Coronation Chicken & Bacon Pasta Salad
A British classic transformed into the most irresistible pasta salad!
Coronation chicken is one of my all-time favourite dishes and I cannot believe it’s taken me this long to come up with this dish! All it took was a bit of sun and a hungry belly, and well, here we are. Follow me!
Coronation Chicken Pasta Salad
This recipe is exactly what it says on the tin. The base is a take on my Classic Cold Coronation Chicken. The only differences are:
- Removed the coriander (cilantro). It didn’t quite sit right with the pasta.
- Added celery for an extra layer of texture to counteract the other softer ingredients (chicken, pasta, sultanas etc).
- Added bacon for an extra punch of flavour.
I know bacon in a coronation chicken is probably a sin, but it works so well – promise! (think of the sweet, salty, spicy balance)
Rinsing the pasta
Really important you rinse the pasta in cold water before adding it to the salad. If it’s warm at all it’ll turn the dressing greasy. With the same token, just ensure you properly drain as much excess water from the pasta as possible. Any water lingering around with dilute the flavour of the dressing.
Process shots: add yoghurt, mayo, curry powder, mango chutney, lemon juice and s&p to a bowl (photo 1), stir (photo 2), add drain pasta to 2nd bowl (photo 3), add chicken, bacon, celery, sultanas, spring onion & flaked almonds (photo 4), add dressing (photo 5), combine (photo 6).
Coronation Chicken Pasta Salad FAQ
What kind of pasta should I use?
Any short-cut pasta will do the trick! Here I use Fusillata Casareccia.
What kind of chicken should I use?
Leftover roast chicken/rotisserie chicken works perfectly here. You could also cook up a couple of chicken breasts if you’ve only got fresh chicken on hand, just ensure it completely cools before adding to the salad.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yep! I find the optimum resting time is around 1 hour. This gives time for the flavours to marry together, but it’s not long enough for it to start drying out. The pasta salad will last a few days, but the longer it rests the drier it’ll get. Still tastes great though!
Serving Coronation Chicken Pasta Salad
I typically serve this for Lunch as a main, but you could serve it as a Side if you’d prefer!
For more coronation goodness check out my Coronation Chicken Curry and Classic Coronation Chicken!
For more pasta salad recipes check out my Incredible Pasta Salads!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this coronation chicken pasta salad shall we?!
How to make Coronation Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad (Full Recipe & Video)
Coronation Chicken and Bacon Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl (for pasta salad)
- Small Mixing Bowl & Spatula (for dressing)
- Baking Tray or Pan (for bacon)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 300g / 10.5oz Short-Cut Pasta
- 300g / 10.5oz Cooked Chicken, diced into small cubes (see notes)
- 6-8 slices of Streaky Bacon
- 150g / 2/3 cup full fat Mayonnaise
- 150g / 2/3 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 80g / 1/3 cup Mango Chutney
- 60g / 1/3 cup Sultanas
- 40g / 1/3 cup Flaked Almonds
- 1 1/2 tbsp Mild Curry Powder (see notes)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 3 medium Springs Onions, finely diced
- 1 large rib of Celery, finely diced
- Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bacon using your preferred method to your preferred texture, then allow to completely cool and dice before needed.
- Add the pasta to salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water until completely cool, then thoroughly shake off the excess water.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl combine yogurt, mayo, mango chutney, lemon juice, curry powder and salt & pepper (to taste).
- To a large mixing bowl add the drained pasta alongside the chicken, bacon, sultanas, almonds, spring onion and celery. Pour in the sauce and toss to combine.
Notes
b) Bacon – Again, just ensure this completely cools before you add it to the salad. I typically bake it whilst the pasta cooks, but you could pan-fry it if you’d prefer.
c) Curry Powder – I recommend mild for coronation chicken, but if you like it spicy you could use medium or hot. If you want more of a curry flavour I recommend increasing the amount by up to 1/2 tbsp.
d) Make Ahead – I find the optimum resting time is around 1 hour. This gives time for the flavours to marry together, but it’s not long enough for it to start drying out. The pasta salad will last a few days, but the longer it rests the drier it’ll get. Still tastes great though!
e) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 4 (big portions!)
Nutrition
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