What is chicken à la king?
Chicken à la king is a classic dish that embodies comfort and elegance on a plate. It originated in the United States in the late 19th century and has since become a staple in many households and restaurants. The dish typically consists of tender pieces of chicken cooked in a rich and velvety sauce, often made with butter, mushrooms, bell peppers, and sometimes with a touch of sherry. The ingredients are simmered together until they meld into a harmonious symphony of flavors, creating a luscious sauce that coats the chicken and can be served over rice, pasta, or even toasted bread. Chicken à la king is a versatile and satisfying meal that never fails to please both the palate and the eye.
A taste of yesterday
My Mom used to make this for lunch when I was a kid and we both loved it served on toast. Sometimes she would get fancy and serve it with pastry discs resting on top. Sometimes even filling puff pastry towers. I always preferred toast and still do today. Her recipe was quite vague, mainly because she used whatever needed using. Please don’t hesitate to do the same. Just be sure that between the chicken and vegetables, you have lots.
What do I need to make chicken à la king?
For the mixture
- 1 lb of skinless boneless chicken breast
- 2 tbsp of canola oil
- 1 tsp of fresh parsley
- ½ tsp of salt
- ½ tsp of pepper
- 3 chopped mushrooms
- 2 stalks of diced celery
- ½ cup of chopped red pepper
- ½ cup of chopped green pepper
- ½ cup of chopped red onion
- ½ cup of frozen peas
For the roux
- ¼ cup of butter
- ¼ cup of all purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups of chicken broth
- ⅔ cup of milk
- pinch of salt and pepper
Bring on the leftovers
If you’ve got leftover chicken or turkey for that matter, you can skip the first step in the following instruction. Not only is it a delicious way to finish that leftover chicken, you can clean the fridge at the same time.
Who knew decadence can be this easy
The filling
Heat 1 tbsp of canola oil in a large no stick pan. Sauté the chopped chicken until cooked through and remove from the pan.
Add the remaining oil (1 tbsp) and sauté all the vegetables until just tender/crisp. Add the strained peas to the vegetable mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Reintroduce the chicken to the pan and stir well to combine.
The roux
Making a roux is actually pretty easy. If I were to make some recommendations, it’s to have all the ingredients at the ready, whisk constantly and watch the temperature. You don’t want it to boil.
Pick a saucepan that’s large enough to contain the roux and the filling. About a 3 quart pan (medium) should do.
The first thing to do is melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir with a wire whisk for approximately 1 minute until the flour and butter are well combined. At this point it’s likely going to be globby and stuck in the whisk, that’s ok though.
Whisking constantly, slowly add the chicken broth and milk. Continue whisking until all liquid is combined and add salt and pepper to taste. The roux should be silky smooth at this point.
Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the mixture. Remove from heat.
Putting it all together
This is the easy part, not that the rest was super difficult. You’re going to take the vegetable mixture and combine it with the roux. One of my favourite things about this meal is the ease. You can make it in advance and heat it up in the same pot when you’re ready eat.
Chicken á la King
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast cubed
- 2 tbsp canola oil divided ½
- 1 tsp fresh parsley chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 chopped mushrooms
- 2 stalks celery diced
- ½ cup red pepper chopped
- ½ cup green pepper chopped
- ½ cup red onion chopped
- ½ cup frozen peas thawed and drained
Roux
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1⅓ cups chicken broth
- ⅔ cup milk
- pinch salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a large non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp of canola oil. Sauté the chicken until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Heat remaining oil (1 tbsp). Sauté all the vegetables until just tender/crisp. Add strained peas to the vegetable mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken, and parsley to the pan and stir well to combine.
Roux
- In a 3 qt pot or equivalent, over medium heat, melt butter, and add flour. Stir with a wire whisk for approximately 1 minute until flour and butter are well combined.
- Whisking constantly, slowly add the chicken broth and milk. Continue whisking until all liquid is combined. Add salt and pepper to taste,
- Continue whisking until sauce thickens and small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the mixture. Remove from heat.Note: Do not bring to a full boil.The mixture should be smooth and thick.
The Build
- Add the chicken and vegetable mixture to the pot of sauce. Stir well. Season to taste if required.
- Simmer on low to heat through and serve on toast, pasta or rice.
It’s like a chicken pot pie without the crust
It really is, “easy as pie.” If you serve it on pastry discs or toast, it could literally be called a deconstructed chicken pot pie. One of our favourite things about it is the ease of serving and cleanup. Usually I’ll prepare it earlier in the day and put it in a large pot on the stove. When it’s getting close to dinner, reheat, make some toast and you’re ready to eat.
