Coronation chicken was invented by Constance Spry and served at the Queen's Coronation lunch in 1953.

Ingredients Chicken - 1 x 2.3 kg (5 lb), poached
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 small, finely chopped
Curry paste - 1 tbsp
Tomato purée - 1 tbsp
Red wine - 100 ml
Bay leaf - 1
Lemon - ½, juice only
Apricot halves - 4, drained, finely chopped
Mayonnaise - 300 ml (½ pint)
Whipping cream - 100 ml (4 fl oz)
Salt and pepper
Watercress - to garnish
Serves 8

Skin the chicken and cut into small pieces.

In a small saucepan, heat the oil, add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the curry paste, tomato puree, wine, bay leaf and lemon juice. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until well reduced. Strain and leave to cool.

Purée the chopped apricot halves in a blender or food processor or through a sieve. Beat the cooled sauce into the mayonnaise with the apricot puree.

Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the mixture. Season, adding a little extra lemon juice if necessary.

Fold in the chicken pieces, Garnish with watercress and serve.

The Queen's Coronation meal

After the Coronation on 2 June 1953 a Coronation Banquet was held at Buckingham Palace. The menu was:
Consommé Royale
(Chicken consommé garnished with cubes of royale)

Filet de Boeuf Mascotte
(Fillet of beef garnished with quarters of artichoke bottom tossed in butter with cocotte potatoes and slices of truffle)

Salade

Now see the Golden Jubilee Chicken recipe