Chicken a la King is a delicious combination of tender Chicken, mushrooms, onions, peas, green peppers, and pimentos in a rich cream sauce. Serve it over rice, egg noodles, toast, or puff pastry shells.
This delectable recipe comes together quickly using baked rotisserie chicken. If you like rotisserie chicken recipes, try chicken and rice soup, chicken Waldorf salad, and chicken cordon bleu casserole.
This is one of my favorite comfort food meals. It reminds me of the beautiful creamy one-pot meals I enjoyed with my brothers and sisters. It is amazing how food can be so nostalgic.
Chicken a la King is a super easy, heartwarming, satisfying meal. It is quick to come together, making it a perfect weeknight meal. This recipe calls for already baked rotisserie chicken, but you can use any leftover chicken. You can pick up a rotisserie chicken at any club warehouse and most grocery stores. Leftovers warm up quickly right on the stovetop.
What is Chicken a la King?
It is a creamy one-pot comfort food dish made with Chicken, mushrooms, peas, onions, green bell peppers, and pimientos. It is traditionally served over rice, noodles, toast, biscuits, or puff pastry shells. For an equally delicious change of pace, substitute cooked tuna or salmon for the Chicken.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, reduce the amount of added salt.
- Mushrooms: cremini mushrooms provide the most decadent flavor, but white mushrooms work well, too.
- Dry mustard: you can substitute regular mustard
- Chicken broth: low sodium is best
- Half and half: or whole milk for a lower fat option. It will not be as rich, but it will still be delicious.
- Peas: frozen peas are best in this dish. They retain their color, shape, and flavor during the simmering process much better than canned or fresh.
- Pimentos: are sweet cherry peppers usually found in the pickle aisle with the other peppers
How to make Chicken a la King
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the mushrooms and cook for several minutes. Then add the onion and green pepper, cooking until the veggies soften and the mushrooms brown.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and dry mustard. Sprinkle in the flour while continuing to stir. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring to combine. Simmer until thickened, stirring several times.
Reduce heat to low and stir in the half and half, peas, pimentos, and cooked Chicken. Continue cooking and stirring until everything is hot. If the mixture becomes too thick, add one-quarter cup of chicken broth at a time to reach the desired thickness. Serve over rice, noodles, toast, biscuits, or puff pastry shells.
Preparation Tips
- Take the time to brown the mushrooms. They taste better that way, and the dish is more visually appealing.
- Drain the pimentos well. You don’t want the juice they are packed in to flavor or color your dish.
- For a lower-fat version, use only half of the butter, half of the flour, and milk instead of half and half. It will still be delicious, just not as rich.
- If the mixture becomes too thick, add one-quarter cup of chicken broth at a time until it reaches the desired thickness.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can be reheated in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop on low.
To freeze, first cool completely. Then, spoon into freezer bags. Lay the freezer bags in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets and place the sheet in the freezer. Once fully frozen, stack the bags up on their side in the freezer to save on space. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use rotisserie chicken, which is available almost anywhere. You can pick them up at club warehouses, grocery stores, and nearly every Walmart.
However, you can use any baked, poached, or roasted Chicken. You can also use cooked skinless thigh and wing meat.
Once the dish is thoroughly cooled, pack it in freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Lay flat on a baking sheet and freeze. Once fully frozen, stack as desired and freeze for up to 1 month.
To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator, remove from the bag, and place the contents in a saucepan on low. Stir frequently until the mixture reaches the desired temperature. Likewise, pour the contents into a microwaveable bowl and reheat in the microwave for 1-minute intervals at 50% power until the desired temperature.
More Comfort Food
Classic Chicken A La King Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter ½ cup
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms or white button mushrooms sliced
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 7 ounces diced pimentos well drained
- 3 cups cooked diced or shredded chicken
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper, cooking until the veggies soften and the mushrooms brown.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and dry mustard. Sprinkle in the flour while continuing to stir. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring to combine. Simmer until thickened.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the half and half, peas, pimentos, and cooked Chicken. Continue cooking and stirring until everything is hot. If the mixture becomes too thick, add one-quarter cup of chicken broth at a time to reach the desired thickness. Season with salt and frshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve over rice, noodles, toast, biscuits, or puff pastry shells.
