coronation chicken: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-LowCulinary, Informal, Historical
Quick answer
What does “coronation chicken” mean?
A cold British dish consisting of cooked chicken pieces in a creamy, curried mayonnaise sauce, often with raisins or sultanas, almonds, and herbs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cold British dish consisting of cooked chicken pieces in a creamy, curried mayonnaise sauce, often with raisins or sultanas, almonds, and herbs.
A specific culinary preparation created for a royal coronation, now a classic buffet and sandwich filling representing traditional British formal and celebratory food.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term and dish are almost exclusively British. In the US, it is largely unknown except in contexts discussing British food or royalty. If described in the US, it might be called 'curried chicken salad' but the specific recipe and name are UK-centric.
Connotations
In the UK: nostalgia, tradition, royal events, summer buffets, picnics, and supermarket sandwich fillers. In the US: exotic British specialty, unfamiliar.
Frequency
Common in the UK, especially in food-related contexts. Extremely rare to non-existent in everyday American English.
Grammar
How to Use “coronation chicken” in a Sentence
[to make/prepare/serve] + coronation chickencoronation chicken + [with/for/in]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coronation chicken” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The coronation chicken vol-au-vents were a hit.
- She brought a coronation chicken pie to the fête.
American English
- He tried a coronation chicken-style salad at the British pub.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in the catering or food retail industry (e.g., 'We're introducing a new premium coronation chicken line').
Academic
Used in historical or cultural studies of food, British post-war history, or royal events.
Everyday
Used when discussing food, recipes, picnics, buffets, and supermarket purchases.
Technical
Used in culinary contexts detailing recipe composition, food history, and gastronomy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “coronation chicken”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “coronation chicken”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coronation chicken”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'three coronation chickens'). It is an uncountable/mass noun (e.g., 'some coronation chicken').
- Assuming it is a hot dish.
- Spelling it as 'corronation' or 'corronation chicken'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It was created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume.
Yes, using leftover roast or poached chicken is a very common and traditional way to make the dish.
It is mildly spiced with curry powder, not traditionally hot or fiery. The flavour is creamy, fruity, and gently aromatic.
It is most commonly served cold as a sandwich filling, on baked potatoes, in vol-au-vents, with rice salad, or as part of a buffet spread with green salad.
A cold British dish consisting of cooked chicken pieces in a creamy, curried mayonnaise sauce, often with raisins or sultanas, almonds, and herbs.
Coronation chicken is usually culinary, informal, historical in register.
Coronation chicken: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒr.əˈneɪ.ʃən ˈtʃɪk.ɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɔːr.əˈneɪ.ʃən ˈtʃɪk.ɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a crown (coronation) sitting on a plate of creamy, curried chicken. The crown helps you remember it's a special 'royal' dish.
Conceptual Metaphor
A DISH IS A HISTORICAL EVENT (the dish embodies and commemorates the 1953 coronation).
Practice
Quiz
What is a key characteristic of coronation chicken?