CORONATION CHICKEN - 2 WAYS

- METHOD -

Season the chicken breast lightly with a pinch or two of salt. Place breasts in a large saucepan. Add the cloves and bay leaves and just cover with water (the cloves and bay aren’t strictly necessary, but we love poaching chicken with aromatics for extra depth of flavour). Place lid on and bring to the boil. Once it does, turn the heat as low as possible and lightly simmer the chicken for 10 minutes. Drain chicken, allow it to cool to room temperature, then use two forks to flake the meat.

Fry the onion in the oil over low heat until soft. It takes about 5 minutes. You don’t want the onions to take on any colour, so keep your heat real low. Once the onions are soft, add the Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice and fry for a minute over low heat. Now add a tablespoon of water, fry for a further minute and remove from heat. Combine the mayo, yoghurt, onions, salt and pepper, chutney, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Tumble in the flaked chicken and stir so every morsel is coated with that fabulous curried coronation sauce.

For coronation chicken spring rolls

Cut shop-bought phyllo pastry sheets into ribbons 7cm wide. Paint the ribbons with melted salted butter. (Do it one at a time so they do not dry out.) Spoon a dollop of coronation chicken at one narrow end and roll it up like a cigar. When you get 5cm from the other end, tuck the sides in, then finish rolling so you have a neat spring roll with closed ends. Place rolls on a lined baking tray and bake in a preheated 200˚C oven until golden – about 15-20 minutes, but keep an eye on it from 10 minutes onwards. Toast some flaked almonds in a dry pan until golden brown then crush almonds lightly. Serve spring rolls with chutney and almonds. Dip the spring rolls into the chutney first, then into the almonds. Tuck in.

For coronation chicken salad cups

Line a large platter with salad leaves that have a nice concave hollow – think Cos or Romaine lettuce. Spoon coronation chicken next to leaves and add an arrangement of other crunchy things – think finely sliced cucumber, radish, celery and carrot sticks along with a bowl of golden sultanas and almond flakes. Pop your festive coronation salad platter in the middle of the table and allow each person to build their own perfect coronation chicken salad cup.

Recipe concept & photography by Lizet Hartley.

Lizet Hartley is a freelance stills and reel food stylist, food photographer and recipe developer. In her spare time she – rather predictably – cooks. Get more of her recipes on her blog at http://www.melkkos-merlot.co.za