Chicken Ala King

Chicken à la King is a quick and ideal family dinner recipe. It's perfect if you have leftover chicken and aren't sure what to do with it. It's delicious, with balanced flavors that make it taste like it came from a top-notch restaurant.

Chicken a la King is another easy recipe that can be made in only 15 minutes. While it may not be a French dish, its roots trace back to 1890 in the New Brighton Beach Hotel, and you can see the influence of French cuisine on it. The use of wine and butter as key ingredients is a hallmark of French cooking. This dish transforms simple ingredients into an exquisite meal for your table. Both adults and children will enjoy this delightful recipe, so be sure to try it!

Some voices say it is an English dish, but I maintain that it does not matter whether its origins are in New York or England; its inspiration certainly comes from France.

How to choose the best ingredients for Chicken Ala King

While the original recipe is undeniably delicious, I couldn't resist adding my twist. Instead of dry sherry, I opted for cherry liquor, which elevates the dish's flavor profile. The sweet vodka enhances the chicken's taste and complements the marinated peppers beautifully. Dry red wine is also a perfect match for those who prefer a different twist. This versatility allows you to experiment and find your unique flavor.

Chicken breasts can also include tender chicken breast and leftovers from baked, boiled, or rotisserie chicken.

Frozen green peas: I like baby peas because they are sweet and quickly become soft after cooking, which means they are not floury in taste.

Pimento peppers are such peppers in the original recipe, but any peppers in the marinade work well. You can add bell peppers, but if you have the option of having one in the marinade, I sincerely recommend it. The flavor of the pickled peppers gives even more expressiveness to this delicious recipe.

Mushrooms: Baby Bella mushrooms will be the best, but any walnuts will also be suitable

Chicken stock: chicken broth or a vegetable version will also be suitable.

Full-fat milk: You can partially replace it with heavy cream if you don't have full-fat milk.

Dry Sherry Wine from white wine (I use it instead of red wine, which is also fine). This is in the original recipe, created in the year when only white wine was added to the chicken. Nowadays, people experiment more often in the kitchen, so I suggest adding red wine, or it would be ideal to add cherry juice, which gives more power to this recipe.

A white or brown onion will be perfect. I do not recommend red onion because it disrupts the dish's color.

All-purpose flour is the most ordinary for baking, and it helps thicken the sauce.

Fresh thyme leaves: If you do not have fresh ones, you can use dried ones; however, I like to have fresh herbs on the windowsill, and thyme is also among them. Thyme is ideal for chicken.

Salt and black pepper: Both spices are essential as they enhance the depth of flavor.

Unsalted butter is ideal; salted will also work; just add less salt to taste. If you do not eat butter, add a vegetarian substitute or use olive oil for the whole thing.

Chicken Ala King Step-by-Step Guide

Chicken Ala King is the next creamy chicken dish in the blog. My family loves this easy dinner recipe. And I love it because it is a great leftover recipe for my no-waste idea. 

Step 1: Preparing your ingredients in advance is crucial to streamlining your cooking process. This will allow you to focus on the cooking itself. For instance, chicken à la King is a quick dish because you can add pre-cooked chicken.

Wash the mushrooms under running water so they don't soak up the liquid unnecessarily. Cut the onion into very thin slices, as this will later affect the consistency of the sauce. The thin onion will not be noticeable but will blend into the creamy sauce.

You can cut the mushrooms into thicker slices because they will be halved.

Step 2: Melt the butter over medium heat and caramelize the onions, stirring constantly not to burn. When the onion is soft and golden brown, add the sliced mushrooms.

Step 3: In the meantime, while you are cutting and washing, you can prepare the chicken breasts to cook, bake in the oven, or air fry.

Step 4: When the onion and mushrooms are ready, dice the chicken and add it to the pot. Sprinkle with fresh thyme to enhance the flavor and aroma of the dish.

Step 5: Add chopped and drained Piedmont peppers in the next step.

Step 6: Pour the chicken stock over it all and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Step 7: Then add the frozen peas and pour in the cherry liqueur.

Step 8: Combine the milk and flour until smooth in a small pot or bowl. If you're unsure about the consistency, consider using a sieve to ensure no flour lumps in the dish.

Step 9: Pour the milk and flour into the pot with the stew and mix well with a spatula. When the dish boils, the sauce will thicken thanks to the flour, and that will be it.

I suggest serving Chicken à la King with rice, orzo rice, bulgur, pasta, or, as it used to be most often served, warm biscuits or toast made of ciabatta or French baguette. My family and I personally prefer this dish with rice or toast.

How to store Chicken Ala King

Chicken Ala King can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating in a pot, adding 1-2 tablespoons of water to the bottom so the dish does not burn, as the sauce is already thickened with flour. You can also freeze the dish in freezer bags and store it for 1-2 months.

Discover a fantastic idea for easy chicken recipes!

Chicken Alfredo Linguine: This is another comfort food. You can make it in only 15 minutes! 

Creamy Mushrooms Pasta is an easy dish with chicken and creamy sauce. 

Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice is one of the Chinese recipes using leftover chicken.