The Old School Chicken Dish That Was A Postwar Delicacy In Britain

The dish that became a classic in postwar England was born of circumstance. Known today as Coronation chicken, it went under a much fancier name when it first appeared: Poulet Reine Elizabeth. It was June 1953 and Princess Elizabeth was about to become Queen Elizabeth II. The coming coronation was a huge deal, especially for a country that had suffered so much during World War II. When Rosemary Hume, the co-founder of Cordon Bleu London cooking school with Constance Spry, was tasked with feeding lunch to 350 foreign dignitaries there for the royal event, there were some issues.

The luncheon was held at Westminster School, which didn't have a kitchen big enough to serve hot food to such a large crowd. This meant coming up with a dish that was fancy enough for such an important event but that could still be made within these parameters. The answer that Hume and her culinary students came up with was a cold chicken salad with a cream sauce and a hint of curry powder. It became an instant sensation and remains an old school chicken dish that still has its admirers.

While fish and chips will forever be associated with the English, a pairing dating to at least the 1860s, Coronation chicken was all the rage there in the 1950s. But like many dishes, this one has undergone a few changes over the decades. The original recipe called for poaching the chicken in a mixture of water and white wine. Today some recipes call for simply sautéing the chicken. Similarly, the sauce for the Cordon Blue London version included mayonnaise, whipped cream, apricot and tomato puree, lemon juice, red wine, and only a hint of curry powder. These days, you're less likely to find whipped cream or wine in the recipe. You do often see additions like raisins, grapes, sliced almonds, chutney, and more curry powder.

The biggest change over time to this dish is how it's served. At the banquet, Coronation chicken came with what was considered a salad that consisted of rice, green peas, and pimentos. These days, you're most likely to get Coronation chicken served to you between two slices of bread.

Although Rosemary Hume and her students made this dish for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, it's unlikely that Elizabeth ate it on the day of the Westminster School luncheon. She was elsewhere at the time. And while the queen preferred jam sandwiches, which she reportedly ate every day, Elizabeth did eventually get to try Coronation chicken and apparently loved it.