Coronation Chicken

 "What better way to commemorate the coronation festivities than with my interpretation of this vintage beauty? Although I prefer to make this into a delicious salad, you could absolutely serve the entire spread or use the individual ingredients to make sandwiches; this would be ideal for a street party, buffet, or picnic.

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 5 cm piece of ginger
• 1 - 2 fresh red chillies
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander (30g)
• 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons curry paste
• olive oil
• 1 x 1.8kg free-range whole chicken
• 4 red onions
• 1 x 435g tin of pineapple slices in juice
• 4 heaped tablespoons Greek yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
• 4 little gem lettuce
• 1 cucumber
• 2 popadamus
  

TAP FOR INGREDIENTS

Method

1. Peel and finely grate the ginger and garlic, trim and finely slice the chillies and coriander stalks (putting the leaves aside for later), then place in a large roasting tray with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
2. Squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon, mix in 1 tablespoon each of curry paste and olive oil, then sit the chicken in the tray and rub all over with the marinade, ensuring you go inside the cavity for maximum flavour.
3. Pierce 1 lemon all over, then microwave on high (800W) for 45 seconds and place inside the cavity. Peel the onions and slice into wedges, separating them into petals, then add to the roasting tray. Sit the chicken back on top breast-side down, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for up to 12 hours, or follow the next step to cook straight away.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Drain the tinned pineapple (keeping its juice for later). Roast the chicken for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, carefully turning it over with tongs and adding the pineapple to the tray halfway, then remove the chicken to a board to rest for 30 minutes.
5. Once the time’s up on the chicken, remove the jammy lemon from the cavity, then squeeze half the juice into the tray of roasted onions and pineapple, discarding any pips. Stir in the yoghurt and a splash of the reserved pineapple juice. Shred and add the chicken, putting the skin aside for later and discarding any bones or wobbly bits, then toss together, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the tray.
6. Place the chicken skin in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and cook for 3 minutes, or until the fat has rendered out and the skin is crisp, then roughly chop. Toast the flaked almonds in the hot pan.
7.  Click apart the lettuce leaves into cups. Scratch the outside of the cucumber with a fork to create grooves, then finely slice into rounds and toss with a pinch of salt and the juice of ½ a lemon.
8. When you’re ready to serve, arrange the coronation chicken on a large platter. Crush and sprinkle over the poppadoms, scatter over the pomegranate seeds and reserved coriander leaves, crispy chicken skin and toasted almonds. Arrange the pickled cucumber on top and serve with the lettuce cups on the side.

DO IT YOURSELF MAYONNAISE

While I've used yoghurt in this recipe, mayonnaise is frequently used to make coronation chicken. One big free-range egg yolk should be placed in a large non-metallic dish if you want to substitute homemade mayo. 250 ml of vegetable oil should be added very gradually while whisking constantly for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and creamy. If necessary, add a few squeezes of lemon juice to help loosen. When the chicken's cooking time is up, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the spiced juices from the tray, season with salt and pepper, and then taste and add a little more lemon juice, if desired. Any leftovers should be poured into an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Tip
You can simply roast the chicken the day before if you're bringing this to a street party or buffet to get a head start. Just make sure to let it cool fully before covering and storing it in the fridge. For optimum crunch, rapidly crisp up the skin and scrunch it over the poppadoms when you're ready to serve.