This Vegan Coronation Chicken Sandwich is packed with chickpeas and kidney beans and is a meat-free take on the traditional Coronation Chicken sandwich filling. This bean filling is very easy to make and can be used for sandwiches, wraps, pitta breads, or even as a lettuce wrap filling. You can also use the sandwich filling as a stand-alone vegan curried bean salad.
The only cooking required is the initial toasting of the spices. The flavour profile of this vegan Coronation Chicken sandwich filling is a delicious mixture of fruity, sweet, spicy, creamy, and nutty, with the addition of toasted almonds providing a satisfying crunch.
This vegan coronation chicken recipe is delicious for lunch, dinner, snacks, parties, picnics, and pack-lunches. The mix of chickpeas and kidney beans, mixed with a creamy and spiced curried yogurt based sauce results in such a flavour-packed sandwich filling.
Jump to:
Origin of Coronation Chicken
The Vegan Coronation Chicken Sandwich is a modern adaptation of the traditional Coronation sandwich filling, which was created in 1953 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.
Coronation Chicken has an interesting history, as it was initially created to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. Constance Spry, a renowned florist and cookery writer, and Rosemary Hume, founder of Le Cordon Bleu in London, were commissioned to develop a dish that could be served at the coronation luncheon.
They aimed to create a recipe that would not only showcase British culinary heritage but also incorporate flavors from the Commonwealth countries, which led to the inclusion of curry powder, a nod to India's influence.
Today, Coronation Chicken is a popular sandwich filling in British cafes and is often served with baked potatoes, rice, or salad. Typically enjoyed chilled, this dish makes for a refreshing summer meal.
Vegan Coronation chicken
In recent years, Coronation Chicken has been reimagined to accommodate dietary and ethical preferences. The Vegan Coronation Chicken Sandwich, for instance, replaces the chicken with plant-based alternatives while retaining the essential flavors that make the original dish so popular.
Our tasty plant-based Coronation Chicken incorporates traditional ingredients while substituting meat and dairy with chickpeas and kidney beans, soy yogurt, and plant-based mayonnaise.
If you prefer, you can use cooked vegan Quorn pieces, meat-free pieces, or tofu instead of chickpeas and kidney beans. Alternatively, try your favorite bean combination – butterbeans or cannellini beans are great options, as they are creamy in texture.
To start, cinnamon, ginger, and curry powder are dry-toasted to release their wonderful aromas and mouth-watering flavors. These spices are then combined with yogurt, mayonnaise, mango chutney, and dried apricots to create a creamy, curried sauce. Finally, chickpeas and kidney beans are stirred in and the mixture is chilled in the refrigerator to marinate and absorb the delicious flavors.
The Vegan Coronation Chicken is fruity, sweet, spicy, creamy, crunchy, and nutty, delivering savory plant-based goodness in every bite.
For garnish and added crunch, flaked almonds are quickly dry-toasted in a pan until their edges begin to turn golden. Using the same pan in which the spices were toasted is ideal, as the almonds will pick up any remaining spice.
Scatter the toasted almonds over the Coronation filling before serving, along with some chopped coriander or cilantro for a fresh, flavorful finish.
How to prepare
Preparing Vegan Coronation Chicken is both quick and easy, and it can even be made a few days in advance. As this sandwich filling is packed with curry flavours, allowing it to rest in the refrigerator will only enhance the flavours.
Prepare the coronation bean mixture:
Step 1: First, toast the spices [cinnamon, ginger, curry powder] in a dry non-stick fry pan or skillet.
Step 2: Next, add the vegan mayonnaise, mango chutney, tomato paste, vegan yogurt, cooked chickpeas & kidney beans, and chopped dried apricots in a bowl.
Step 3: Add the toasted spices to the bowl and give it all a good stir.
Step 4: Place the coronation bean mixture into the refrigerator to chill.
Prepare the toasted almond flake garnish:
Step 1: Using the same pan as the spices were toasted in [don't wash beforehand as the spices will nicely flavour the flaked almonds] toast the almonds until they are tinged with brown edges.
Serving suggestion: Coronation bean salad bowl or side-dish
The Coronation bean mixture can be served as a salad or side dish without bread, rolls or tortilla wraps. Load up a salad bowl with the bean mixture and scatter the toasted almonds over and sprinkle some chopped coriander for tasty freshness. Additionally, you could line the salad bowl with crisp salad leaves before adding the bean mixture.
Serving suggestion: Coronation bean sandwich wrap filling
Enjoy the curried chickpeas and kidney beans as a tortilla wrap or sandwich filling. Check out the recipe notes below for tips on preparing the best tortilla wraps.
Recipe Notes
Storage
The Coronation bean filling can be stored within a covered container, and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days. It's best not to freeze the filling as the texture may change and the sauce may split.
The prepared sandwiches or wraps can be stored for 1-2 days - although if you previously stored the filling for a few days then it's best to eat the sandwiches on the same day as preparing.
