Lucy Osborne prepares coronation chicken fit for a queen | Food/Recipes

Lucy Osborne recently invited me to try her version of coronation chicken, a light, slightly sweet, curried chicken dish originally served at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953.

The dish, which was commissioned for the Queen, is part of a long-standing tradition not only in Britain but also within the Osborne family, delivering a taste of home every time she makes it.

Osborne, a native of the UK, left his home country at age 22 to work in a national park in Zimbabwe, which led him to his first visit to the US, where he escorted 10 endangered black rhinos to Texas on a 747 to protect them from rampant poaching in Africa.

She met her husband, Loki Osborne, while working on endangered species in South Africa, where he was researching the use of chili peppers to scare elephants off farmland. His family had ties to the McIlhenny Company, the Tabasco sauce manufacturer, and the couple moved to Louisiana, where they now split their time between Lafayette and Avery Island.

Not surprisingly, Tabasco pepper jelly features in the Osborne family’s beloved Coronation Chicken recipe.

For millennia, British royals have ordered special dishes for their big days as a way of creating an air of rule, and in the early 1950s, according to Lucy Osborne, the soon-to-be Queen was looking to cement her role as the unifier of the Commonwealth.

Adding curry to the recipe would have been a subtle welcome gesture to populous India, which had recently gained independence from British rule while agreeing to remain in the Commonwealth.

When Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume of Le Cordon Bleu in London created the recipe for coronation chicken, Britain was still recovering from the rationing system of World War II, and chicken was considered a luxury item. It was only after chicken became more affordable that it became a popular food at British picnics and street parties.

The recipe’s versatility is illustrated by the many variations it can have, whether served in a sandwich, on a salad or as a standalone dish. In its countless iterations, the recipe has been handed down or expanded with ingredients such as tomato paste, nigella seeds, grapes and coriander. Lucy Osborne recalled her mother often making the dish on Boxing Day, using leftover Christmas turkey instead of chicken.

When I make it at home, I follow Lucy Osborne’s recommendations and use pecans instead of almonds, add chopped green grapes, and find the chutney locally (at Champagne’s Grocery in Lafayette).

If you’re not a fan of vinegary, jammy condiments, apricot jam and pepper jelly will give you the spicy-sweet flavor this dish is known for.

Lucy Osborne used her design experience to present the Coronation Chicken as a work of art, presented on a bed of romaine lettuce swirls on an artisanal plate brought back from South Africa, with a sprinkling of diagonally sliced ​​green onions, toasted almonds and Maldon sea salt flakes for a tasteful and delicious finish.

To those who haven’t tried it, the dish might look and taste like a typical chicken salad, but to Osborne, it’s a taste of home, whether he’s serving it on the table at his South Louisiana home or making it for fellow expats while working in South Africa.

Served with a glass of sparkling wine and two baguettes, the sweet, curried dish will make you feel as indulgent as Queen Elizabeth II did on her coronation day.

Lucy’s Coronation Chicken

Serves 4-6

Recipe: Lucy Osborne

For the chicken salad:

2 cups finely chopped onions

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon grated ginger

2 teaspoons mild curry powder (use curry with turmeric for best color)

2 tablespoons mango or peach chutney (if chutney is unavailable, use apricot jam)

1 teaspoon Tabasco pepper jelly

Juice of half a lemon

1 romaine lettuce

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons of vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

For garnishing and flavouring:

1/2 cup flaked almonds (toasted)

2 scallions (thinly sliced)

1. Lightly fry the onion in olive oil until translucent. Allow to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Season chicken with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place thighs in a single layer on a baking tray and cover with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 170-175°. Once cooled, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. (Or, if you have leftover roasted chicken or turkey, this is an easy substitute.)

3. In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt, ginger, curry powder, chutney, pepper jelly and lemon juice. Add the sautéed onion and shredded chicken. Mix well and season to taste.

4. Arrange the lettuce on a serving platter. Mix the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle lightly over the lettuce.

5. Arrange the chicken mixture on top of the lettuce leaves, sprinkle with almonds and sliced ​​green onions, and serve with crusty French bread.