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Indulge in the richness of a creamy mushroom sauce with our lip-smacking yet simple Chicken a la King recipe. Made with diced chicken and healthy ingredients, our recipe is worthy of royalty. Not only that, it can also be prepared using leftover turkey, making it an ideal post-Thanksgiving meal. So dive into this heavenly dish that’s both delicious and nutritious.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Extra-virgin olive oil: This is the rich base to the dish. Traditional a la king recipes use butter and heavy cream, but olive oil works just as well and provides healthy fats.
- Green bell pepper: Adds a fresh crunch and a pop of color, plus lots of vitamins!
- Mushrooms: For their savory and umami flavor. You can use any mushroom you like. Cremini or white mushrooms work very well, for example. Make sure you slice them thin enough that they cook quickly and render most of their liquid.
- Pimientos: For a touch of sweetness and another pop of color. As a substitute, you can use finely diced red bell pepper, that you will sauté along with the green pepper and mushrooms.
- White whole wheat flour: Thickens the sauce and helps to create a creamy texture. As a substitute, you can use regular whole wheat flour or all purpose flour.
- Milk: Adds richness and creaminess to the sauce. I like to use 2% grass-fed milk, but you can use any milk of your choice.
- Low sodium chicken broth: For added depth of flavor.
- Cooked chicken or turkey: This is the lean protein in the dish. In this very versatile recipe, you can use anything from leftover rotisserie chicken to Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. Dark or white meat work equally well.
- Dry Sherry: Adds a unique complexity to the sauce. We are talking about real Sherry wine here, not cooking Sherry sold in grocery stores or Sherry vinegar. Cooking Sherry has added salt, as well as potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate. If you don’t have the real deal on hand, just omit it!
- Ground nutmeg: For a subtle touch of warmth.
- Salt and pepper: Use a light touch. You can always add more later if needed.
A tip from my kitchen
Add the milk and broth to the pan away from the heat and slowly, stirring vigorously to avoid any flour lumps. Once you return the pan to the heat, stir the sauce frequently as it simmers to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
Step-by-step instructions
How to serve Chicken a la King
Generally, it is served over toasted bread, rice or noodles. I also like to serve it over mashed potatoes. For a fancier presentation, a puff pastry shell or vol-au-vent will make your guests forget they are eating leftover roast chicken!
Add a side of vegetable to complete your meal. Peas, carrots, asparagus, green beans are a few choices that pair very well with the creamy mushroom sauce.
Indulge in a royal feast with our chicken a la king recipe. This recipe is not just delicious, it is also packed with healthy ingredients, making it a wholesome meal option your whole family will enjoy.
Try these other delicious recipes:
Creamy mushroom and spinach pasta
Chicken a la King
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1.5 cups milk 2% or whole milk
- 1.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, diced
- 2 oz pimientos diced and drained
- 2 tbsp dry Sherry
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook bell pepper and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have lost their liquid and start to brown.
- Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly for a couple minutes to cook the flour.
- Remove from heat. Stir in milk, sherry and broth. Bring back to a boiling over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook until thickened, a couple of minutes.
- Stir in chicken and pimientos; season with nutmeg; cook until hot. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve over whole grain toast, noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
I LOVE THIS MEAL. It should be revered as one of the true greats!