Description
Chicken a la King is a creamy, comforting dish featuring tender shredded chicken in a rich sauce made with butter, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and a smooth blend of chicken broth and heavy cream. Perfect served over biscuits, rice, or pasta, this classic recipe is quick to prepare and ideal for a satisfying family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onions
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup diced green peppers
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup diced and drained pimentos
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
Instructions
- Melt Butter: Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until fully melted and beginning to bubble.
- Cook Onions and Mushrooms: Add the diced yellow onions and sliced mushrooms to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent and the mushrooms soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Green Peppers: Stir in the diced green peppers and cook for an additional 2 minutes to soften.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour evenly over the vegetable mixture. Stir well to coat the vegetables completely, forming a roux base for the sauce.
- Cook Flour Mixture: Continue cooking the flour and vegetable mixture for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning and to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add Chicken Broth: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring continuously. This will help prevent lumps and thicken the sauce as it heats.
- Add Heavy Cream and Simmer: Pour in the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Stir well to combine and gently simmer the sauce until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Season: Add onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the sauce. Stir thoroughly to distribute the seasonings evenly.
- Incorporate Chicken and Pimentos: Stir in the diced pimentos and cooked shredded chicken until everything is well combined and heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve the Chicken a la King hot over cooked biscuits, rice, or pasta as preferred.
Notes
- Use cooked shredded chicken from leftover roast, rotisserie, or boiled chicken breast for convenience.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or milk, but the sauce will be less rich.
- You can add peas or diced cooked carrots for additional vegetables and color.
- Serve immediately for best texture; leftovers can be refrigerated and gently reheated.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially salt and pepper, based on your broth choice.
