Chicken a la King Recipe

a serving of chicken a la king over rice in a bowl.

4.65 from 14 votes

Creamy chicken a la king with tender chicken, mushrooms, peas, and pimentos in a rich, silky sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, perfect over rice or pasta for a quick, comforting dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 586kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
1 shallot finely diced
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms sliced
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half room temperature*
1 cup frozen peas
⅓ cup pimentos drained and chopped**
3 cups shredded cooked chicken ***

Instructions

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
½ cup unsalted butter
Add in the shallot and mushrooms, and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic, salt, pepper, and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 shallot, 8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Sprinkle in the flour and stir until all the flour is coated with the butter.
½ cup all-purpose flour
Whisk in the chicken broth and half and half. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat and let it cook for 5 minutes until thickened.
2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup half-and-half
Stir in the frozen peas, pimentos, and chicken. Simmer until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
1 cup frozen peas, ⅓ cup pimentos, 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
Serve over pasta or rice, if desired.

Video

Notes

*You can use heavy cream instead if you'd like, but your sauce will be noticeably thicker!

**If you have a hard time finding pimentos, you can also use roasted red peppers. The flavors will change slightly but will still be delicious!

***You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Tips:

If using raw chicken breasts or thighs, cook them first in the skillet until fully done (165°F), then shred and add at the end to keep the sauce creamy and prevent overcooking.
Before adding the broth and cream, you can splash in a little bit of wine (I recommend Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or Sherry) to deglaze the pan and add a little extra depth.
Whisk the flour and butter mixture thoroughly before adding the liquid, and add the broth and cream gradually while whisking to prevent lumps.
I have found that the cream mixes in better at room temperature than if added cold straight from the fridge.
Wait to add the peas and pimentos until the end so you don't overcook them. No need to thaw the frozen peas--they'll be perfectly tender!
If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of chicken broth to thin it back out.
A squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of dry sherry at the end can really brighten the rich, creamy sauce.
Reheat over low heat on the stove, stirring often, to prevent the cream from separating.

"Cream Of" Soup Shortcut: Sauté mushrooms, shallots, and garlic as directed. Stir in 1 can (10 ounces) of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup along with the chicken, peas, and pimentos. Heat gently until warmed through, adding a splash of milk or broth if a thinner sauce is desired.

Storage: Store chicken a la king in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition