Coronation Chicken

Put the chicken breasts in a saucepan in a single layer and cover with cold water by about 2cm. Add one bay leaf, the peppercorns, two slices cut from the lemon and a teaspoon of salt. Bring slowly to a bare simmer, with the surface just trembling, then cover and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until there is no pink in the middle.

Turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the liquid for 10 minutes so it stays moist. Lift it out, let it cool completely, then chill until cold. Leftover roast or poached chicken, about 500g of meat, can be used instead.

Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium heat and soften the finely chopped onion for 4 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato purée and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and 60ml of water, add the second bay leaf and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until reduced to a thick, glossy paste of roughly 3 tablespoons.

Press the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, discarding the solids, and leave to cool completely. A warm base would split the mayonnaise.

Stir the apricot jam into the cooled base, then fold in the mayonnaise and Greek yoghurt until smooth. Taste and add a little more lemon juice or salt if needed. It should be gently spiced, slightly sweet and sharp.

Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for about 2 minutes, until golden, then tip onto a plate to cool.

Cut the chilled chicken into 1.5cm pieces and fold into the sauce with the finely chopped dried apricots. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavours settle.

Scatter with the almonds and chopped coriander just before serving, in sandwiches, on jacket potatoes, over rice or in lettuce cups. It keeps for 2 days in the fridge.