I Guarantee This 144-Year-Old Creamy Chicken Is the Most Comforting Recipe
When I need inspiration for weeknight dinners, sometimes I look to the newest viral trends. On other nights, I reach back to retro recipes that are time-tested and beloved. One memorable dinner we often ate growing up was chicken à la king, which had golden-brown bites of chicken, savory sautéed mushrooms, colorful pimento peppers, and tender peas nestled in a sherry cream sauce. It was a meal fit for royalty (or a table full of rowdy kids), but luckily it’s easy enough that you won’t need a kitchen full of cooks to get this dinner on the table.
Chicken à la king dates back to the late 19th or early 20th century, and it may have actually had a stronger connection to a hotel owner than nobility. As decades passed, the homemade cream sauce was often replaced with a can of condensed soup. In this recipe, we’re going back to the original since I’m more likely to have flour and milk on hand than a can of condensed soup. Here’s how to make the most delicious chicken à la king.
Why You’ll Love It
It’ll leave everyone satisfied. There’s a lot to love about this easy dinner, from the tender chicken to the colorful vegetables and the flavorful sauce.
It’s super cozy, but not too heavy. Since the sauce is made with a combination of chicken broth and dairy, chicken à la king is a comforting meal that won’t weigh you down.
Key Ingredients in Chicken à la King
Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination of the two.
Mushrooms: White button or cremini mushrooms add savory flavor to this retro dish. Pick your favorite (or whichever one is on sale).
Pimento peppers: Find jarred pimento peppers with the pickles and olives. Both sliced and diced work here, just remember to drain the liquid before adding to the pot.
Peas: Toss in a cup of frozen peas toward the end of cooking. There is no need to thaw them first, as the heat of the sauce will do that for you.
Dry sherry: Sherry is a fortified wine, meaning that it has a neutral spirit added so it has a longer shelf life than a standard bottle of wine. Avoid bottles labeled “sherry cooking wine,” which includes salt as an ingredient. Opt for a dry (not sweet) sherry to add a nutty, savory, complex flavor to the sauce.
Dairy: Use half-and-half for a richer flavor, or go with milk for a lighter sauce.
How to Make Chicken à la King
Cook the chicken. Sauté bite-size pieces of chicken until browned and cooked through, then remove from the pan.
Sauté the vegetables. Cook sliced mushrooms and onion next, using the moisture they release to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Make the cream sauce. Coat the vegetables with flour, then add chicken broth, dairy, and sherry. Make sure to finish scraping the bottom of the pan to release all of the flavorful fond.
Simmer the sauce. It’s important to bring the sauce to a boil before letting it simmer to unlock the thickening power of the flour. Once it’s time to simmer, return the chicken to the pot and add the pimento peppers and frozen peas.
Helpful Swaps
Many swaps and substitutions are already listed in the recipe: Use cremini or white button mushrooms, swap half-and-half for whole milk, or substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs (or use a combination). Cubed rotisserie or cooked chicken can be used instead, too, just skip steps two and three.
I always keep a bottle of dry sherry on hand for cooking. Use it for deglazing the pan to pick up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan, or in dishes like this to add depth and dimension. If you don’t have a bottle or prefer a nonalcoholic substitute, try sherry or apple cider vinegar.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
You can make chicken à la king in advance and reheat to serve, and you can refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
What to Serve With Chicken à la King
Chicken à la King Recipe
Tender chicken in a sherry cream sauce with mushrooms and peas.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms
1 (4-ounce) jar diced or sliced pimento peppers
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more for serving
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth (scant 2 cups)
1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
Biscuits, steamed rice, or cooked egg noodles, for serving
Instructions
Halve and thinly slice 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups). Thinly slice 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, halving first if large (about 2 1/2 cups). Drain 1 (4-ounce) jar pimento peppers.
Cut 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken into bite-size pieces (about 3/4-inch). Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter in a Dutch oven or large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer (some overlap is OK). Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion, remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are tender and light golden-brown, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup all-purpose flour over the vegetables, stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk, and 2 tablespoons dry sherry. Scrape any brown bits on the bottom of the pan and stir until smooth. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the pimento peppers and 1 cup frozen peas. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve over biscuits, steamed rice, or egg noodles, garnished with more black pepper.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Further Reading
The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About
Reese’s Just Launched a Limited-Edition Peanut Butter Cup, and It Tastes 4x Better than the Original
