Coronation chicken or Poulet Reine Elizabeth[1] 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).[2] Some modern variations also incorporate cinnamon. It is served cold and eaten as a salad with rice, peas and pimentos,[3] or used as a filling for sandwiches.[4] It was created by Constance Spry, an English food writer and flower arranger, and Rosemary Hume, a chef, for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
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| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Created by | Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume |
| Main ingredients | Chicken meat, herbs and spices, cream or mayonnaise-based sauce |
Composition
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Normally bright yellow, coronation chicken is traditionally flavoured with curry powder and fresh or dried herbs and spices, but may also include additional ingredients such as flaked almonds, raisins, and crème fraîche.
The original dish differs from modern versions in that it calls for apricot puree rather than raisins. The chicken is first poached in diluted, seasoned white wine, before being coated in a mayonnaise-based cream of curry sauce and arranged atop a rice salad.[5]
History
editConstance Spry, an English food writer and flower arranger, and Rosemary Hume,[6] a chef, both principals of the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London, are credited with the invention of coronation chicken.[7][8] Preparing the food for the banquet of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Hume[9] is credited with the recipe of cold chicken, curry cream sauce and dressing that became known as coronation chicken.[10]
Coronation chicken may have been inspired by jubilee chicken, a dish prepared for the silver jubilee of George V in 1935, which mixed chicken with mayonnaise and curry.[citation needed] Additionally, for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, another celebratory dish was devised, also called Jubilee chicken.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Platinum pudding for Queen's jubilee to follow 1953's coronation chicken". the Guardian. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ "The real... Coronation Chicken". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ "Coronation Chicken History & Origin | Le Cordon Bleu London". www.cordonbleu.edu. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ The Sunday Times (1 July 2007). "Coronation Chicken". Times Online. London. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2007.
- ^ "Qu'est-ce que le " Poulet Reine Elizabeth ", ce classique culinaire britannique créé pour la souveraine ?". 6 January 2022.
- ^ "Coronation Chicken Recipe". cordonbleu.edu. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Recipe for Jubilee Chicken". royal.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 February 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
- ^ The Daily Telegraph (1 June 2002). "Readers' recipes: Coronation chicken 2002". telegraph.co.uk. London. Retrieved 1 October 2007.
- ^ Tucker, Hugh. "Coronation chicken: The story behind the royal dish". bbc.com. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
According to Freya Perryman, communications officer from Le Cordon Bleu London, 'The recipe was created by Rosemary Hume and Constance Spry, with the main credit going to Hume, and we understand that students helped to fine-tune.'
- ^ Buckingham Palace. "50 Facts About The Queen's Coronation". royal.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
External links
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- Hugh Tucker (1 May 2023). "The tasty history of coronation food: The food fit for royalty". BBC World's Table.
- Recipe for the original Coronation Chicken by Andrea Soranidis (Author and Food Blogger)
- Blog post on the origins and whether it has links to the Coronation Sussex breed of chicken
- Prize-winning recipe from Telegraph's 2002 contest
- History of Coronation Chicken by James McIntosh