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These coronation chicken sandwiches are one of the most famous sandwiches for a reason. It’s full of flavour, texture, can be made ahead and is absolutely delicious. Imagine crisp bread, sandwiched between creamy curry-spiked chicken, and some crisp lettuce. I love making this sandwich with leftover turkey after Christmas Day, instead of chicken, but it’s obviously good year-round!
If you don’t know what coronation chicken is already, it’s made from shredded cooked chicken, a light, creamy, curried dressing, and often served with dried fruit like sultanas. It’s most often served in a sandwich, although originally it was served with rice. It was created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and has stood the test of time since. It is so delicious; you may think it sounds slightly odd to pair the creaminess with the spices, but truly, it’s so well balanced.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- This coronation chicken filling can be prepped ahead of time.
- It’s a crowd-pleasing sandwich – sweet, tangy and perfectly balanced.
- A great way to use up leftover turkey and chicken after Christmas or just a Sunday roast.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Curry powder – I use mild curry powder but if you like some heat, you can use hot.
Mango chutney – this is key to add sweetness to coronation chicken sandwiches. You can find this in most supermarkets.
Cooked chicken – I make these sandwiches often with leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken. You could also roast a few chicken thighs and shred up if you need, or use leftover turkey.
Mayonnaise – I go for full-fat mayonnaise, but use what you like.
Substitutions and Variations:
Make it with turkey – this is a great way to use up leftover turkey after Christmas day! Just swap the chicken for turkey and continue.
Make it lighter – swap the mayo for low fat mayo or more yoghurt.
Turn them into finger sandwiches – slice off the crusts, then cut into neat fingers. You might want to use sandwich bread here, rather than a crusty loaf or sourdough.
Make it plant-based – swap the chicken for some good quality chickpeas, using the back of your spoon to smash them open and break them up so they form a paste.
Here’s how to make the best coronation chicken sandwiches:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Heat the oil in a pan and add the curry powder. Cook for a few minutes and then add the mango chutney. Leave it to cool.
TWO: Mix the chicken, mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt, cooled curry powder and mango chutney, chilli powder (if using) and a generous pinch of salt and pepper together.
THREE: Stir to coat it in the sauce.
FOUR: Heat a pan over medium heat. Butter both sides of the bread and then toast in the pan until golden on both sides. You could also use the toaster if you prefer.
FIVE: Scoop the coronation chicken onto the toasted bread, top with lettuce. Close the sandwiches, slice and enjoy.
Cooking Tips:
If it’s too sweet, add a spoonful of yoghurt or a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the coranation chicken mix.
Too bland? Add more curry powder, but with my method of frying the curry powder and mango chutney, you shouldn’t find this. A good pinch of salt can help too.
Too dry? Add more yoghurt or mayonnaise. Start small, mix and add more if needed.
Too runny? Add more chicken if you have it, or add some flaked almonds, chopped celery, chopped cucumber or sultanas to bulk it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
I would avoid freezing the filling, especially as it’s so quick to make and will definitely be better fresh.
If you made the coronation chicken mix on the day that you cooked/bought the chicken, it will last 3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
Use dairy-free yoghurt and mayo to make a dairy-free filling. If you want to make a vegan alternative to the coronation chicken recipe below, swap the chicken for some good quality chickpeas, using the back of your spoon to smash them open and break them up so they form a paste. Then again, use dairy-free mayo and yoghurt.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you liked this recipe for coronation chicken sandwiches but you want some inspiration for more ways to use up leftover turkey or chicken, try my garlic butter turkey pie, turkey rice soup and mushroom & chicken vol au vents.
Sandwiches
Mortadella and Burrata Sandwich
Breakfast & Brunch
Breakfast Bagels Sandwiches
Sandwiches
Japanese Strawberry Sandwich
Lunch Recipes
Chicken Katsu Sandwich
If you tried this Coronation Chicken Sandwich or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
The Best Coronation Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the coronation chicken/turkey:
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 2-3 tsp mild curry powder, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp mango chutney
- Small pinch chilli powder, optional
- 600 g shredded cooked chicken, or turkey
- Salt and pepper
- 8 slices of bread, I used a white sourdough loaf
- Lettuce of choice, I used iceberg lettuce
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the curry powder. Cook for a few minutes and then add the mango chutney. Leave it to cool.
- Mix the mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt, cooled curry powder and mango chutney, chilli powder (if using) and a generous pinch of salt and pepper together. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can add a little more mango chutney here if you think it needs it; the key is to keep tasting and make sure you like it.
- Add the shredded chicken/turkey and stir to coat it in the sauce.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Butter both sides of the bread and then toast in the pan until golden on both sides. You could also use the toaster if you prefer.
- Scoop the coronation chicken onto the toasted bread, top with lettuce. Close the sandwiches, slice and enjoy.
- The video below will help with this recipe.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I actually use this recipe for coronation chicken sandwiches to use up leftover turkey after Christmas. It is so well balanced, creamy and delicious. You need to try it!