It's best to wrap filled sandwiches with food wrap, kitchen foil, parchment paper or a re-usable sandwich wrap as this helps to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy while stored within the refrigerator.
You can also place the wrapped sandwiches into a covered container and this can help maintain freshness as well as avoid other strong food doors from affecting the sandwiches.
FAQ'S
Yes, the bean filling is generally gluten-free, as it consists of chickpeas, kidney beans, vegan yogurt, vegan mayonnaise, and various spices - however do check each ingredient that you use just to be 100% sure that it is gluten-free.
Additionally, if you are substituting the beans with vegan meat-free alternatives like vegan Quorn pieces, do check the labels to make sure they are gluten-free.
Also, if you are using the bean mixture as a sandwich or wrap filling you will have to opt for gluten-free bread or tortillas. Alternatively, you can serve the filling with gluten-free crackers, on a bed of lettuce, or with a baked potato.
To easily wrap a tortilla with filling inside you can use the following as a rough guide:
1. First warm the tortilla by placing it on to a hot pan or into a warm oven for a few seconds. You could also use a microwave to warm the tortillas for a few seconds. Warming the tortilla's helps to make it more pliable and easier to fold and wrap without breaking or ripping the wrap. However, if your tortilla wrap is quite fresh and soft this step can be omitted.
2. Add the filling onto the centre of the tortilla, leaving some space about an inch around the edges. Do try to be careful not to overfill the wrap as it will just make your life difficult! Use less filling than you think you might need as you can always add more as you go.
3. Fold the sides of the tortilla - fold the left and right sides inward towards the filling so that they overlap each other a little.
4. Now, fold the bottom edge of the tortilla up and over the filling, tucking it tightly under the filling.
5. Next, roll the tortilla by moving from the bottom to the top, while keeping the sides folded in. Use some gentle pressure during rolling to make sure that the wrap remains tight.
6. To finish, you can eat the wrap as it is or slice it in half diagonally. If your filling is quite wet you may prefer not to slice in half!
You can serve the vegan Coronation chicken filling as a salad or as a side-dish Instead of using it to fill bread, rolls, baguettes, tortilla wraps, pita breads, etc.
For a salad you can line a bowl with crisp salad leaves before scooping in the filling, and adding extra fresh salad bits such as - sliced tomatoes, spring onions, cucumber, beetroot, bean or lentil sprouts, etc. Additionally, you could add a cooked grain to the salad such as millet, couscous, barley, bulgar wheat, etc., and this can help bulk out the salad into a complete meal.
Another idea is to use the filling as a dip for tortilla chips, crackers, toasted pitta slices, oat cakes, rice cakes, etc.
Our family, particularly likes to enjoy Coronation bean salad as a baked potato filling especially during the summer or warmer months and the filling does make a delicious BBQ salad side.
Roasted or grilled vegetables like bell peppers, courgette, aubergine, tomatoes, mushrooms, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, or sweet potatoes are also tasty accompaniment's for Coronation bean salad.
Additionally, including some pickles or chutneys, such as mango, lime or mint, is a nice addition to the bean salad.
You can switch out the cooked beans for any cooked bean or whole lentil that you like best. Other substitutions include cooked vegan Quorn pieces, meat-free pieces, tempeh, or firm smoked or plain tofu. Simply chop or cube them and add them to the recipe as you would the beans. You may need to press the tofu to remove any excess moisture before using with the recipe.
Other bean substitutions include roasted cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cooked mushrooms, pan-fried eggplant or courgette.
Just keep in mind that the texture and taste of the end dish will vary depending on the substitute you choose.
If preferred choose a different dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, currants, cranberries or goji berries. Or perhaps add a diced fresh apple for the fruity notes. Alternatively, you can omit the dried fruit.
If allergies are a concern or you don't have almonds on hand, you can replace them with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds. Toast the seeds in the same way as the almonds. Alternatively, if allergies are not an issue you can also use other nuts, such as walnuts, cashews, peanuts, chopped mixed nuts, etc., depending on your preference.
More vegan sandwich recipes
Our family loves a good sandwich for lunch or even for dinner along with a nice bowl of soup so we have a few more of our family favourite recipes to share with you. Even though our Vegan Prawn Tofu Cocktail is a starter option we also like to have it as a fresh and tasty vegan prawn cocktail sandwich filling.
And for a classic sandwich you can't get better than our take on a Vegan Egg Mayonnaise Sandwich which is easily prepared with tofu and a little fresh cress.
For a fun option that would be great for a picnic or pack-lunch our Ploughman's Lunch is perfect as it can be enjoyed as a sandwich or baguette filling as well as laid out as a delicious platter of goodies.
