Chicken a la King is a comfort food meal that features tender bites of chicken covered in a thick and creamy sauce with tender vegetables. A QUICK DINNER RECIPE Need a flavorful dinner in about a half an hour? Try this incredible Chicken a la King! Made with some veggies and chicken in a creamy sauce that’ll fill your belly and warm you up from the inside out! It’s the perfect dinner (or even lunch) recipe that can be made fairly quickly and one that everyone loves! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S): Why is it called Chicken a la King? As with many older‚ nostalgic recipes‚ there are a lot of versions of the story and how it came to be. I do know for sure that it was not named for royalty and it was invented in America. Some say it was invented by William King who worked at the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia. Others say it was George Greenwald who worked at the Brighton Beach hotel in New York and he named it after the owner‚ E. Clarke King. And as with most good recipes‚ there are others who take credit for it as well. So the “a la King” part is just a dedication of sorts. If I had invented the dish‚ it might’ve been “Chicken a la Brandie.” So there you go‚ the origins are about as clear as mud‚ right? How do you serve Chicken a la King? The list is endless. My absolute favorite way to eat it is with toast or over my Southern Buttermilk Biscuits or some classic Butter Dip Biscuits. But really‚ anything that will soak up the sauce will work well. Some folks enjoy it over pasta‚ noodles‚ rice‚ baked potatoes‚ hash browns‚ English muffins or even mashed potatoes. Where do I find diced pimentos in the store? Usually‚ pimentos can be in one of two places at the grocery store. Head to wherever your store sells the jarred pickles and relish and check there. If you can’t find it there‚ check near the canned vegetables. If all else fails‚ ask someone who works at the store. And if you don’t like pimentos‚ just leave them out. Could I make Chicken a la King with other meat? Instead of chicken (you can use any cut of cooked chicken)‚ you could also use turkey or ham. I think you could try using some canned tuna in water (not oil) or you could try some canned salmon. The flavors would work out well and it would still be fast to make since the meat is ready to go. I would like more seasoning‚ what else can I add? Want to amp up the flavor profile? Feel free to play around with the seasonings. I think the garlic and onion and pepper add a lot of flavor already but try adding some dried or fresh herbs like chives‚ thyme‚ or rosemary to the sauce. Can this be made in the crock pot? I do not recommend it. This recipe is so quick to make‚ it hardly takes any time‚ so cooking it on the stove is your best way to go. Plus‚ cream based sauces don’t always hold up in slow cookers as they can easily burn. How to store leftovers and reheat them? Keep leftover Chicken a la King in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. Or try freezing it for up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers in a skillet‚ but add a splash more stock or milk to help loosen it up‚ since it thickens more as it sits. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE) unsalted butter – if all you have is salted‚ use that. You can adjust the additional salt that is added if necessary. green bell pepper and onion – if you don’t like green bell pepper‚ just leave it out or swap it for yellow or orange if you prefer those. garlic – fresh garlic is always going to give you the absolute best garlic flavor. You can use the jarred stuff but it can sometimes throw off the other flavors. all-purpose flour – this is used to help thicken up the sauce. salt and pepper – see my FAQ above about other seasoning options. chicken stock– this can be swapped out for chicken broth or vegetable stock. heavy cream– this can be swapped for half and half or milk if you want to make it slightly lighter and not as rich (same amounts.) diced cooked chicken– I used rotisserie chicken to save on time. But‚ any cooked chicken will work‚ even the canned stuff. frozen peas – I don’t recommend canned peas but you could use them if absolutely necessary. The frozen peas are not only brighter in color‚ they just taste fresher and aren’t as mushy. diced pimentos – see my FAQ above on where to find these in the grocery store. HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN A LA KING In a large skillet over medium heat‚ melt the butter. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook‚ stirring occasionally‚ until softened‚ 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant‚ 30 seconds. Add the flour‚ salt‚ and pepper‚ stir to combine so the flour dissolves‚ and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stream in the chicken stock while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Repeat with the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened‚ stirring occasionally. Add the diced chicken‚ peas‚ and pimentos‚ and stir to combine. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes until everything is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately. CRAVING MORE RECIPES? Crock Pot Chicken Pot PieChicken Pot Pie Bubble UpChicken and Biscuits CasseroleCrock Pot Chicken and GravyCreamy Chicken StewMini Chicken Pot PiesCreamed Chipped BeefS.O.S. (Creamy Hamburger Gravy) Print Chicken a la King Chicken a la King is a comfort food meal that features tender bites of chicken covered in a thick and creamy sauce with tender vegetables. Course Dinner‚ Main CourseCuisine American Prep Time 15 minutes minutesCook Time 18 minutes minutesTotal Time 33 minutes minutes Servings 6 servings Calories 510kcal Author Brandie @ The Country Cook Ingredients½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (you can use salted‚ just adjust the additional salt added – to taste)1 medium green bell pepper‚ small diced1 small sweet onion‚ small diced2 cloves garlic‚ minced½ cup all-purpose flour½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon black pepper2 ½ cups chicken stock1 cup heavy cream3 cups diced cooked chicken1 cup frozen peas4 ounce jar diced pimentos‚ drained InstructionsIn a large skillet over medium heat‚ melt the butter. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook‚ stirring occasionally‚ until softened‚ 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant‚ 30 seconds. Add the flour‚ salt‚ and pepper‚ stir to combine so the flour dissolves‚ and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stream in the chicken stock while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Repeat with the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened‚ stirring occasionally. Add the diced chicken‚ peas‚ and pimentos‚ and stir to combine. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes until everything is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately. Notes Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions. NutritionCalories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 36g | Sodium: 412mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g