Tom Parker Bowles, food writer and royal enthusiast, has shed light on the authentic recipe for the iconic dish Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed at her Coronation 72 years ago. His 2024 book, Cooking & The Crown, includes more than 100 royal recipes, tracing culinary traditions from Queen Victoria’s era to King Charles III’s reign.
Among the recipes, Parker Bowles draws attention to the Coronation Chicken—formally known as Poulet Reine Elizabeth—originally created by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume. While this dish is now a staple of British cuisine, Parker Bowles laments how it has been distorted over the decades with unnecessary additions like almonds, sultanas, and turmeric, turning what was once a refined dish into a “sickly-sweet aberration.”
The Coronation Chicken recipe dates back to 1953, when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey. This was a significant period, as rationing had just ended after 14 years of post-war austerity, and chicken was still a luxury ingredient. The dish’s origins are somewhat mysterious, though some believe it was inspired by Jubilee Chicken, served to George V in 1935, which combined mayonnaise, chicken, and curry powder.
READ MORE: Top 5 Must-Book Pubs for a Perfect Lunch in the Cotswolds
READ MORE: Areas of Gloucestershire Braced for Flooding as More Rain Expected
Parker Bowles’s version of Coronation Chicken emphasizes simplicity and authenticity. Beyond the familiar chicken, mayonnaise, and curry powder, the recipe incorporates tomato paste, red wine, bay leaves, lemon juice, and classic seasonings like salt and pepper. The mixture is served on brown bread with the crusts carefully removed and sandwiches cut into “three fat fingers”—truly the royal way to enjoy it.
Cooking & The Crown offers a detailed, step-by-step guide to recreating the dish, along with many other royal culinary treats. From the elegant ‘Pommes Elizabeth’ to the classic ‘Pudding au Pain et aux Cerises,’ the collection balances regal indulgence with accessible home cooking.
For anyone eager to taste a slice of British royal history, Parker Bowles’s book is a treasure trove of tradition and flavor.