Why Meghan Markle Wouldn't Likely Serve The Queen Her Chicken Adobo
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is a renowned foodie. Prior to marrying her very own prince charming in Prince Harry, Markle used to manage her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, where she would interview chefs and fellow actors and share recipes for some of her favorite meals and cocktails. Even after she became a princess, her love for food expanded into the kind of work she did while on royal tours and with her individual projects like the Together: Our Community Cookbook that she did with the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen in London (via Eater).
Having grown up in Los Angeles, Markle was surrounded by tons of different cultures all blending together and bringing their own special cuisine to the proverbial table. One such culture that Markle grew up around? The Filipino culture. And because of this, one of her favorite dishes to make for her Sunday suppers was Filipino-style chicken adobo (via Hello Magazine). But, upon moving to London and living with the ever-so regal Queen Elizbeth II, the Duchess of Sussex had to give up using certain ingredients and recipes like her chicken adobo.
So what is it about Meghan Markle's chicken adobo that made it off limits?
Simply put, Queen Elizabeth isn't very big on garlic and onions (via Hello Magazine). Newsweek reports that former royal chef Darren McGrady confirmed that he couldn't cook with garlic or many onions per the request of The Queen. When asked to confirm if this was true, her daughter-in-law, Camila Parker-Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall, agreed and explained that the reason they were asked to lay off the garlic and onions was that they were constantly chatting with people. Which is sorta great when you think about never having to chat up a British royal after they've had an onion and garlic soup.
Why is this a bit of an issue for Markle's beloved chicken adobo recipe? Well, it requires one whole onion (chopped, of course) and two tablespoons of minced garlic. Markle revealed to the Today show in 2012 that she loved the ease of making adobo chicken. "I enjoy making slow-cooked food on Sundays, like Filipino-style chicken adobo. It's so easy — combine garlic, soy (or Bragg Liquid Aminos), vinegar, maybe some lemon and let the chicken swim in that sauce until it falls off the bone in a Crock Pot," said Markle. But now that she, Prince Harry, and their son, Archie Harrison, have relocated to sunny Los Angeles, they can munch on some delicious chicken adobo at their Sunday suppers.