I don’t know when my mom started making us Chicken a la King, but it’s been a staple on our dinner table for as long as I can remember. This may not be the sexiest dish out there, but it’s a comfort meal that reminds me of home whenever I need a little pick-me-up. Mom made this dish for birthdays, holidays, busy weeknights, or just about for any special occasion you can dream up. Now, admittedly, my brother and I were picky eaters growing up, so she adjusted the original recipe quite a bit over the years, swapping in and out different vegetables, and depending on how busy she was, she would use a can of cream of mushroom soup to cut a few steps. I can’t call this a traditional version of this recipe, but I can call this a little taste of home. Love you, Mom.
Mom’s Chicken a la King
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sherry
- 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cup half and half
- 2 lbs. cooked chicken, about 3 – 4 cups, cubed
- 4 oz. pimientos, drained and chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Freshly chopped parsley, to garnish
- Cooked rice or biscuits, for serving
Instructions
- Heat butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
- Add shallot and mushrooms to butter and sauté for a few minutes until the shallot is translucent and the mushrooms have softened.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant.
- Add flour to the mushroom mixture. Stir to combine and continue to sauté another few minutes until the flour has cooked through
- Once flour has cooked through, deglaze the skillet with cooking sherry. Then add chicken stock and half and half slowly, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture and continue stirring until thickened.
- Add cooked chicken (use leftover or rotisserie) and pimientos to the mixture. Stir to combine and heat through. Stir in frozen peas.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper to taste. You can add more stock to adjust the thickness, if needed.
- Serve piping hot over rice or biscuits. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!
