This creamy, easy Chicken a la King recipe is a comforting classic.
Cooked chicken is simmered in a creamy white sauce with mushrooms, peas, and pimentos in a single pan that goes right to the table from the stovetop.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Chicken à la King Highlights
- Flavor: This recipe has tender chicken in a pimento mushroom cream sauce.
- Skill level: Simple steps and ready-made ingredients make this dish a cinch.
- Time-Saving Tip: Buy sliced mushrooms or swap them for drained canned mushrooms. Rotisserie chicken or leftovers keep this recipe quick.
- Serving suggestions: It’s delish over rice, garlic mashed potatoes, biscuits, or homemade egg noodles.
Ingredient Tips for Chicken a la King
- Chicken: Any cooked chicken works in this recipe; I use rotisserie chicken. If you don’t have cooked chicken, check the recipe notes.
- Vegetables: Mushrooms, peas, and pimentos add earthy flavor and a pop of color to chicken a la King, but any combination of veggies works. Try celery, carrots, green beans, or spinach.
- Sauce: This easy sauce is made with stock, half-and-half, and a few basics from the spice cupboard. Feel free to swap out the sauce for a can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup. Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Leftovers and Storage
- Keep leftover chicken a la King covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat portions on the stovetop or in the microwave with a little milk mixed in to loosen the sauce.
- Freeze portions in freezer-safe containers for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Leftovers can be added to a casserole dish, topped with crispy breadcrumbs, and baked until heated through for a whole new meal!
More Quick Chicken Recipes
Did you make this Chicken a la King? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
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.
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© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I’ve made this several times and did it step by step and it is by far the BEST chicken aka king recipe. Thank you Holly for sharing.
Wonderful. Excellent. Everyone should make this.
Have not eaten this dish in over 10 years but I always loved it.
Used fresh chicken breast. Cooked in chicken broth and used the soup for the dish. Added 2 celery and 1 carrot. Served over rice.
Excellent. If the sauce is too thick , just add more broth or water. Wonderful. Thanks so much. I normally don’t comment but I had to do it today.
wonderful. excellent.
Haven’t eaten this dish for over 10 years but I always loved it. made it today and it was great.
used 2 fresh chicken breast. Added 2 celery stalks and a carrot. Some cayenne.
Fabulous. Really love your website. Not a commenter but I had to do it today. Thanks so much for a great nostalgic recipe.
I Ruined my dinner. I knew when I read 1/2 flour was going to be too much but against my better judgement I used it and it was horribly thick and tasted like paste. I think you need to lessen to 1/4 cup. I guess we re making reservations for dinner now.
Oh no Joann, I’m sorry it was too thick for your liking. ½ cup fat and flour to 3 to 4 cups of liquid is the same ratio I use for all of my gravies and this sauce. You can add up to 1 more cup of additional chicken broth or milk to thin it out to the desired consistency.
To avoid a floury or pasty flavor, you’ll want to ensure that you cook the flour for the full 2 minutes before adding any liquid. I hope that helps.
Added white wine and then I added sherry. The sherry made it awesome
My family really enjoyed this dish! Very delicious!
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!
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 days
My grand children who really dislike a casserole(all foods mixed) LOVE THIS!
Delicious! Will be making this dish again!
Just like my mom used to make! The ultimate comfort food!
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.
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!!!
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!
Delicious additions Gail, thank you for sharing!
Served over steamed white rice, so good.
thanks! for sharing this recipe ! delicious and easy to follow.
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
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.
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!
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.
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!
Great recipe! Be sure to add 1/3 cup of Sherry to make a decadent dinner.