Description
Chicken a la King is a classic, creamy comfort dish featuring tender diced chicken in a rich sauce of butter, bell pepper, onions, garlic, and a velvety cream-based gravy. This recipe is easy to prepare on the stovetop and perfect served over rice, pasta, or toast for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 ounces jar diced pimentos, drained
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced green bell pepper and onion, and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- Create Roux: Sprinkle the flour, salt, and black pepper into the skillet. Mix thoroughly and cook for about one minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add Liquids: Gradually whisk in chicken stock followed by heavy cream to form a smooth sauce, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and allow it to thicken for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the diced cooked chicken, frozen peas, and diced pimentos. Mix well and simmer together for another 3 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
- Serve: Serve the chicken a la King immediately over your choice of rice, pasta, or toast for a warm and comforting meal.
Notes
- Use cooked chicken leftover from a roast or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.
- This dish pairs well with buttered toast, fluffy white rice, or egg noodles.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
