Chicken à la king has long been a family favorite, and it’s made so quickly you can serve it as a quick lunch or weeknight dinner. Feel free to use diced rotisserie chicken in this recipe for an even faster prep time. I love mushrooms in the dish, but feel free to leave them out or use cooked peas or carrots instead. It’s a versatile dish you can serve over biscuits, potatoes, puff pastry shells, toast, noodles, rice, or grits.
Recipe Variations
- Meat: Instead of chicken, make the dish with leftover turkey, ham, or add some crumbled cooked bacon to the mix.
- Seafood: Replace the chicken with cooked shrimp, lobster, scallops, or a combination of seafood.
- Cheese: Make a rich, cheesy dish with the addition of 1/2 to 1 cup of shredded Gruyère, Parmesan, or cheddar cheese.
- Herbs: Add fresh flavor with herbs like parsley, basil, thyme, chives, or tarragon.
- Vegetarian: Omit the chicken and add beans and extra vegetables for a meat-free entrée.
- Spicy: Give your dish a kick with crushed red pepper flakes or a minced hot pepper.
How to Store Leftovers
- Transfer cooled chicken à la king to an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy leftovers within 4 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a saucepan over low heat until hot. 165 F is the USDA minimum recommended temperature for cooked leftovers.
Classic Chicken à la King
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Experience the ultimate comfort food: Chicken à la king. Quick and easy to make, this versatile dish can be customized to your liking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 4 to 6 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1/4 cup chopped pimiento
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Sauté: Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until they are tender and their liquids evaporate. Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring and cooking for 2 minutes.
- Make the Sauce: Gradually add the cream and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the Dish: Add the chicken, pimiento, and parsley (if using) and heat through.
- Serve: Spoon over toast points, puff pastry shells, polenta or grits, potatoes, or rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Chicken, Easy Meals
