Coronation Chickpea Salad
Coronation chicken was invented for a 1953 banquet, a curried, apricot-sweetened cold salad that became a British sandwich-shop fixture. The structure transfers cleanly to chickpeas, which have the bite and protein to anchor the dish while soaking up a spiced dressing. The keys are toasting the curry powder so it stops tasting raw, and building sweetness from grated apple and raisins instead of the sugary mango chutney the original leans on. Unsweetened plant yogurt replaces the mayonnaise, lemon sharpens it, and toasted almonds and celery bring the crunch. Crushing a handful of the chickpeas makes the whole thing cohere. Serve it as a salad, pile it into lettuce cups, or spread it thick.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Chickpeas, cooked or canned, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup Plain plant yogurt, unsweetened
- 1 1/2 tsp Curry powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Raisins
- 1/2 whole Apples, grated
- 2 stalks Celery, finely diced
- 3 wholes Scallions, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp Almonds, slivered, toasted
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Toast the curry powder and turmeric in a dry pan over medium heat for about 45 seconds, until they smell nutty rather than raw. Blooming the spices dry wakes them up and takes the chalky edge off curry powder, which is otherwise flat straight from the jar.
- Scrape the warm spices into a bowl and whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, and grated apple. The apple melts into the dressing as sweetness with acid built in, doing the job the mango chutney does in the classic without any added sugar, and the yogurt carries the spice the way mayonnaise usually would.
- Lightly crush about a third of the chickpeas against the bowl with a fork, then fold in all of them. Mashing a portion lets the dressing grip and gives the salad a creamy body, while the whole ones keep it substantial.
- Fold in the raisins, celery, scallions, parsley, and black pepper. The celery and scallion are the crunch and sharpness that keep a soft, sweet salad from going one-note.
- Rest 10 minutes for the flavors to settle, then top with the toasted almonds just before serving so they stay crisp. It keeps two days in the fridge; add the almonds fresh each time.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 250 calories, 11 g protein, 9 g fiber, 90 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
