Curried chicken pittas with apricot and mango

Coronation chicken has a long history in British kitchens. It was created for the coronation lunch of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and it has been a sandwich-shop staple ever since. This version keeps the spirit of that curry-and-cream filling but lightens it with half-fat crème fraîche and low-fat natural yogurt, then brightens it with apricot and mango, which give it a soft sweetness that sits nicely against the warm spice.

A few things make this easier to get right. Let the cooked chicken cool before you fold it in, or the rocket will wilt and the dressing will go thin. Medium curry powder is a good middle ground; if you only have a mild one, add a pinch more, and taste the dressing before it goes anywhere near the chicken. Fresh apricots are at their best in summer, but if they are hard or sour, a few minutes sitting in the bowl with the dressing softens their flavour. Mango can be ripe and soft, so slice it just before you assemble to keep it neat.

Leftovers keep well for a day in a sealed container in the fridge. Keep the rocket separate if you can, and add it on the day you eat it. The filling also makes a good jacket potato topping, or a spoonful on top of a green salad. If you want to stretch it further, it pairs with the Chicken Salad with Sweet Fruit idea, which uses the same kind of sweet fruit and nutty leaves in a different way.

For something on the side, a bowl of cucumber and mint with a squeeze of lime cuts through the richness. A small pot of lentil or bean salad also works well and adds fibre without any fuss. If you are planning a lunch spread, the Tuna couscous salad with sweet chilli is a good partner, since its sharp dressing contrasts with the creamy curry.

Wholemeal pittas are the easiest vessel here. Toast them lightly so they hold up to the filling, and split them along the edge rather than cutting all the way across, so the filling stays inside. If you do not have pittas, a wholemeal wrap or a thick slice of seeded bread will do the job just as well.