Easy Coronation Chicken Sandwiches for Tea Parties
Coronation chicken sandwiches are a delicious, creamy, lightly spiced British classic tea sandwich that is perfect for easy meal prep before entertaining. With golden raisins, mango chutney, and a light curry dressing, this recipe brings easy ingredients together in a way that will surely make you feel regal.
When my family and I made reservations for afternoon tea at Peggy Porschen’s during our family vacation to London, I was most excited to try their Coronation chicken sandwiches on their classic tea trays.
This unique chicken salad is quintessentially British and was created to perfectly pair with a cup of tea. First made for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, it has been a staple in tea shops in England ever since.
You can enjoy this delicious recipe here Stateside with just a handful of surprisingly easy-to-find ingredients. If I’m perfectly honest, I think my version is way more delicious than the ones we had in London!
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Make Ahead Friendly: You can prep the chicken salad in advance and then just assemble the finger sandwiches in minutes before serving.
- Elegant but Easy: The ingredient list is simple and surprisingly basic, there are just a few unique items to look for that upgrade this savory chicken salad to something special.
- Sweet and Tangy: The unique curry dressing is balanced by lime juice and crispy almonds while the golden raisins add a touch of sweetness. You’ve never had a chicken salad quite like this one!
- Easy to Scale: Please note, I prepared just a half batch when shooting the photography for this recipe. The recipe card calls for enough for a full party. If you want to enjoy it just with your family for a couple days, you can easily scale the recipe down as needed.
Ingredient Notes
There are two steps to making Coronation chicken, dry poaching the chicken breasts and then assembling the final salad dressing.
For the poached chicken, you will need:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Onion
- Cinnamon Stick
- Bay Leaf
- Kosher Salt & Pepper
For finishing the chicken salad and making the dressing, you will need:
- Mango Chutney: You can find prepared mango chutney in the Thai foods department of the grocery store. It is a popular ingredient in several finger sandwich recipes.
- Curry Powder: I admit, I am usually not a fan of strong curry flavor but this is an essential element to this dish and I love it here. I used a light hand with it so it doesn’t overpower the recipe. A more traditional version would double what I called for in the recipe card below.
- Golden Raisins: It is worth the effort to buy golden raisins instead of traditional purple raisins. They are sweeter and the color is perfect in this mix.
- Mayonnaise
- Sour Cream
- Sliced Almonds
- Fresh Lime
- Green Onions
And for making the final sandwiches, you’ll need sliced brioche bread.
Prep the Poached Chicken
For perfectly tender poached chicken, you’ll use the same method as my cubed chicken for salads technique.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the chicken breasts in a small baking dish. Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over both sides.
Place the cinnamon stick and bay leaf in the dish and then sprinkle the sliced onions over the top.
TIGHTLY wrap the dish in aluminum foil to trap all the steam.
Bake the chicken breasts for about 1 hour or until they register 165°F at the thickest part of the meat.
It is essential to let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing it into cubes for the salad. This lets the juices redistribute and the meat will slice more neatly.
NOTE: While the oven is still running, this would be a good time to quickly toast the almonds.
Just spread them evenly on a baking sheet and let them bake alongside the chicken for a few minutes until golden brown. But watch them carefully because they can burn quickly.
Prep the Dressing and Assemble
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mango chutney, curry powder, and lime juice.
Add the cubed chicken, golden raisins, chopped green onions, and toasted almonds.
Gently fold the ingredients together until well combined.
Cover the chicken salad and chill for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to mingle.
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Assemble the Tea Sandwiches
You could serve the Coronation chicken as a scoop of chicken salad over a bed of lettuce, but if you’re hosting a tea party and want Coronation chicken sandwiches, you simply need to add the brioche bread.
Lay two slices open face and top one side with the chicken salad. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Close the sandwich and very gently press to stick the bread to the filling.
Use a serrated knife to trim the crusts from all four sides of the bread and then cut the sandwich into 3 long finger shapes.
Repeat as needed for your remaining sandwiches.
