeds, curry powder and bay leaves. What I love about coronation chicken is that you can make a big batch and it keeps really well in the fridge, so it’s great to prep ahead – also, it just gets better day by day as the flavours have time to develop.Perfect For a Reigny Day
Coronation Chicken can be made ahead, keeps well, and is incredibly versatile. You can use it to make Coronation Chicken Salad, serve it over baked jacket potatoes, or fold in some delicious warm new potatoes for a substantial and deliciously creamy potato salad. And, of course, you can serve it in wraps, burritos, and tacos, as a no-fuss, easy filling, ideal for weekday sandwiches and also as a filling in coronation chicken pies. You could use it to make a pasta salad, quesadillas, or even just serve it with naan.
Tacos Are Life
The coronation service contains elements that serve to reflect a more diverse contemporary society, and that’s what I wanted to do with this dish – coronation chicken incorporates formerly ‘exotic’ spices and by using it as a filling for tacos – a universally loved, convenient hand-held street food from Mexico – we’re creating something utterly delicious, while giving a nod to the old, and boldly moving forward.
The Green Man
Tongues have been wagging about the inclusion of an ancient pagan symbol associated with Spring and rebirth, The Green Man, featuring prominently on the official coronation invitation. He’s also portrayed with acorns and hawthorn leaves – symbolic of fertility and a new cycle of growth. While its inclusion may remain cryptic, it could also be representative of Charles’s great love of nature and his support for environmental conservation. And that includes a love for crisp, fresh, home-grown greens.
So, it made sense to include fresh, firm cabbage to add a delicious crunch to proceedings, along with fresh coriander leaves and zesty lime to the slaw. The pickled red onions add tartness, zing and a gorgeous burst of colour – a delicious counterpoint to the creaminess of the yoghurt.
Rate This Coronation Chicken Recipe
Did you try out my Coronation Chicken Taco recipe? If so, I’d love to hear your take on it. Please leave me a comment – tell us what you found appealing and whether you found it easy to make.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this dish gluten-free?
This dish is gluten-free, provided you buy gluten free tacos, and while curry powder does not typically contain gluten, you should always check the labels to be certain.
Is this dish suitable for vegetarians?
No. For suitable alternatives, please check out our vegetarian recipes.
Can I replace the dairy in this recipe?
Yes! Simply replace the yoghurt for a coconut or soy based yoghurt.
Coronation Chicken Tacos
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 4-5
Description
Coronation Chicken Tacos, anyone? For those looking for a dish fit for Royalty, here’s a modern, easy take on a nation’s favourite. This coronation chicken recipe is deliciously creamy, tangy, and fruity while featuring curry spices, creating a delightful filling for Tacos – the ultimate street food!
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 3 chicken leg and thigh quarters
- 35g Fresh Ginger
- 2g Coriander Seeds
- 2g Cumin Seeds
- 5g Curry Powder
- 1 Bay Leaf (fresh or dried)
- 125–250ml Chicken Stock
- 15g Toasted flaked almonds
Coronation Sauce:
- 80g Fage/ greek yoghurt
- 40g Mayo
- 1 ½ TBSP Curry Powder
- 20g dried apricots
- 5g/small handful of coriander/cilantro*
Zesty Slaw
- ½ a small sweetheart or green cabbage (aprox 350-400g)
- 50g Dried Apricots, diced
- 15g Coriander, finely chopped
- 1 Small Red Onion
- 2 limes
- 5g / small handful coriander/cilantro chopped
- Pinch of sugarFor Serving
- Corn Tortillas
- Crema, sour cream or yoghurt thinned with a splash of water for drizzling over the taco
Instructions
- Slice the ginger into rounds (there’s no need to peel it), and toast the cumin and coriander in a dry frying pan until fragrant.
- Season the chicken legs on both sides with salt and pepper. In a roasting tray, suitably sized for your air fryer or oven, add the sliced ginger, toasted spices, bay leaf and curry powder. Pour in a little of the stock, mix it into the spices, then place the chicken legs skin side up on the aromatics. Pour in the remaining stock, until it comes halfway up the chicken, then place the dish into the air fryer or oven.
- Air fry at 170°C/340°F for 40 minutes, or cook at 190°C/375°F in the oven for 40 minutes.
- While the chicken cooks prepare the slaw. Make the slaw by thinly slicing the cabbage and then the red onion thinly with a knife or mandolin. Roughly dice the apricots.
- Place the red onion and apricots into a bowl, then squeeze over the lime juice and add a pinch of salt and sugar. Toss to combine. Set aside tossing the onions occasionally to coat them in lime juice.
- Prepare the sauce. Dice the apricots, and finely chop the coriander, then combine these with the mayo, yoghurt, and curry powder. Set aside.
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the finely sliced cabbage to the red onions and lime juice, and toss. Season the slaw with salt and pepper to taste
- Remove the chicken from the roasting tray. Finely chop the crispy skin, and shred the meat with 2 forks. Add the curry yoghurt mixture and flaked almonds to the chicken and stir through, then loosen the sauce with about 1-2 Tbsp of the pan juices from the roasting tray.
- Warm your tacos, then top with saucy coronation chicken, slaw, and a drizzle of yoghurt of crema and serve immediately
Notes
The chicken can be cooked and kept in the fridge one or two days in advance. If you are proceeding to make the slaw, you can make the pickled onion dressing and set aside, keeping the slaw and dressing separate to prevent the cabbage from wilting.
- Prep Time: 10-15 min
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Mains, Poultry
- Method: Air Fryer
Nutrition
- Calories: 387.09kcal
- Sugar: 3.97g
- Sodium: 207.26mg
- Fat: 26.18g
- Saturated Fat: 6.65g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17.22g
- Trans Fat: 0.08g
- Carbohydrates: 17.63g
- Fiber: 4.35g
- Protein: 21.3g
- Cholesterol: 100.66mg
