Not only is this quick meal super easy, but Chicken a la King is delicious too!

Chunks of tender chicken are mixed with fresh vegetables and pimentos in a rich and creamy homemade sauce!

Serve this over puff pastry, biscuits, rice or potatoes.

pot of Chicken ala King

Why We Love This Chicken a la King Recipe

  • It’s quick to put together and packed with rich creamy flavor.
  • Skip the condensed soup, this chicken ala king recipe is just about as fast made from scratch.
  • Use rotisserie chicken or leftover ham or turkey.
  • Served it in puff pastry shells or spooned biscuits, rice, egg noodles, toast, or even mashed potatoes!

Ingredients in Chicken a la King

This is a classic chicken a la king with a homemade cream sauce.

CHICKEN Shredded rotisserie chicken makes this recipe so simple, but feel free to use any cooked chicken you have on hand. If you don’t have cooked chicken, see the note below.

VEGGIES I used fresh mushrooms, onions, peas, and pimentos in this recipe but any veggie will taste wonderful! Colorful peppers, corn, carrots, or broccoli are great additions!

SAUCE Rich & creamy sauce made with chicken stock, seasonings, and cream is one of the best parts of this dish!

How to Quickly Cook Chicken for Shredding

You can quickly boil chicken while preparing the other ingredients for this recipe. Add 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts to a saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Cook on a low boil for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Shred it for use in recipes.

The bonus is that the chicken broth will be richly flavored and can be used in this recipe or other recipes.

Chicken ala King ingredients in a pot with parsley

How to Make Chicken ala King

This recipe is so easy to make, and comes together so quickly!

  1. Saute mushrooms and onions in butter (per the recipe below).
  2. Stir in seasonings and flour. Whisk in chicken stock and cream.
  3. Stir in the peas, pimentos, and chicken and cook until heated through.

Serve the chicken mixture over fresh biscuits and with roasted green beans or oven-roasted asparagus!

Chicken ala King in a bowl

Tips for Perfect Chicken a la King

  • Be sure to cook chicken before adding to pasta if you’re not using rotisserie chicken.
    • Chicken breast, chicken thighs or even tuna are all great substitutions!
  • Freeze Chicken ala King without the rice, pasta, or bread since those items don’t freeze well with sauce added. Instead, ladle the Chicken ala King into zippered bags or an airtight container with the date on it and freeze flat.
  • Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Refresh the flavors by adding a little dash of salt and pepper and make new rice, pasta, or fresh bread to serve again!

More Quick Chicken Recipes

Did you make this Chicken ala King? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! 

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pot of Chicken ala King
4.95 from 176 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Chicken a la King

Chicken a la King is rich and creamy with veggies and chicken in a flavorful sauce.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

Equipment

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Ingredients  

  • ½ cup butter unsalted
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 cup frozen petite peas
  • ½ cup pimentos drained and chopped
  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken

Instructions 

  • In a large 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Season with garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt.
  • Sprinkle in the flour and stir until a paste is formed. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • While stirring, slowly pour in the chicken stock and half and half. Stir to make sure no chunks of flour remain.
  • Turn the heat to low and stir until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the peas, chopped pimentos, and rotisserie chicken. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes more.
  • Serve over pasta, rice, or biscuits.

Notes

To Cook Chicken Quickly:  You can quickly boil chicken while preparing the other ingredients for this recipe. Add 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts to a saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Cook on a low boil for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Shred it for use in recipes and the broth will be extra flavorful to use in this recipe (or reserve for another use).
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in microwave or on stovetop and serve over rice or pasta. 
To freeze, ladle Chicken ala King into zippered bags or an airtight container with the date on it and freeze flat. Thaw out and reheat using steps above. 
4.95 from 176 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 438 | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 699mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1838IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American
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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. This is the first time trying to cook this dish! I’ve had the pleasure of tasting this dish some years ago. The preparation was easy…I love the ingredients…yummy!5 stars

  2. Easy and delicious! I pull this out any time my wife is tired of cooking or I want something to meal prep for a few days5 stars

  3. I made this recipe tonight. I did add maybe a tbsp of worcestershire sauce to add flavor to the sauce and only 3/4 stick of butter I could have used the whole stick really but my sister doesn’t like butter so I held back to hide its flavor I gave everyone the choice of eating it over their baked potato or over toast It was delicious. Thank you.5 stars

  4. Made this tonight (10-31-2023) and it is delicious! Never thought about making it from scratch but this is very creamy and rich with using butter and half & half. We only ate the canned version and I didn’t really care for it in my younger days. Found a can recently and then found this recipe and boy oh boy was this 10 times better than the canned version! Thank you for sharing this recipe and recommend it highly!!!5 stars

  5. This sounds really good! I’ve made versions of this a lot. I always add some sherry and a little fresh nutmeg to any white sauce as per my mother eons ago!

  6. I made this and it was delicious with noodles, but now I’m anxious to try it again with mashed potatoes. Thanks for the recipe 5 stars

  7. Another 5 star recipe! Easy and quick when using a rotisserie chicken. I did find the gravy a tad too thick so I added an extra cup of milk. Next time I’ll cut back on the flour. Otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for sharing.5 stars

  8. DELICIOUS! I added more chicken stock until I reached my desired texture. The flavours in this dish is for sure a 10/10. Will make this recipe again!5 stars

    1. Thank you for sharing this recipe Holly. It’s perfect! I double it cause it freezes so well. Sometimes I add 8 cans of tuna to replace the chicken.5 stars

  9. Loved it. Changed up some of the veggies but it turned out great. Very easy to follow instructions. The best sauce I’ve ever made!5 stars