By Meredith Deeds, Star Tribune Last year, fans all over the world broke out their tea sets and watched the coronation of King Charles III. But no Anglophile can live on tea alone. Scones, clotted cream and, in many cases, coronation chicken were served alongside that perfectly brewed pot of Earl Grey.
Coronation chicken is a version of chicken salad made with a curry and mango chutney dressing that’s packed with dried fruit and sliced almonds. It first made an appearance at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, hence the name, and has since become a staple in the United Kingdom. Over the years, curried chicken salad has gained popularity in the United States, thanks to the QE2, and every time I have it, I’m reminded of the chicken curry buffet, another British classic, that my grandmother used to serve when I was a kid.
Her curry was nothing like the vibrant curries that most of us enjoy. Grandma had a low tolerance for heat and exotic flavors, and her curry reflected those tastes. It was really just chicken in a creamy sauce with a bottle of curry powder waved over it.
The curry itself was not the star of the show, as far as I was concerned. It was all the toppings that she served alongside it. There were bowls loaded with chopped peanuts and cashews, grapes, toasted coconut and diced pineapple, all lined up and down the table like the queen’s regiment.
Each diner could adorn their plate of chicken curry and rice with an assortment of toppings. As a child, I w.