Make Ahead Tips
You can prep the Coronation chicken salad itself up to 2 days in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can assemble the tea sandwiches up to 4 hours ahead of serving, just keep them covered with a slightly dampened paper towel and then plastic wrap over the top to prevent the bread from drying out.
Variations
- Swap the Fruit: Instead of golden raisins, you could try chopped apricots, dried cranberries, or chopped dates.
- Add More Crunch: You could add some finely chopped celery or apple for a fresh crispy crunch.
- Use Greek Yogurt: You could substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream for more tang.
- Spice It Up: A dash of cayenne would add a welcome bit of heat to the salad if you like things with a little more spice.
Serving Suggestions
I enjoyed this batch of Coronation chicken sandwiches as my lunch for several days when I made it. It was a lovely excuse to take a break in the middle of the day with a cup of Earl Grey tea and a quick reading session.
I enjoyed the sandwiches on their own but they would have paired really well with salty potato chips, a simple green salad, or a cozy cup of soup for a simple dinner.
Coronation chicken salad is a perfect tea party sandwich. To serve them the same way we enjoyed them during our traditional afternoon tea in London you’ll need a 3-tier serving platter. Place the tea sandwiches on the bottom tier.
Then add homemade blueberry scones with mock clotted cream on the middle tier.
The top tier of the platter should have bite-sized desserts like Meyer lemon bar squares or Irish shortbread cookies.
More Tea Sandwich Recipes
Hosting a ladies luncheon, baby or bridal shower, or other special event? Don’t miss my easy tea party sandwiches:
Coronation Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the Diced Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 onion sliced thinly
For the Chicken Salad Dressing:
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds toasted
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons mango chutney be sure to chop any large pieces of fruit into smaller pieces for an even texture
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/3 cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots
- 3 tablespoons lime juice from 1 – 2 fresh limes
- 2 – 3 green onions chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sandwiches:
- 1 loaf sliced brioche bread
Instructions Start Cooking
Prepare the Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the chicken in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle it with the salt and pepper. Place the bay leaf and cinnamon stick on the bottom of the dish and sprinkle the onion slices over the top.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 onion
- Bake the chicken for 1 hour or until it registers 165°F at the thickest part of the meat. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- If you haven't already, you can toast the almonds on a sheet pan while the chicken finishes baking. Keep an eye on them because they will burn quickly. Just bake for 5 minutes or until browned and nutty smelling. Let them cool completely before using in the salad.1/2 cup sliced almonds
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and discard the onions, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Slice the chicken into a small dice. Set aside.
Prepare the Chicken Salad:
- Add the sour cream, mayo, mango chutney, curry powder, golden raisins, and lime juice to a large mixing bowl and stir them together until well combined.1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons mango chutney, 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1/3 cup golden raisins, 3 tablespoons lime juice
- Add the toasted almonds and chopped green onions and stir them in. Add the chopped chicken to the bowl and gently fold it into the salad dressing until well coated. Be careful, if you stir too hard the delicate chicken will fall apart and your salad will be mushy. Just stir with a very light hand.2 – 3 green onions, Salt and pepper
- Cover and chill the chicken salad for at least 30 minutes before using to assemble the sandwiches.
Assemble the Coronation Chicken Sandwiches:
- Slice the brioche if it is not already cut into sandwich bread slices.1 loaf sliced brioche bread
- Place a slice of brioche bread on a cutting board. Spread a scoop of the prepared chicken salad over the top evenly from edge to edge of the bread. Top with a second slice of bread and gently press it together so it sticks. Trim the crusts from the edges and slice the sandwich into finger-sized strips.
- Arrange the coronation chicken sandwich bites on a platter and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
How to Adjust the Flavor:
Curry powder can vary widely depending on the brand and style you use. If you really love the curry powder you have, you can add up to double the amount as called for in the recipe card. I prefer ours to be lightly curry so the quantity suggested is on the light side. If your chicken salad is too dry, you could add more mango chutney for a bigger flavor boost. If you prepare the coronation chicken salad in advance, you may wish to sprinkle more of fresh lime juice right before assembling the sandwiches to help add a burst of freshness to the dish.Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
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