Classic Chicken à la King
Experience the ultimate comfort food: Chicken à la king. Quick and easy to make, this versatile dish can be customized to your liking.
Chicken à la King is a creamy, comforting classic that never goes out of style. Made with tender chunks of chicken, mushrooms, pimientos, and a rich cream sauce, it’s the kind of nostalgic dish that’s equally at home on a busy weeknight or a cozy Sunday lunch.
Rotisserie chicken makes this recipe especially fast, while the creamy sauce adds indulgence with minimal effort. You can serve it over toast, puff pastry shells, biscuits, rice, or potatoes—whatever you have on hand. It’s quick, easy, and endlessly flexible.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
- Ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights without sacrificing flavor or comfort.
- Great use for rotisserie chicken. Make the most of leftovers with minimal prep and big results.
- Versatile serving options. Serve it over toast, rice, pasta, biscuits, or pastry shells—whatever you like best.
- Customizable ingredients. Easy to adapt with mushrooms, peas, seafood, or different cheeses and herbs.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Diced rotisserie chicken is ideal for convenience, but any cooked chicken works well.
- Mushrooms: Fresh sliced mushrooms add earthy flavor, but you can leave them out or substitute another vegetable.
- Shallots: Mild and flavorful; you can substitute finely chopped onion if needed.
- Butter and flour: The base of a classic roux for thickening the sauce.
- Cream and broth: Heavy cream makes the sauce extra rich; use half-and-half for a lighter option.
- Pimiento: Adds color and subtle sweetness—optional but traditional.
- Parsley: Adds freshness; optional for garnish.
Steps to Make Chicken à la King
- Melt the butter and sauté the shallots and mushrooms until tender and any moisture evaporates.
- Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper, and cook the roux for a minute or two.
- Gradually add the chicken broth and cream, stirring constantly until smooth. Simmer gently until thickened.
- Stir in the chicken, pimiento, and parsley. Heat through.
- Serve hot over toast, biscuits, puff pastry, rice, or grits.
Tips for Success
- Use cooked chicken that’s not overly seasoned—rotisserie or leftover poached chicken work great.
- Don’t skip cooking off the mushrooms’ liquid; it concentrates their flavor and avoids a watery sauce.
- Simmer the sauce gently to prevent curdling, especially if using half-and-half instead of cream.
- Add cooked vegetables (like peas or carrots) with the chicken for a more colorful, veggie-forward version.
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.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over puff pastry shells, toast points, or biscuits for a classic presentation.
- Pair with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or white rice.
- Add sautéed spinach, peas, or roasted asparagus to the plate.
- Include a light green salad or citrus-dressed slaw for contrast.
- Offer cornbread or dinner rolls to mop up extra sauce.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freeze? Not recommended—the cream sauce may separate when thawed and reheated.
To Reheat: Gently reheat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. If needed, thin with a splash of milk or broth. Heat to 165°F for food safety.
Make-Ahead Tip
Prepare the sauce up to 2 days in advance and store it separately. Reheat gently and stir in the chicken and pimiento just before serving.
Classic Chicken à la King
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
- 4 to 6 ounces mushrooms, fresh sliced
- 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 cooked chicken, diced
- 1/4 cup pimiento, chopped
- 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.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
