Coronation chicken vol-au-vents

While vol-au-vents are wonderfully retro, using Coronation Chicken as a filling makes them even more so! But Coronation Chicken is such a great thing to eat.

Coronation Chicken vol-au-vents

I had made a large amount of puff pastry and then used some of it to make many vol-au-vent cases for this and other fillings: the technique for making vol-au-vent cases is on my earlier post here.

vol-au-vent cases

I made a quick and very easy Coronation Chicken here, with a gentle kick of curry spices and sweet fruity bites from sultanas and apricots. The proportions here do not need to be exact, so vary as you wish, according to taste. The amount below gives enough to fill many small vol-au-vents, with extra for use as a sandwich filling.

Top tip for lids

To get the neatest lids, roll out the pastry off-cuts, cut into small circles and chill. Prick with a fork and then lay a sheet of greaseproof on. Bake with a baking tray immediately on top for about 10 minutes.

Coronation Chicken mixture

Coronation chicken:

• 4 roasted or poached free-range chicken breasts, or 8 thighs, chopped small
• 1 large onion , finely chopped
• a little oil
• fresh coriander, leaves and stalks, chopped
• a small handful of sultanas
• a few dried apricots, finely chopped
• a little good quality curry paste, medium or mild
• 1 heaped teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• a little salt
• 1 tablespoon mango chutney, chopped if chunky!
• a few tablespoons of mayonnaise
• a generous spritz of lemon juice
• a small handful of chopped pistachios and/or toasted flaked almonds

(1) Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Cook gently for about 5 minutes before adding the coriander stalks, turmeric, curry paste, sultanas, apricots and a little salt. Cook gently for a further 10-15 minutes, adding a splash of water after about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

(2) Stir in the coriander leaf, mango chutney and lemon juice. Leave to cool.

(3) Stir in the chicken, nuts and enough mayonnaise to bind it together. Fill the vol-au-vent cases with the mixture.

Coronation Chicken vol-au-vents