Hi, I’m Linda from Cook Daily Recipe, and this is my cozy take on Chicken a la King. When a long day hits, I want real comfort, not fuss. Creamy sauce, tender chicken, sweet peas, and a soft gloss on top. You hear a gentle bubble, you smell butter and onion, and the kitchen feels calm. So why this pot works so well for Comfort Chicken Recipes and for chicken recipes and for whole chicken recipes and for chicken and for chicken recipes healthy and for chicken recipes dinner and for healthy chicken recipes. I cook the base slow, I whisk smooth, and I keep the sauce light yet rich. Each bite gives warm pepper, soft garlic, and a little lift from pimentos. It lands like a hug, which is the point, right. I grew up with a bowl of this after rain. We ate it over toast, then over noodles when we felt bold. Now I make it when the house needs a reset. You pick your base, rice or pasta or toast, and we call it dinner. Spoon, steam, smile. That is the move.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Chicken a la King Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Chicken a la King
- 4) How to Make Chicken a la King
- 5) Tips for Making Chicken a la King
- 6) Making Chicken a la King Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Chicken a la King
- 8) Try these Main Course next
- 9) Chicken a la King
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I write for Cook Daily Recipe and I cook in a real kitchen. This dish steers weeknights toward calm. Creamy gravy holds tender chicken and sweet peas. Toast or rice or noodles wait and catch the sauce. I call this set of steps smart. You get steady flavor and a soft finish. Two quiet truths live here. Patience beats heat. Salt wakes the pot.
You can find this and more on https://www.cookdailyrecipes.com. I test and I taste and I tweak. I look for clean steps and no stress. The plan fits home cooks with a busy day. The pot hums, the spoon moves, and dinner shows up. It feels like the fix you reach for when life runs fast. Comfort Chicken Recipes fit that mood and so does this bowl of goodness.
The sauce starts with butter and flour then flows with stock and cream. The body turns smooth and glossy. Peppers bring a soft bite. Pimentos add color. Chicken carries the sauce. Peas give little pops. We eat and we smile. That is my bar. This recipe clears it. These notes sit close to the food so they help you cook, not slow you down.
2) Easy Chicken a la King Recipe
I reach for this when I crave rest. Comfort Chicken Recipes calm the room and Comfort Chicken Recipes make a table feel friendly. I want quick steps and warm flavor. I stand by this method. Butter melts, onion softens, flour cooks, and stock turns it silky. The sauce hugs each bite. I plate it and breathe out. Feels like a small win after a long day.
I grew up with this dish on rainy Sundays. We ate it over toast that went soft at the edges. Now I mix rice in when I want a little chew. On lazy nights I use egg noodles. The beauty sits in choice. The pot waits for what you have. Chicken recipes serve home cooks well and this one stays kind. It bends to your pantry and your mood.
Think of this as an easy map through busy weeks. I keep diced cooked chicken in the fridge. I keep peas in the freezer. A jar of pimentos sits by the capers. I whisk and taste and call folks to the table. For whole chicken recipes fans, this still plays nice, since you can shred a bird from yesterday and let the sauce bring it back to life.
3) Ingredients for Chicken a la King
Butter I use unsalted so I can steer the seasoning. It melts clean and gives the pan a soft nutty smell. That scent tells me I am on track. The butter helps the flour cook and sets the base for a smooth sauce that coats each bite without feeling heavy.
All purpose flour This holds hands with the butter and gives the sauce body. I cook it a short minute to tame any raw taste. The mix turns pale and smells toasty. Once stock joins the party the flour does quiet work and thickens the gravy to that spoon clinging level we love.
Chicken stock I like low sodium. It lets me season with intent. Warm stock blends in without lumps. The flavor anchors the dish. You taste chicken first and then the pepper and the cream. If you have homemade, pour it in. If not, boxed stock still treats you well.
Heavy cream This adds a lush feel. I pour slow and watch the sauce turn glossy. The finish lands soft. For chicken recipes healthy goals I swap half the cream with milk and the dish still feels rich. The taste stays full and friendly which keeps the table happy.
Sweet onion and green bell pepper Small dice works best. The bits melt into the sauce and give mild sweetness and a light crunch. They perfume the kitchen. I listen for a gentle sizzle and stir now and then so they soften without browning.
Garlic I mince two cloves and add them late so the flavor stays bright. Thirty seconds in hot fat wakes the aroma. It should smell like dinner and not sharp. If garlic runs strong in your house, add a third clove and smile.
Cooked chicken Diced or shredded both work. Rotisserie meat saves time. Leftover roast chicken fits too. I like a mix of light and dark meat for balance. The sauce keeps each piece tender and warm. For comforting chicken meals, this is the anchor that makes a bowl feel complete.
Peas Frozen peas go straight in. They keep their snap and bright color. The sweet bite lifts the creamy base. Kids dig them and adults do too. They make the pot look cheerful and taste lively.
Pimentos Small diced and drained. They add a gentle tang and a flash of red that reads cozy. I keep a jar in the pantry for meals like this. The little cubes dot the sauce and make each spoon look ready for a photo.
