Katie Bryson
Coronation chicken was first created by Le Cordon Bleu cookery school founder Rosemary Hume, for the banquet celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953.
It probably seemed hugely exotic in post-war Britain and soon became a much-loved recipe rolled out by many a 50s housewife. Decades later it was reduced rather sadly to the sandwich-filling aisle of the supermarket, but I think the Jubilee is the perfect excuse to revisit it.
I've taken the idea of a curried chicken filling, made a few modern shortcuts and stuffed it into squares of puff pastry for the ideal picnic or party snack. It's tangy but not overly spicy so should please the taste buds of all generations.
Delicious served fresh from the oven or cold from a picnic basket.
Coronation chicken pasties
Makes 8
Ingredients
250g cold roast chicken chicken, chopped
50g toasted flaked almonds
100g dried apricots, chopped 150ml creme fraiche
2 tbsp Brinjal pickle
2 x 375g packs of ready-rolled puff pastry
1 beaten egg
1. Put the chicken, almonds and apricots in a large mixing bowl. Season and mix with the creme fraiche. Add the Bringal pickle a tablespoon at a time, tasting the mix as you go to check its strength.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lay out your ready rolled puff pastry and cut into quarters. Lay on top of baking sheets lined with greaseproof papers.
3. Spoon two tablespoons of filling on one half of each quarter leaving the other half empty. Brush the edges with beaten egg and then fold the empty half over to cover the chicken filling and press the edges to seal. Press down with a fork to create a crimped effect.
4. Slash three lines across the middle of your pasties and then brush all over with egg wash.
5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until puffed and golden. Cool, cut in half and serve.
Cook's Tip: If you don't have any roast chicken to hand, just sling two chicken breasts in a roasting dish, season well, drizzle with olive oil cover with foil and roast at 190C/170Cfan/gas 5 for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then chop up.
Any leftover filling can be used to make sandwiches.
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