Chicken a la King
Tender cooked chicken, mushrooms, peas, and pimentos in a rich, creamy sauce, all made in one skillet. It comes together in 30 minutes and is the best way to turn leftover or rotisserie chicken into a real dinner.
Servings: 4
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
Calories: 579kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 758mg | Potassium: 777mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1750IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