Salt and black pepper Start light and taste as you go. The stock and butter carry salt already. Pepper brings warmth that trails behind each bite. I like a pinch of smoked paprika once in a while for a nod to depth, though the classic mix stands strong.
Fresh parsley A sprinkle at the end wakes the top of the dish. The green feels clean and bright. You can use chives if that is what sits in your crisper. Either way the herb finish keeps the bowl from feeling flat.
4) How to Make Chicken a la King
Step one Set a large skillet on medium heat. Add butter and let it melt with a quiet sizzle. Stir in onion and pepper. Cook until soft and sweet. The steam smells like home. When the bits look tender, add garlic and stir for a short beat.
Step two Shake flour over the pan and sprinkle in salt and pepper. Stir so flour drinks the fat. Cook one minute. The mix should look like wet sand and smell toasty. Keep the spoon moving so nothing sticks.
Step three Pour warm stock in a slow stream while you whisk. The sauce turns smooth. Add cream and keep whisking. Bring it to a gentle bubble. Let it thicken to a glossy nap that clings to the spoon. This is the part that makes Comfort Chicken Recipes shine at home.
Step four Fold in chicken, peas, and pimentos. Let the pot hum for a few minutes so the flavors settle. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. When the sauce hugs the chicken, you are set. Spoon over rice or noodles or toast and garnish with parsley.
Step five Plate and serve warm. I like cracked pepper on top. If the sauce looks thick, stir in a splash of stock. If it looks thin, let it simmer a minute. Clean pot, happy crew, dinner done.
5) Tips for Making Chicken a la King
Keep stock warm so the sauce stays smooth. Cold liquid can shock the roux and build lumps. Warm stock slides in and plays nice. Use a flat whisk if you have one. It reaches the corners of the pan and keeps everything even and calm.
Cut the vegetables small. Tiny dice softens fast and blends into the sauce. Big chunks fight the texture. Aim for pieces that match peas. The spoon then carries a balanced bite. For healthy chicken recipes goals, swap part of the cream with milk and add more peas for fiber.
Taste at the end with the base you plan to serve. A spoon over toast needs a hair more salt than a spoon over buttered noodles. Fresh parsley brightens both. For cozy chicken dinners on repeat, keep cooked chicken ready and this becomes a near instant meal.
6) Making Chicken a la King Ahead of Time
I prep the sauce in the morning when the house sits quiet. I stop before adding peas and pimentos. I cool the pan and slide it into the fridge. At dinner time I warm it, stir in the vegetables, and fold in chicken. The finish tastes fresh and the color stays bright.
If you batch cook on Sundays, make a double pot and portion it. It packs well for work lunches. For chicken recipes dinner plans, pair with rice you cooked the day before. The sauce loosens with a splash of stock and comes back to silky with a short simmer.
For comforting chicken meals across the week, keep the base separate from the starch. Store toast or noodles on their own so they do not soak up sauce. Warm each part and marry them on the plate. The texture feels like day one each time.
7) Storing Leftover Chicken a la King
Cool leftovers until steam fades. Spoon into shallow containers and cover. The fridge keeps them for three days. Reheat on low in a pan with a splash of stock. Stir and watch the shine return. The sauce should look smooth and taste round.
Freezing works for short stretches. Place portions in freezer safe containers. Thaw in the fridge and warm gently. If the sauce looks shy on body, add a spoon of cream and whisk. For chicken recipes that comfort on cold nights, this trick pays off.
Leftover ideas make life easier. Spoon the mix into puff pastry cups for a quick bite. Ladle it over baked potatoes. Fold it into a small pot pie. Comfort Chicken Recipes lend themselves to makeovers and this one wears many hats without stress.
8) Try these Main Course next
9) Chicken a la King
Chicken a la King Comfort Chicken Recipes
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 half cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium green bell pepper small diced
- 1 small sweet onion small diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 half cup all purpose flour
- 1 half teaspoon salt
- 1 half teaspoon black pepper
- 2 and one half cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
For the Chicken Mixture
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 ounce jar diced pimentos drained
For Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion. Cook until soft, about ten minutes.
- Stir in the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Cook one minute.
- Whisk in the chicken stock in a slow stream, then add the cream. Keep the mix smooth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook five minutes, stir now and then, until thick.
- Fold in the chicken, peas, and pimentos. Simmer three minutes more.
- Taste and season. Serve hot over rice, pasta, or toast. Top with parsley.
10) Nutrition
One serving offers balanced fuel. You get protein from chicken, steady energy from the base you choose, and a creamy sauce that still feels light if you split cream with milk. Salt stays in check when you start with low sodium stock. Add peas for fiber and color and joy.
I care about both flavor and feel. I build meals that meet the table where it stands. This dish does that. It fits busy nights and slow Sundays. It fits a solo bowl on the couch and a family plate at six. That is why it lives on Cook Daily Recipe with love.
Visit https://www.cookdailyrecipes.com for more. I keep the notes short and the pots practical. Comfort Chicken Recipes guide my choices and keep dinner kind. When a meal meets you with warmth and ease, you eat well and rest well. That is the goal we share.
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