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Chicken a la King is a cozy, comforting dish with diced chicken breast, peas, and mushrooms in a cream sauce. Serve over rice or with egg noodles for an easy dinner any night.
Chicken a la king is one of those recipes with a fancy name that’s shockingly easy to make. And it’s so versatile too! It can be customized with additional veggies or made with turkey instead of chicken. I cooked chicken breast as part of the recipe but it’s also wonderful for using leftovers.
Why I Love This Chicken a la King Recipe
- Cozy & comforting. The creamy sauce, and the fact it’s usually served over rice or with noodles, makes chicken a la king hearty, filling, and comforting. This is a great recipe for Sunday dinner too.
- Ready in an hour. It takes just an hour to whip up this chicken a la king recipe. Need dinner on the table faster? Use rotisserie chicken!
- The creamy sauce! There is SO much flavor in this dish and much of it comes from the sauce. It begins with sherry deglazing the pan and a roux, followed by half and half, seasonings, and veggies. As it simmers, the flavors meld and the end result is super tasty.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of everything needed to make chicken a la king. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Olive oil
- Chicken breast – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe. Boneless, skinless thighs will also work. Turkey breast can also be used.
- Salt & pepper
- Dry sherry wine – Used to deglaze the pan and begin the roux. It can be swapped for additional chicken broth for an alcohol-free recipe.
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt added.
- Mushrooms – I used baby bella mushrooms but button mushrooms or similar will work too.
- Aromatics – Garlic and yellow onion add flavor to the dish.
- All-purpose flour – Thickens the sauce.
- Half & half – Makes the sauce creamy. Use heavy cream for a richer texture or whole milk for a lighter sauce.
- Chicken broth – Try to use low-sodium broth to avoid extra saltiness (especially if using salted butter).
- Spices – Paprika and Italian seasoning.
- Peas – Frozen peas work perfectly in this recipe. They cook quickly so no need to thaw them ahead of time.
- Pimentos – Be sure to drain them well.
How To Make Chicken a la King
This recipe appears and sounds fancy but it’s actually quite simple to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in the olive oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Set aside to rest for a few minutes then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Deglaze the pan. Pour the sherry wine into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the pot.
- Cook the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the mushrooms are soft and the onions translucent.
- Make the roux. Stir in the butter until melted. Sprinkle the flour over top. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Slowly pour in the half & half, stirring to ensure there are no lumps. Do the same with the chicken broth. Add the remaining salt and pepper plus the paprika and thyme. Simmer over medium heat, stirring every few minutes. It should thicken in about 5 minutes.
- Add the other ingredients. Return the chicken to the pot. Simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and pimentos. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the peas are heated and the sauce has thickened.
- Enjoy. Serve immediately as desired, over rice, egg noodles, or with biscuits.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few ways to customize this chicken a la king recipe.
- Add more veggies. Bell peppers, diced carrots, or green beans can be added alongside the mushrooms for extra vegetables.
- Use rotisserie chicken. One of my favorite “hacks” for chicken a la king is to use rotisserie chicken. It saves a few steps in the recipe and makes it even quicker and easier.
- Add a bit of heat. For a subtle kick, sprinkle cayenne or a dash of hot sauce into the sauce.
- Prevent a lumpy sauce. After cooking the roux, it’s important to slowly pour in the half and half and the chicken broth while stirring to prevent any lumps in the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken a la king is typically served over rice or egg noodles to soak up all the yummy sauce. I also love it with some warm, buttery biscuits on the side. Mashed potatoes are another great option.
Feel free to add fresh parsley or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving for brightness.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Place leftover chicken a la king in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezer. Once cooled, portion leftovers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat. Warm gently over low heat on the stove, or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth or half & half to adjust consistency if the sauce has thickened.
Chicken a la King
Chicken a la King is a cozy, comforting dish with diced chicken breast, peas, and mushrooms in a cream sauce. Serve over rice or with egg noodles for an easy dinner any night.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- ½ cup dry sherry wine
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 ounces jarred pimentos drained
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with half of salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side, until it’s fully cooked (the inside should be 165°F / 74°C).
- Take the chicken out and set it aside to rest, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Pour the sherry wine into the same pot. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot as you stir.
- Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring here and there, until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are translucent.
- Stir in the butter until it’s melted. Sprinkle the flour over everything and mix to form a roux. Cook it for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the half & half while stirring to make sure there aren’t any lumps. Then add the chicken broth and stir again until it’s all combined. Toss in the rest of the salt and pepper, along with the paprika and thyme.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat and keep stirring every so often. It’ll start to thicken up in about 5 minutes. Put the chicken back into the pot, and simmer it uncovered for about 10 minutes so the flavors meld together.
- Stir in the frozen peas and pimentos. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the peas are heated through and the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat.
- Serve warm over rice, egg noodles, or with biscuits on the side. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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Notes
Place leftover chicken a la king in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 1652mg | Potassium: 1194mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1552IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 6mg
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