Proper coronation chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1 large chicken
• 100ml white wine
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 bouquet garni
• 4 black peppercorns

For the sauce

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• 125ml red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp apricot puree or jam
• 400ml mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp cream, lightly whipped

Method

Place the whole chicken in a large pot, pour in the wine and enough water to cover the birds. Add the carrot, bouquet garni, peppercorns and a few pinches of salt, then gently poach for 50 mins, making sure that the liquid doesn’t boil too rapidly. If the liquid reduces below the top of the chicken, top up with more water.

Remove the pan from the heat but leave the chicken in its cooking liquor until cool enough to handle. Drain, discard the aromatics, but keep all that flavoursome stock for future use. Joint the chicken. Discard the skin, remove the meat from the bones and cut into bite-sized chunks.

To make the sauce, gently fry the chopped onion in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the curry powder and fry for 3 mins more. Add the tomato puree, wine and bay leaf, plus 125ml water. Add the sugar, a squeeze of lemon and a touch of seasoning. Simmer for 10 mins to reduce the sauce. Strain, then leave to cool.

Add the mayonnaise and apricot puree or jam to the sauce, season again with salt and black pepper, then finish with the lightly whipped cream. Generously coat the chicken with the sauce, but make sure it’s not too sloppy – don’t just chuck all the sauce in at once. If there’s a little left over, you can always use it to pep up a sandwich.

Garnish with lemon slices and serve with a herby rice salad.

Image: Jenna Roberts (@JennaFifi)