Finally, for an old-fashioned sandwich recipe our Walnut and Celery Sandwiches are packed with surprisingly delicious flavours and tasty textures.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, or ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan Coronation Chicken Sandwich
Equipment
- small non-stick fry pan/skillet
- Mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
For the vegan coronation chicken:
- 1 can chickpeas [400g/14 oz can, drained or 240g cooked beans]
- 1 can kidney beans [400g/ 14 oz can, drained or 240g cooked beans]
- 6 whole dried apricots [chopped. Use a few extra if liked]
- 10 tablespoon soya yogurt [or other vegan plain yogurt]
- 3 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise [shop bought, or homemade see Notes]
- 1 tablespoon mango chutney
- 1 teaspoon tomato puree [paste]
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
Garnish:
- 4 tablespoons flaked almonds [use more or less]
- fresh coriander [cilantro]
Optional:
- mixed salad leaves
- tortilla wraps, bread slices, baguettes, rolls, etc
Instructions
Prepare the Coronation filling:
- Dry toast the curry powder, cinnamon, and ginger in a small fry pan over a medium heat for a few minutes.Shake and stir frequently so the spices toast evenly. Tip the spices into a mixing bowl. [The same pan will be used to toast the almonds so don't clean it as the residue spice powder will add flavour to the almonds.]2 teaspoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- Mix through the yogurt, mayonnaise, tomato puree, and mango chutney with the spices.10 tablespoon soya yogurt, 3 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon tomato puree, 1 tablespoon mango chutney
- Stir through the chickpeas, kidney beans, and chopped apricots. Add salt and pepper to taste.Set aside to chill for at least 20 minutes, a few hours is better.1 can chickpeas, 1 can kidney beans, 6 whole dried apricots
Toast the flaked almonds:
- Heat the same pan the spices were toasted in and add the almonds. Over a medium heat until the almonds become golden at the edges, stir the almonds frequently to prevent burning.Remove the almonds from the pan. If using the chickpea and kidney bean mixture as a salad scatter the toasted almonds over the mixture before serving.4 tablespoons flaked almonds
Assemble sandwich or tortilla:
- When preparing a sandwich or tortilla wrap, it's a good idea to add a layer of lettuce or salad leaves to the bread before adding the filling. This will add some extra crunch and freshness. Sprinkle a few of the toasted almonds over the curried chickpea filling, and add some chopped coriander (cilantro). Finally, place another slice of bread on top or wrap it up if you're using a tortilla. Enjoy!fresh coriander, mixed salad leaves, tortilla wraps, bread slices, baguettes, rolls, etc
Notes
- Nutritional data is for guidance only and is not intended to be a strict calculation as ingredients can vary. Data does not include any bread products as many may choose to use the filling as a salad or side dish. Also, data does not include the almonds, salad or coriander garnishes.
- Store the vegan coronation chicken in an covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Prepared sandwiches can be wrapped with food wrap and stored for 1-2 days.
- Serve as a sandwich filling, as a salad, for lettuce wraps or baked potato fillings, or as a dip with crackers or tortilla chips.
- If you prefer a milder or spicier coronation chicken, adjust the amount of curry powder and cayenne pepper to taste.
- You can use store-bought vegan mayonnaise or make your own by blending together vegan-friendly ingredients such as silken tofu, vinegar, and mustard. Check out Dr McDougall's easy recipe for an easy silken-tofu based mayonnaise.
Nutrition
Comments
Prepared our Vegan Coronation Chicken Sandwich recipe? We would love to know how you got on with the recipe so do pop back and click the star ratings. All feedback very much appreciated as it helps us to know which recipes you are loving. Thanks so much! All the best, Jacq x
Julia says
Finally made this delicious sandwich, I used gluten free. Homemade tortillas and it was excellent!
Jacq says
Great! I am so glad you enjoyed the coronation sandwich. Gluten-free homemade tortillas sound like a tasty addition 🙂
Jenny says
I love the name of this recipe and learning about the history behind it! The blend of sweet and savory flavors in this sandwich sound so good.
Jacq says
Me too! I love reading little snippets of where meals originated. I just find it fascinating. The sweet and savoury curry flavours coupled with the crispy toasted almonds is just so tasty 🙂
Cathleen says
Ooh this looks amazing, and I have all of the ingredients!! Bookmarked to make during the weekend, thanks so much for the recipe!!
Jacq says
Awesome. Hope you enjoy and are having the amazing weather we have up here in rural Scotland. Currently 21 degrees! We are having the coronation sandwiches for our picnic 🙂
Claudia Lamascolo says
We are huge chickpea lovers I make them from dried beans all the time and this is on my list to use them in tomorrow!
Jacq says
Great! I love chickpeas they are just so versatile and tasty. Enjoy 🙂
Anjali says
Love this plant based version of a classic!! It made for the perfect easy lunch for our family today!
Jacq says
So glad your family enjoyed the vegan coronation chickpeas and kidney beans 🙂
Sharon says
This vegan salad is full of flavor! The perfect meal for lunch or meatless Monday dinner.
Jacq says
I so agree the coronation sauce is so tasty and a perfect wrap filling for lunch. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Rika says
My husband is into a plant-based diet lately. I know that he is going to love this sandwich.
Jacq says
Great. I love that so many people are becoming interested in a plant-based diet. Wishing your husband a tasty lunch 🙂