Chicken à la King
The origin of chicken à la king’s name is a subject of debate. Some say it was created at New York’s Brighton Beach Hotel in the 1890s and named after its proprietor E. Clark King II. Some claim it originated in England. One of the most prominent origin myths is that William King, a chef at the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia in the 1890s, invented the meal. Regardless of where it started, by the turn of the century, chicken à la king was everywhere. Records indicate that it appeared on roughly 300 menus from 1910 to 1960, but by the 1980s food writers seemed ready to pen its obituary. This Chicken à la King recipe is made from scratch with a creamy mushroom sauce, peas, pimentos and juicy chicken. Serve this with rice, egg noodles, biscuits, or pastry.
Sauce:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1¼ lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
½ cup dry white wine
5 Tbsp. butter
8 oz baby bella or white button mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
3 cups half-and-half cream
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce, such as Franks hot sauce
1 cue chicken bouillon
¾ cup peas, frozen
4 oz pimentos, drained
Seasonings:
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried parsley
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. mustard powder
¼ tsp. ground sage
⅛ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
⅛ tsp. ground paprika
In a large measuring cup with a spout, combine the half-and-half, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and seasonings and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
Cook the Chicken:
Pat the chicken dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a 4½ qt soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes per side, until a brown crust has developed. Remove from heat. The middle will still be uncooked.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce, which will also add even more homecooked flavour to it.
Make the Sauce:
Add the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the mushrooms, onions and garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until softened.
Add the butter and flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the half-and-half mixture (from ) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Scrape up any remnants from the bottom of the pot as you do so. Add the chicken bouillon.
Set heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken back and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add the peas and pimentos. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 more minutes, or until desired consistency is obtained. The longer it simmers, the thicker it will become.
Remove from heat and serve over egg noodles, pasta, rice, biscuits, or pastry.
Cook's Notes:
- Wine: I like to use Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Cabernet Blanc in this recipe, but Sherry is a traditional wine choice for this recipe as well. Chicken broth can be used if you don't cook with wine.
- Chicken: 4 cups of leftover/rôtisserie chicken can be added in step 4 of "make the chicken" if needed. It won't be quite as flavourful as making this with fresh chicken.
- Pimentos: Pimentos are a classic staple in this dish, but finely diced bell peppers (red or green), can be used instead.
- Serving Options: This is great over my Buttered Noodles, Buttermilk Biscuits, or Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Cream-based sauces don't reheat as well the second time around, but that doesn't stop me.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: Calories: 453kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0. 4g, Cholesterol: 129mg, Sodium: 444mg, Potassium: 833mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1392IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 162mg, Iron: 2mg