I am expanding my personal Wimbledon traditions this year by exploring the culinary offerings at the tournament beyond the Pimm’s Cup and Strawberries and Cream. It is possible to do that because the official Wimbledon site publishes the menus for every dining venue on the grounds of the All England Club during the fortnight. Additionally, the official site includes quite a few recipes for the food that has been served at the tournament in prior years. That is inescapable proof that they want us to try this at home and I am here for that.
Consequently, while the tournament is airing this year, Coronation Chicken will be served in my household. This staple dish of Wimbledon appears on the current menus of Parkside Kitchen and Cafe Pergola. The official site even published a recipe for Coronation Chicken in 2017, but the ingredients don’t precisely align with this year’s menu descriptions.
In 2017, blanched green beans were the only vegetable in the Wimbledon Coronation Chicken recipe. This year, it is described as containing roasted cauliflower and broccoli. Additionally, the menu descriptions for 2024 indicate that it contains couscous and spiced granola. I gather that there is significant variation from year to year on what exactly constitutes Wimbledon Coronation Chicken.
To be clear, Coronation Chicken is simply a named regional variation of chicken salad. My standard personal recipe for that dish includes pecans, which represent the official tree, nuts, and pie in my home state of Texas. I also use apples and occasionally celery. The required elements of any basic chicken salad are diced (or shredded) chicken, mayonnaise, and some combination of vegetables or fruit to add the crunch factor.
Regional variations of chicken salad abound. Waldorf chicken salad features apples, grapes, and walnuts. I love a Mediterranean version with black olives, tomatoes, pepperoncini, and feta cheese. Thai-inspired chicken salad typically includes peanuts, cilantro, and a healthy dash of Sriracha.
With all the regional variations, I feel justified in starting my cooking based on a version of a Coronation Chicken recipe published by the New York Times in 2023. One primary motivation is that the conversions from British measurements to what is more commonly used in the United States have already been done for me in that version.
Another advantage of referencing the New York Times recipe is that it explains the history and essential elements of Coronation Chicken to this ignorant Yankee. The dish was created to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. However, it was apparently not on the menu for the recent coronation of King Charles III. He apparently opted for quiche instead.
The essential elements of Coronation Chicken involve curried spices, dried fruit, and almonds. There is apparently a debate over whether apricots or golden raisins should be used as dried fruit. I’m opting for the apricots. The New York Times recipe also offers convenient shortcut options that will likely be invoked should I continue to make this variation going forward. To me, chicken salad is fundamentally what one does with leftover roasted chicken.
The official Wimbledon site is a treasure trove for anyone who wants to experience some of the traditions from afar. I am excited at the prospect of using the menus and recipes from the site as a launch point for this culinary journey.
