Total comfort food – this homemade Chicken a la King starts with an easy chicken gravy that is served over biscuits. This easy weeknight dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes!
I started making this chicken a la king recipe back when my husband and I first got married. And to this day, anytime I say that I am making it for dinner, he gets happy. He just loves this recipe!
This is a great weeknight dinner idea – you can have it on the table in 30 minutes. And it’s perfect for when the weather starts cooling down, as it is a great comfort food dinner. But really, I make this one year round!
See how to make this Chicken a la King here:
What is Chicken a la King
Also known as King-Style Chicken, Chicken a la King usually consists of cooked, diced chicken in a cream sauce (or a chicken gravy) that is often served over bread, pasta or noodles. The sauce most often has mushrooms and vegetables. This dish is also known for using pimientos. Its beginnings are unclear (there are several different stories of who first made it), but the first mentions were in the 1880s to 1890s. It became a popular dish in the mid to late 20th century.
I have always had Chicken a la King with biscuits instead of toast, and that is still what I prefer today.
How to make homemade chicken gravy for Chicken a la King
Making the sauce for the chicken a la king – or the chicken gravy – is actually really easy. You will start with a roux – a mixture of butter and flour. This will help the sauce to thicken. To the roux, you add chicken broth and milk. The original chicken a la king was known for using cream, but in this recipe, milk works just fine. This mixture gets cooked together until it starts to thicken. Once thickened, add in cooked mushrooms, cooked chicken, peas and pimientos. Season with salt and pepper, then let the mixture simmer to heat all the way through before serving.
This homemade Chicken a la King isn’t anything fancy or special, but it’s easy and delicious. Which is really more important to me! Most of the time, I am in a time crunch when I make this recipe, so I usually opt for the store bought refrigerated biscuits that I can just get out of the can and bake. But if you have the time, I’m sure homemade biscuits are even more delicious!
I also love that this meal can stand on its own – there are veggies, protein and carbs in it, so I never feel like I have to serve it with a side dish! Winning!
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More easy chicken dinner recipes
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Cheesy Sour Cream Chicken
Easy Chicken Divan Recipe
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
White Chicken Enchiladas
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Chicken á la King
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Total comfort food – this homemade Chicken a la King starts with an easy chicken gravy that is served over biscuits. This easy weeknight dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) can refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits (or make homemade)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz fresh mushrooms
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 12 oz cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
- 1 cup frozen sweet peas
- 1 (2 oz) jar diced pimientos, drained
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bake the biscuits according to the directions on the can.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened and browned. Remove to a plate and wipe the skillet clean.
- Return the skillet to the stove and place over medium-low heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the flour and stir, cooking for about 1 minute. Slowly add the broth and the milk, whisking constantly. