Nowadays, coronation chicken is a classic sandwich staple, but 70 years ago, it was novel and even extravagant, what with the nation still under rationing restrictions after the war.
Official recipes for King Charles’ coronation include roast lamb and prawn tacos – and of course, the coronation quiche – but if you want to honour the late Queen at your coronation party, here’s an easy recipe for coronation chicken, plus some history about the dish.
How to make coronation chicken: Easy to follow recipe
Serves eight
Ingredients:
2.3kg (5lb) chicken
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small finely chopped onion
1 tbsp curry paste
1 tbsp tomato purée
100ml red wine
1 bay leaf
Juice of ½ a lemon
4 finely chopped apricot halves
300ml mayonnaise
100ml whipping cream
Salt and pepper
Watercress to garnish
Method:
1. Skin the chicken, cut it into small pieces and grill it until cooked. In a small saucepan heat the oil, add the onion and cook for about three minutes until softened.
2. Add the curry paste, tomato purée, wine, bay leaf and lemon juice and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until well reduced. Strain and leave to cool.
3. Purée the chopped apricot in a blender and beat the cooled sauce into the mayonnaise with the apricot mixture.
4. Season, adding a little more lemon juice if necessary. Fold in the chicken pieces, garnish with watercress and serve.
Coronation chicken, was first served at the celebratory luncheon, following Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.
The honour of catering the luncheon was bestowed upon Rosemary Hume, a former student of Le Cordon Bleu Paris, and her students at L’Ecole du Petit Cordon Bleu in Marylebone, London, which she herself had opened in 1933.
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According to the Le Cordon Bleu London website, this invite from Sir David Eccles, the Minister of Works, to cater for thethree hundred and fifty VIPs at the luncheon was what helped cement the then-20-year-old school’s success in the culinary world.
The two people credited with inventing the chicken dish are Rosemary herself and her fellow school principal Constance Spry, a food writer and flower arranger.
It was first known as Poulet Reine Elizabeth, and was originally made with ‘young roasting chickens, water and a little wine to cover carrot, a bouquet garni, salt, peppercorns and a cream of curry sauce.’
Rather than being eaten in bread for the Coronation Luncheon, it was served with a salad of rice, pimentos and green peas.
While the recipe has been tweaked by many over time, the creamy chicken dish has remained popular to this day for good reason.
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Served cold, the original recipe involved poaching chicken in water and wine before coating it in a creamy sauce consisting of mayonnaise, whipped cream, apricot and tomato purée, curry powder, lemon, pepper and red wine. The dish was accompanied by a well-seasoned salad of rice, green peas and pimentos.
For the marinade – Coat the chicken in Greek yoghurt and mild curry powder. For the rest of the sauce – This is made up of mayonnaise, more Greek yoghurt, mango chutney, mild curry powder, chopped dried apricots, flaked toasted almonds and salt and pepper.
Rosemary Hume, who taught at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London, and floral designer Constance Spry created the dish for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation luncheon in 1953. Seventy years after 400 guests lifted their forks, the curried chicken salad lives on — especially as a sandwich filling.
The recipe "Poulet Reine Elizabeth" now widely known as Coronation Chicken has been created by Le Cordon Bleu London to be served at the Coronation Luncheon in 1953. This is the extraordinary story of the recipe and of one of the most significant moments of Le Cordon Bleu London.
The queen's preference for game meats even extended to more casual meals; she was, reportedly, a big fan of hamburgers made with ground venison. She usually skipped any potatoes, pastas or grains at her evening repast, but almost always had room for dessert.
Coronation chicken or Poulet Reine Elizabeth is an English dish of boneless chicken traditionally seasoned with parsley, thyme, bay leaf, cumin, turmeric, ginger and peppercorns, mixed with cream or mayonnaise, and dried apricots (or sultanas). Some modern variations also incorporate cinnamon.
The official ingredients in Burger King's Royal Sauce are a mystery, but it's thought to include ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, relish, and a host of spices. The sauce mixes sweet tomato and mayo with vinegary pickles, basil, onion, and tangy garlic. It also has a hint of spicy mustard and a dash of ranchy flavor.
The official Coronation Quiche recipe for King Charles III's crowning, by Royal Chef Mark Flanagan, contains spinach, broad beans and tarragon, which is likely a nod to his sustainable agriculture commitment and his purported affinity for eggs and cheese.
The official coronation recipes include Adam Handling's Strawberry and Ginger Trifle, Nadiya Hussain's Coronation Aubergine, and Ken Hom's Coronation Roast Rack of Lamb with Asian-style Marinade. Later, they shared their very own recipe: Coronation Quiche, to make for the Coronation Big Lunch.
For the coronation, the food had to be prepared in advance, and florist Constance Spry proposed a recipe of cold chicken in a curry cream sauce with a dressed salad of rice, green peas and mixed herbs. The recipe won the approval of the Minister of Works and has since been known as coronation chicken.
If you've never heard of Coronation chicken, it's a cold dish of cooked chicken (shredded or chopped) in a curry spiced mayo-based sauce with mango chutney, sultanas and apricots for sweetness.
The coronation sussex is a pure breed bird and has stunning pure snow white plumage with blue lavender lacing around the neck and tail. These are lovely natured birds that will bring you years of laying and backyard company.
For the uninitiated, quiche is a crisp, light pastry case with mild flavours of spinach, beans, and fresh tarragon, and can be enjoyed cold or hot. As per the Royal UK website, the Coronation Quiche is a part of the Coronation Big Lunch, which aims to bring people together to celebrate Coronation and share friendship.
As part of the coronation luncheon on 2 June 1953, guests were served “Poulet Reine Elizabeth”, a dish credited to Rosemary Hume and Constance Spry from Le Cordon Bleu London, who catered the event, with the original recipe consisting of “young roasting chickens, water and a little wine to cover carrot, a bouquet garni ...
The Queen's preference for simplicity also dictated her dinner preferences, with menu options that often included meat or fish and vegetables. She enjoyed starting with a smoked fish pâté followed by a filet of steak with mushroom whiskey sauce or savory venison.
Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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