crazy thing that i didn't realize i ate: coronation chicken

here's the thing. if you think about it, there are a LOT of british dishes on the tables of u.s. southerners. one example is that whole big breakfast thing we do, right? kinda like a fry up? instead of just toast and coffee like up there above the mason dixon line, at my dad's house it's always a huge plate of food with meat(s), eggs, bread in the form of (american) biscuits, (red eye) gravy, fried potatoes, etc, etc, etc.

well, there are no baked beans, but whatever.

anyway, the last time we were in the uk, leff got a coronation chicken sandwich for lunch thinking he was trying something new. he took one bite, paused for a minute and said "omg! this is your curry chicken salad!"

WHO KNEW?!?

well, obviously not us. but i did some research and, yeah. this recipe would seem to fit my personal timeline. see, i learned how to make it from tennessee church ladies who would have been, oh, about 35 or 40 when ol' five pound lizzie was coronated, right?

and they were still making it for pot lucks and picnics in the '70s when i first ate it. i mean, it's popular and easy and american southerners seem to have an affinity for all things british (oh god, it is genetic!) so WHY WOULD YOU NOT make it?

true, it might seem a bit weird that i'm still eating it in 2012 but, ugh, i am SO homesick.

anyway! there are some really great versions of the recipe in the linked guardian article above (here is the link again) including the original recipe created by rosemary hume but i thought you might like to see how things get bastardized when they cross the pond. so here's how i make it.

FIRST! boil two chicken breasts. this makes it easier to shred? i don't know why the chicken is boiled! i am just following old lady orders from almost 40 years ago.

next gather your ingred.  i use one apple, one celery stalk (the second in the photo was for me to eat while i was cooking), 1/4 cup of walnuts, about 1/4 cup of mayo (ugh, you are not going to eat all of this yourself so kindly keep your mayo prejudice to yourself, thanks.), about 1 tbs of curry powder.

OH YEAH! and cider vinegar. glug in about a tbs.

HAHA! i told you this was bastardized, right? apple and celery and walnuts....you can also add raisins?  but they aren't in this photo.

but speaking of the walnuts. toast them if you want but i just put the shredded chicken on top to warm them up. it uses one less pan. * shoulder shrug *

mix!

and then try and get all snooty with your presentation.

when in reality you just eat it in a sandwich.

it keeps well. a week? it won't last that long though. make this for that freakin' jubilee thing that's happening this summer if you want. that won't be why i'm making it though. like all the brits i know, i don't give two figs about royalty. remember? (photo credit: shed)

coming soon, more british type cooking. if you're lucky, i will write about my adventures in british curry! but you will more than likely get recipes from harry potter.