This Classic Chicken à la King has tender chicken and vegetables in a rich and creamy sauce. Serve it over toast, rice or noodles for a quick and easy comfort food dinner that's perfect for any night of the week!
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Friends, if you're looking for a hearty, satisfying and flavorful homemade dinner that comes together in a flash, this retro recipe is it!
Chicken à la king has been around since the late 1800s. There is definitely some debate over the origin (America/England) and who it might be named after (King/Keene).
But no matter...because wherever it came from and whomever's name it has, there's one thing for sure. It's absolutely delicious!
There have been many variations of the recipe over the years, but it's basically chicken, mushrooms and other vegetables in a cream sauce that's flavored with a hint of sherry. And it's usually served spooned over something carb-y like toast.
These days, for whatever reason, it doesn't seem to be as popular as it was back in the early to mid 1900s. But, like lots of other vintage dishes, I think it's 100% deserving of a comeback!
Love retro recipes?
Also try my Salisbury Steak With Mushroom Gravy, Missouri Casserole and Classic Noodles Romanoff.
Ingredients You Need
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Chicken tenderloins - cut into bite-sized pieces (boneless breasts or thighs can be used instead)
- Fresh mushrooms - sliced; I use white, but cremini/baby bella are also a good choice
- Onions - chopped
- Green bell peppers - chopped
- Garlic - minced
- Dry sherry - it's best to use a sherry that you would drink rather than cooking sherry, as it has better flavor; but since it's just a very small amount, cooking sherry can be used in a pinch
- All-purpose flour - thickens the sauce
- Water
- Roasted chicken base - flavors the sauce; I use Better Than Bouillon (#notsponsored)
- Heavy cream - adds extra creaminess to the sauce
- Peas - I use frozen peas; no need to thaw them (they will heat through quickly once you add them to the sauce)
- Diced pimientos - these are brined sweet and mild red peppers that are usually packaged in jars or cans; look for them near the canned vegetables, near the pickles and olives, or even in the international foods section
- Salt and pepper
You'll also need something to serve it over. I like buttered toast points (toast cut in half diagonally to make triangles). Other options are hot cooked rice or egg noodles, mashed potatoes, biscuits, or puff pasty cups/shells.
How to Make Classic Chicken à la King
Note: This is just a brief overview of the steps. For the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, please go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the chicken in olive oil and butter until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Sauté the mushrooms, onions and peppers in the remaining butter until softened.
Add the garlic; sauté for one minute.
Add the sherry. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, for one minute.
Add the water, chicken base and heavy cream; stir until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Return the chicken to the skillet along with the peas and pimientos; stir to combine. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Spoon the chicken mixture over your choice of accompaniment (I used toast points). Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- When sautéing the chicken, make sure it is cooked through (165°F), but be careful of overcooking it. It will cook a little more when you add it back to the sauce, and you don't want it to end up dry and tough.
- Keep in mind the salt level of your chicken base when seasoning the chicken and vegetables. I season them very lightly to start and add more later if needed. You can use a lower-sodium chicken base for better control of the salt in the recipe.
- I like just a very subtle hint of sherry in my sauce, so I only use 2 tablespoons. You can add a little more if you want a stronger flavor.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can use shredded or diced pre-cooked chicken (or even turkey). You'll need about 2 cups; add it at the end with the peas and pimientos.
- Bouillon powder or crushed bouillon cubes can be used instead of the roasted chicken base. Be aware that these are often saltier and the flavor may be a bit different. Or you can just use 1½ cups of chicken stock or broth in place of the water and roasted chicken base. Make sure it has good flavor so your sauce doesn't end up bland.
- If you prefer to not cook with alcohol, you can omit the dry sherry. It's only a very small amount and it mostly evaporates out, so you don't need to replace it with anything.
Storing Leftovers, Reheating & Freezing
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat leftovers in a small skillet or pot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Be careful not to overcook, as the chicken can become tough and dry. If needed, stir in a little water to thin out the sauce (judge this after heating).
Freezing
I don't recommend freezing this dish because of the heavy cream, which can develop an unpleasant grainy texture after being frozen and thawed.
Serving Suggestions
Since you've got meat, veggies and carbs all in one serving, you really don't need any side dishes with this meal. But a simple green salad with a tangy dressing is a good choice if you want to serve it with something, as the freshness and acidity nicely offsets the richness of the sauce.
I hope you try this Classic Chicken à la King recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went. Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Classic Chicken à la King
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (white or cremini/baby bella)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped green bell peppers, remove seeds before chopping
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry, it's best to use a sherry that you would drink rather than cooking sherry
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups water
- 2 teaspoons roasted chicken base, I use Better Than Bouillon
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup peas, I use frozen peas; no need to thaw
- 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat (I use an 11-inch skillet with deep sides), heat the olive oil and one tablespoon of the butter until the butter is melted.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and season lightly with salt and pepper; sauté, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is just cooked through (165°F) and lightly browned in spots, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken from the skillet to a plate; set aside.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the mushrooms, onions and bell peppers; season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic; sauté, stirring constantly, for one minute.
- Add the sherry; continue cooking, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, for about one minute or until the sherry has mostly evaporated.
- Add the flour and stir to combine; cook, stirring frequently, for one minute (this will cook out the raw flour taste).
- Add the water, chicken base, and heavy cream. Stir until the chicken base is dissolved and the liquid mixture is smooth with no lumps of flour.
- Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return the cooked chicken and any juices to the skillet, along with the peas and pimientos; stir to combine. Simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, until the chicken and peas have heated through. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Serve over buttered toast, hot cooked rice or egg noodles, mashed potatoes, biscuits, or puff pastry cups/shells. Enjoy!
Notes
- When sautéing the chicken, make sure it is cooked through (165°F), but be careful of overcooking it. It will cook a little more when you add it back to the sauce, and you don't want it to end up dry and tough.
- Keep in mind the salt level of your chicken base when seasoning the chicken and vegetables. I season them very lightly; you can always add more salt later if needed.
- If you prefer to not cook with alcohol, you can omit the dry sherry. It's only a very small amount and it mostly evaporates out, so you don't need to replace it with anything.
- Estimated calories are for the chicken à la king only and do not include what you might serve it over, such as toast, rice, noodles, etc.
- Please refer to the post for additional information and tips, step-by-step photos, substitutions and variations, storage and reheating instructions, and serving suggestions.
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