Video
Notes
- Take the time to brown the mushrooms. They taste better that way, and the dish is more visually appealing.
- Drain the pimentos well. You don’t want the juice they are packed in to flavor or color your dish.
- Frozen peas are best in this dish. They retain their color, shape, and flavor during the simmering process much better than canned or fresh.
- For a lower-fat version, cut the butter and cream in half. It will still be delicious, just not as rich.
- If the mixture becomes too thick, add one-quarter cup of chicken broth at a time until it reaches the desired thickness.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Linda
This sounds pretty delicious and looks tasty too! I think I’d quite enjoy this, and I think my husband would too just minus the mushrooms for him.
Karletta
Delicious one pot wonder. I added oyster mushrooms to the mix. Easy comforting and yum!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Karletta! So glad that you liked it.
Rich
I love this dish. It is one of my favorite comfort food dishes. It is so easy to prepare and delicious.
Stephanie
It’s just started to get cold here so I had to try this chicken-a-la-king dish as it looked so inviting. It turned out great and I followed your instructions with no modifications.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! So glad that you liked it!
Beth
The best chicken a la king recipe. You have outdone yourself. I think I will be making this many times this fall and winter.
Maria
Wow, this was amazing. What a blast from the past. The whole family enjoyed it. I served it over mashed potatoes and it was like heaven.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Maria! So glad that you liked it.
Bryan Carey
So, it is meant as a topper for, say, noodles? It seems like it would also be good served by itself, like a stew.
Beth Pierce
It has a little more sauce/gravy than that but you could certainly do that or eat it with some biscuits.
Ben
This is so perfect for the winter. It’s so hearty, hot, and creamy. You can’t beat that!
Beth Pierce
So true!
Elisa
Loved this CHICKEN A LA KING recipe, it was delicious and easy to make. I served it over egg noodles and everyone loved it.
Andrea
This classic, hearty, chicken a-la-king is classic comfort food at its finest. It’s a perfect meal on a busy weeknight.
dana
Such a yummy dish! So creamy and comforting. Served it over egg noodles and will try biscuits next time!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dana! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Erik
Wonderful flavor and easy to make. The dry mustard really makes a difference imo.
Beth Pierce
So true!
Paula Porter
Forgot the half-and-half and it was still thick and soooo good!
Beth Pierce
Awesome, Paula! So glad that you like the chicken a la king!
Nathan
I adore this chicken recipe, it’s so hearty and comforting and perfect for all of these upcoming chilly nights! Pairing it with biscuits really pulls it all together. Already looking forward to making this again!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Nathan! I agree 100%
DonnaW
I wrote a review but forgot to rate the recipe. It was wonderful! We’re having it again for dinner tonight and we’ll definitely keep this dish in rotation.
I didn’t mention it in my review ( still pending as of 9.19.2023) but we served ours over long grain rice. Initially I considered adding a salad but the dish has so many veggies already that we considered the dish plus rice as a complete meal.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Donna! I am a little behind on answering and approving comments. That is great that you are making it again. I am kind of jealous.
DonnaW
Made this today and both my husband and I absolutely loved it! I followed the recipe fairly strictly except that I added 3 stalks thinly sliced celery to the bell pepper/onion mixture. Rather than rotisserie chicken, I poached 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1-3/4 lbs) in chicken broth and seasoned the broth with salt, pepper, Herbes de Provence, extra thyme and 2 bay leaves plus one tablespoon ‘Roasted Chicken Better than Bouillon’ for added flavor, then used the homemade broth in the recipe.
Note that I was a bit heavy handed on the veggies and needed more broth and milk than called for in the instructions. The recipe made enough for what will easily be 3 dinners for a pair of empty nesters.
Otherwise, all instructions followed as written. My husband had never had homemade chicken a la king and made me promise to keep it in rotation.
Beth Pierce
That is awesome! So glad that you liked the chicken a la king. It is one of my favorites recipes. I think I could eat it once a week for the rest of my life.
JimmyB
I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS! I made it at the request of my picky eater who said that I, “Hit it out of the park.” I used leftover B/S thighs from another recipe and they were just perfect in this dish. My first choice would have been to serve this over those little puff pasty cups but I was out of them so used a can of Grands Southern Biscuits. Thanks for sharing such an EZ and delicious recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Jimmy! I am so glad that you and your picky eater liked it.