Jake Harper
Chicken à la king is a creamy and luxurious dish made with accessible ingredients. It features tender bites of chicken covered in a thick sauce, with mushrooms, peas, and pimentos as signature ingredients. The dish is typically served over rice, pasta, toast, or biscuits, and can be made with cooked chicken or turkey, making it a versatile and comforting meal. Some recipes also include celery, peppers, and onions, and it can be paired with wine or sherry for added flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Chicken, mushrooms, peas, pimentos |
| Other ingredients | Celery, sherry/wine, cream, salt, pepper, butter, flour, milk, water, bouillon, olive oil, egg yolks, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, green beans, onion, bell peppers, garlic, parsley, carrot, allspice, bay leaves |
| Common accompaniments | Rice, pasta, toast, biscuits, noodles, puff pastry |
| Calories | 418-471 kcal |
| Preparation time | 30 minutes |
| Storage | Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Chicken: poached, rotisserie, or leftover
Chicken à la king is a comforting, creamy, and indulgent dish that is quick and easy to make. It is a great way to use up leftover chicken, and can be served with rice, pasta, toast, or biscuits.
If you are starting with uncooked chicken, poaching is a great way to prepare it for this dish. To poach the chicken, add enough water or stock to a saucepan to cover the chicken. Season the water or stock with salt and pepper, and any other aromatics you wish, such as peppercorns, bay leaves, onion, allspice, carrot, or celery. Bring the water or stock to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. This should take around 30 minutes for a whole chicken, and 15-25 minutes for chicken breasts. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the liquid and set aside to cool before shredding or cutting into bite-sized pieces.
Alternatively, you can save time by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or any leftover cooked chicken you may have.
Once your chicken is cooked, making chicken à la king is simply a matter of making the sauce and combining the two. Start by melting butter in a pan, then add mushrooms and bell peppers and cook until softened. Next, add flour, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Then, slowly add milk or cream, and chicken stock, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Finally, add the chicken, frozen peas, and pimentos, and stir to combine. Simmer until everything is warmed through and serve.
Shopping Guide: Finding Chicken Bouillon in Grocery Stores
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Vegetables: mushrooms, peppers, peas, and pimentos
Chicken à la King is a creamy and luxurious dish that is made with accessible ingredients. It is a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey.
The vegetables used in chicken à la king are mushrooms, peppers, peas, and pimentos. Mushrooms form the base of the creamy sauce. Either white or cremini mushrooms work well here. You can slice them yourself or buy the pre-sliced option to save time. The mushrooms are cooked in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Peppers, specifically bell peppers, are another key ingredient in chicken à la king. They add a pop of colour and a slight crunch to the dish. You can use green, red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, depending on your preference and what is available. The peppers are cooked along with the mushrooms and seasoned with flour, salt, and pepper.
Peas add a bright colour and freshness to the dish. Frozen peas are often used, as they hold their shape and texture better during cooking. You can add the frozen peas directly to the sauce without thawing them first.
Pimentos, also known as pimientos, are a signature ingredient in chicken à la king. They are small, red peppers with a sweet and slightly tangy flavour. Pimentos are usually sold diced and jarred, and can be found in the grocery store near the pickles and olives.
Chicken Taco Night: How Much Per Person?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Sauce: creamy, made with butter, flour, and milk
Chicken à la King is a creamy and luxurious dish made with accessible ingredients. The sauce is a key component of this classic comfort food, and it can be made with butter, flour, and milk.
To make the sauce, start by melting butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. The amount of butter used can vary, but a common measurement is 1/2 cup of salted butter. Next, add sliced mushrooms and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. You can use white or cremini mushrooms, or buy pre-sliced mushrooms to save time. The amount of mushrooms can also vary, but a typical measurement is 8 ounces.
After the mushrooms are cooked, it's time to add the flour. Stir in about 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is fully incorporated and there are no visible specks. This creates a roux, which thickens the sauce and provides a base for the other ingredients.
Now it's time to gradually add the milk. Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of milk while stirring continuously. You can use whole milk or 2% milk, depending on your preference. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. This process creates a creamy and velvety sauce that is signature to Chicken à la King.
Feel free to adjust the measurements and ingredients to suit your taste preferences and dietary needs. Some recipes also include additional ingredients in the sauce, such as chicken broth, cream, or seasonings, to enhance the flavor and texture. The sauce is meant to be cozy and comforting, perfect for serving with the chicken and other components of Chicken à la King.
Discover the Unique Role of Setter Chickens
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Seasoning: salt, pepper, and spices like bay leaves
Salt, pepper, and spices like bay leaves are essential seasonings in chicken à la king. Seasoning the chicken itself is an important step in the cooking process. Before cooking, the chicken breasts are seasoned with salt and pepper. This is done after the chicken has been poached, cooled, and cut into bite-sized pieces or 1/2-inch cubes. Seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper and searing it in olive oil adds flavour to the dish.
Salt and pepper are also added during the preparation of the sauce. After melting butter in a saucepan, salt, pepper, and flour are stirred in and cooked until bubbly. This forms the base of the creamy sauce. The sauce is then seasoned again with salt and pepper after it has been cooked and thickened.
Bay leaves are another seasoning option for chicken à la king. When poaching the chicken, aromatic ingredients such as bay leaves can be added to the water. This infuses flavour into the chicken and enhances the overall taste of the dish.
The amount of salt used in chicken à la king can be adjusted to taste. While some recipes call for the use of salted butter, others suggest using unsalted butter and seasoning the dish with salt to taste. This allows the cook to control the salt content and flavour of the dish.
In summary, salt, pepper, and spices like bay leaves are key seasonings in chicken à la king. They are used to season the chicken directly and are also added to the sauce to enhance the flavour of the dish. The use of salt can be adjusted to suit personal preferences and to control the salt content of the dish.
Measuring Chicken: Cups to Ounces Conversion
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Serving suggestions:
Chicken à la king is a comforting, indulgent dish that is perfect for cold winter nights. It is a versatile dish that can be served in many ways, depending on your preference.
The most popular way to serve chicken à la king is over rice. This can be plain white rice, or you can add some colour and flavour with gluten-free linguini, or Cajun bell peppers.
For a more indulgent option, serve it with puff pastry, or over freshly baked biscuits. For a lighter option, you could try serving it with toast triangles, or even on its own.
Chicken à la king is a great dish to adapt to your preference, and it is easy to make it your own.
Popcorn Chicken: Perdue Portion Size Guide
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Chicken à la king is a creamy dish made with chicken, mushrooms, and pimentos.
Other ingredients include peas, cream, and butter. Some recipes also include wine, broth, and flour.
Chicken à la king is typically served over rice, pasta, toast, or biscuits.
