Coronation Chicken Curry

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 organic chicken
• 1 carrot
• 1 stick of celery
• A few sprigs of parsley and thyme 
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 10 peppercorns 
• 1 tsp of madras curry

SAUCE

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp of madras curry powder
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 100 dried apricots, chopped
• 1 tbsp of mango chutney
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
• 125 ml white wine 
• 125 ml water
• 120 g Yoghurt 
• 50 g Mayonnaise
• Chilli or Aleppo pepper
• Oil for frying

TO SERVE

• A few coriander sprigs
• Cooked rice for 4
• 4 cups of chopped curly parsley
• Zest of 1 small lemon

METHOD:

1. Put the chicken breast side up in a large casserole and add the carrot, celery, parsley, thyme, bay and peppercorns. Cover with water until the top of the breast is not covered and simmer for about 1 hour or until the juices run clear. Allow the chicken to cool in the liquid before pulling the meat off the bone.
2. When the chicken is taken off the bone and cut into large bite-sized pieces, prepare the sauce.
3. Chop the apricots into small pieces. Soften the onion and garlic in oil, stirring in the madras curry powder to let it toast. Then add the chutney, apricots and saffron and stir to caramelise just briefly then deglaze with half the white wine and water. Bring it to the boil then turn the heat down and season with salt to taste. Let the mixture simmer to reduce for 5 minutes then add the rest of the wine and water and simmer to reduce.
4. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions and mix with the chopped parsley and lemon zest.
5. Combine the yoghurt and mayonnaise. Let the sauce rest for 5 minutes, it will look sticky not watery then stir in the yoghurt and mayonnaise mixture. Taste, season with chilli powder or Aleppo pepper to taste. It should be mildly spicy not too spicy!
6. Add the pieces of chicken and turn them in the sauce so they are nicely coated. Now serve warm with cooked rice and a few sprigs of coriander on top.