During her Coronation lunch in 1953, the late Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a luxurious sandwich – but there have been many changes since then
Tom Parker Bowles has analysed a simple dish that was favored by the late Queen Elizabeth at her Coronation 72 years ago. Although Tom noted that the recipe has undergone several ‘vile’ changes over the years, he outlined its original version, created by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume.
“I know, I know it really wouldn’t be a royal cookbook without this so-called regal ‘classic’,” he wrote in his recently published book, Cooking & The Crown. “…Now the original version, as below, is perfectly civilised, but as the years went on, all manner of base and vile things were done to this perfectly innocent recipe, adding almonds and sultanas, lashings of turmeric and God knows what else, until it became a banana-hued, sickly-sweet aberration, the abject filling for a thousand sorry service station fillings.”
The recipe at hand is Poulet Reine Elizabeth, commonly known as Coronation Chicken sandwiches. While Spry and Hume were the creative forces behind this dish, the exact source of their inspiration remains uncertain.
In 1935, George V received a dish known as Jubilee Chicken, made with mayonnaise, chicken, and curry powder. Although many believe this could have inspired the development of Coronation Chicken, there is limited evidence to back this notion.
In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey, shortly before the official conclusion of World War II rationing, which endured for 14 years. At that time, chicken was not a common staple, making the Coronation meal a remarkable luxury.
For anyone interested in trying their hand at royal cuisine, Tom provides a simple recipe in his book. While it involves the usual process of boiling and shredding chicken, mastering the sauce may demand a bit more finesse.
You may find it surprising that the original filling includes not just chicken, mayonnaise, and curry powder, but also tomato paste, red wine and various other ingredients.
Bay leaves, lemon juice, and standard salt and pepper seasonings are added for additional flavour before serving the mixture on brown bread. Tom mentioned that the crusts should be cut off to enjoy sandwiches in the royal manner.
“Remove the crusts and cut each sandwich into three fat fingers,” he said. Tom’s book, Cooking & The Crown, offers a comprehensive, step-by-step recipe and ingredient guide for making the Coronation classic.
In addition to Poulet Reine Elizabeth, the collection includes more than 100 recipes ranging from Queen Victoria’s reign to King Charles III. Although many dishes, like ‘Pommes Elizabeth’ and ‘Pudding au Pain et aux Cerises’, seem quite lavish, there are also numerous simpler recipes that you can try at home.
More information can be found here.
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