Which British dish was created for Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation banquet?

Coronation chicken was created for Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation banquet.

The dish was devised by Constance Spry, a floral designer and food writer, and Rosemary Hume, principal of the Cordon Bleu cookery school in London. Their recipe combined cooked chicken with a creamy sauce flavoured with curry powder, apricot purée, mayonnaise and other seasonings.

It was originally called “Poulet Reine Elizabeth”, meaning Queen Elizabeth chicken. The recipe drew on the earlier Jubilee chicken created for George V’s silver jubilee in 1935, but it used a different flavour profile.

Coronation chicken later became a popular sandwich and buffet filling. Commercial versions vary considerably, so the modern dish is not always identical to the original banquet recipe.