An easy coronation chicken pasta salad recipe using leftover cooked chicken, sultanas, and pasta, covered in a creamy curry spiced mayo sweetened with mango chutney. It's all finished with a garnish of chopped coriander and a sprinkle of flaked almonds for crunch and texture!
The coronation pasta salad is perfect for picnics, lunches, or as a BBQ side dish.
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Coronation chicken is a British classic and was originally invented in 1953 for the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II.
I've taken the classic dish and put my own spin on it by adding cooked pasta and serving it on a bed of rocket leaves, making it a true meal in a bowl!
It always goes down well at BBQs, but it's equally delicious for a quick and easy lunch. I like to make a big batch on a Sunday evening, ready for the week ahead!
👩🍳 Love chicken pasta salad? Try my easy chicken and bacon pasta salad recipe!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Mild and creamy chicken pasta salad.
- Make-ahead of time and store it in the fridge.
- It's a great way of using leftover roast chicken.
- Pack on picnics or in lunchboxes.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Chicken - use leftover roast chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or if you need to cook some chicken fast, use my easy air fryer chicken breast recipe.
Pasta - use penne or similar shape short pasta and cook it to al dente.
Sultanas - for sweetness, or use chopped dried apricots instead.
Curried Mayo - made with mayonnaise, natural Greek yogurt, mild curry powder, ground cinnamon, mango chutney, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
To garnish - chopped coriander and flaked almonds.
To serve - rocket leaves, pea shoots, or romaine lettuce.
🔪 How to make coronation chicken pasta salad
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain, and then rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool.
Two: Mix together the curried mayo dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Three: Put the cooked chicken pieces, sultanas, and cooked pasta in a large mixing bowl and pour over the dressing. Mix to combine, then serve on a bed of salad leaves and garnish with chopped coriander and flaked almonds.
Top Tip
Cook the pasta to al dente then drain it straight away and rinse under cold running water to prevent it from cooking further. Cool completely before you mix the pasta with the other ingredients. I often do this the night before and store it in the fridge until needed.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the coronation chicken pasta salad as a side dish at BBQs alongside my spicy potato salad, 5 bean salad, or courgette and feta salad!
📖 Variations
- Use dried apricots or golden raisins instead of sultanas.
- Add chopped fresh mangoes for a burst of colour.
- Add other salad vegetables into the cold chicken pasta salad. Cherry tomatoes, celery, and cucumbers would all work well.
- Mix in cooked rice instead of pasta.
- Garnish with chopped spring onions and chopped red peppers for crunch.
- Make the dressing lighter by using light mayonnaise and low-fat yogurt.
- Omit the pasta and serve the coronation chicken salad on jacket potatoes, in sandwiches, or with a green side salad.
- Use other fresh herbs such as parsley or mint.
- Make it vegetarian and omit the chicken to make coronation pasta salad.
🥡 Storage
Make-Ahead - Get ahead and make the curried chicken pasta salad up to 2 days before needed. Place it in an airtight container and chill.
Store - Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes! Freeze for up to 1 month in a freezer-safe container.
Traditionally, coronation chicken is eaten as a cold dish.
Mayonnaise, yogurt, mango chutney, curry powder, lemon juice and salt & pepper.
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Recipe
Easy Coronation Chicken Pasta Salad
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Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 300 g Cooked Chicken cut into chunks or shredded
- 200 g Pasta penne or similar
- 3 tablespoon Sultanas
For the curried mayo
- 2 tablespoon Natural Yogurt
- 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 3 teaspoon Mild Curry Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 3 tablespoon Mango Chutney
- ½ Lemon juice only
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
To Garnish
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Coriander chopped
- 2 tablespoon Flaked Almonds
To Serve
- 100 g Rocket Leaves or similar
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain and then rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool.200 g Pasta
- Mix together the curried mayo dressing ingredients in a small bowl.2 tablespoon Natural Yogurt, 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise, 3 teaspoon Mild Curry Powder, ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon, 3 tablespoon Mango Chutney, ½ Lemon, ¼ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Put the cooked chicken pieces, sultanas, and cooked pasta in a large mixing bowl and pour over the dressing. Mix to combine then serve on a bed of salad leaves and garnish with chopped coriander and flaked almonds.300 g Cooked Chicken, 200 g Pasta, 3 tablespoon Sultanas, 2 tablespoon Fresh Coriander, 2 tablespoon Flaked Almonds, 100 g Rocket Leaves
Notes
- Cook the pasta to al dente then drain it straight away and rinse under cold running water to prevent it from cooking further. Cool completely before you mix the pasta with the other ingredients. I often do this the night before and store it in the fridge until needed.
- Use dried apricots or golden raisins instead of sultanas.
- Add chopped fresh mangoes for a burst of colour.
- Add other salad vegetables into the cold chicken pasta salad. Cherry tomatoes, celery, and cucumbers would all work well.
- Mix in cooked rice instead of pasta.
- Garnish with chopped spring onions and chopped red peppers for crunch.
- Make the dressing lighter by using light mayonnaise and low-fat yogurt.
- Omit the pasta and serve the coronation chicken salad on jacket potatoes, in sandwiches, or with a green side salad.
Beth
I was just surfing around your site when I came upon this, and I'm so glad I did. I've never seen chicken done like this, and I'm so eager to try it. It looks amazing!
Savita
This chicken pasta salad looks so hearty and apt for picnics. Loved the recipe.
Claudia Lamascolo
We loved this chicken and pasta dish and the spices made it super delicious!
Toni
Such an amazing salad! This quickly became a favorite at my house!
GUNJAN
This is such a great recipe and so easy to make. Tastes delicious and so pretty to present too.