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Chicken a la King is a cozy, classic one pot recipe that takes only 30 minutes to make and is a great way to use up leftover chicken. The chicken is tossed in a creamy sauce with mushrooms, red pepper, and peas. Serve it over egg noodles for an easy weeknight dinner.
Other cozy chicken dinners: One Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles | Chicken Stroganoff | Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Before You Get Started
This one is forgiving, but a few things make the difference between a silky sauce and a gluey one. Here is what matters most.
- Cook the flour for two minutes — It cooks out the raw flour taste and sets you up for a smooth, glossy sauce.
- Stir in the chicken last — It is already cooked, so it only needs to warm through. Simmering makes it dry and stringy.
- Get your base going first — The sauce comes together fast, so have noodles, rice, or toast ready when it is done.
What is Chicken a la King?
Chicken a la King is cooked chicken folded into a creamy sauce with sautéed vegetables, usually mushrooms, peas, and pimentos. The sauce starts as a simple butter and flour roux, then gets built out with stock and cream until it is rich enough to coat everything in the pan.
It has been around for more than a hundred years, and New York, Philadelphia, and England all claim to have invented it. Wherever it started, it was designed to be spooned over something, which is exactly how to serve it.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Chicken a la King
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
The whole thing happens in one skillet, and each step builds on the last. Here is how it comes together.
1. Brown the Mushrooms
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and let them cook for 5 to 7 minutes without crowding them, until they release their liquid and start to brown at the edges. That browning is where a lot of the flavor comes from, so give them the time.
Add the diced onion and cook another 3 to 4 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic and cook just 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Cook the Flour
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat everything. Cook for a full 2 minutes, stirring often. It should look thick and pasty.
This is the step that thickens the sauce later and cooks the raw taste out of the flour.
3. Build the Sauce
Whisk in the white wine first and let it bubble for a few seconds, then add the chicken stock, chicken base, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Bring it up to a boil and let it cook for about 3 minutes, whisking as it thickens.
Pour the liquid in slowly. Adding it a little at a time and whisking as you go is what keeps the sauce lump-free.
Reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream. You are looking for a sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4. Add the Peas, Pimentos, and Chicken
Stir in the frozen peas, drained pimentos, and cubed chicken. Let everything simmer gently just until heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
Working with raw chicken instead of leftovers? My Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breasts will get you three cups of cooked chicken with almost no effort.
Still have cooked chicken to use up? My collection of Leftover Chicken Recipes has 27 easy ways to put it to work.
Simple Swaps and Add-Ins
A few easy changes that all work well here.
- Skip the wine: Use an equal amount of chicken stock, or a splash of dry sherry for that classic old-school flavor.
- Use turkey instead: Cooked turkey works exactly the same way and is a great way to use up a leftover bird.
- Swap the pimentos: Jarred roasted red peppers or a diced fresh red bell pepper (cooked with the onion) both do the job.
- Add more vegetables: Diced carrots or celery can go in with the onion, and a handful of spinach can be stirred in at the end.
What to Serve It Over
Egg noodles are the classic here and still the best choice. They catch the sauce better than anything else and cook in the time it takes to build it. That said, this is a recipe that works over just about any soft, starchy base, so use what you have.
- Easy One Pan Buttered Noodles — for the traditional version
- Seasoned Rice with Herbs and Garlic
- Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits — split open and spooned over, which is how it was originally served
Buttered toast points and puff pastry shells are both worth knowing about too, and they turn this into something that feels a little more special with almost no extra work.
For a green side, Garlic Butter Green Beans come together while the sauce simmers, and a simple Side Salad is all this rich of a dish really needs alongside it.
Storage Tips
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The sauce will thicken quite a bit as it chills, which is normal.
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken stock or cream to loosen it back up. Stirring often keeps the sauce from separating. The microwave works too, just go in short bursts and stir between them.
Freezing is not recommended: Cream sauces tend to separate and turn grainy after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie or canned chicken?
Rotisserie chicken is perfect for this and probably the easiest option. You need about 3 cups of cooked, cubed chicken, which is most of a standard rotisserie bird. Canned chicken will work in a pinch, just drain it well.
My Easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken is another good way to have cooked chicken ready to go.
Can I make this without the wine?
Yes. Replace it with an equal amount of chicken stock. The wine adds a little brightness that keeps the cream sauce from feeling heavy, so if you are skipping it, a small squeeze of lemon at the end does something similar. Dry sherry is the traditional choice if you have it.
Why is my sauce too thin?
Usually it just needs more time. Let it simmer a few extra minutes and it will tighten up as the flour does its work. If it is still thin, whisk a tablespoon of flour into a few tablespoons of cold stock and stir that in, then simmer another two minutes. Keep in mind that it also thickens as it cools on the plate.
What can I use instead of pimentos?
Chopped jarred roasted red peppers are the closest swap and go in at the same point. A fresh red bell pepper works too, just dice it small and cook it with the onion so it has time to soften.
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole (Chicken Divan)
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
Chicken a la King
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- ½ yellow onion diced small
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons chicken base like Better Than Bouillon
- 2 springs fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup drained pimentos
- 3 cups cooked chicken cubed
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until browned at the edges.
- Add the onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook 2 full minutes, stirring often. The mixture will look thick and pasty.
- Whisk in the wine, then the chicken stock, chicken base, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes, whisking as it thickens.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- Add the peas, pimentos, and chicken. Simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes, just until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve over egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, or split biscuits.
Notes
- Cooked chicken: you need about 3 cups. Rotisserie chicken is the easiest shortcut, and leftover roasted or poached chicken works just as well.
- Cook the flour: the full 2 minutes matters. It is what keeps the sauce from tasting pasty.
- No wine: substitute an equal amount of chicken stock, or use dry sherry for the traditional flavor.
- Frozen peas: no need to thaw them first. They will heat through in the sauce.
- Pimento swap: jarred roasted red peppers or a diced fresh red bell pepper cooked with the onion.
- Sodium: use reduced-sodium stock, since the chicken base adds salt of its own. Season at the end, not the beginning.
- Storage: refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently with a splash of stock or cream. Freezing is not recommended, since cream sauces separate.
- Turkey works too: swap in cooked turkey using the same measurement.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
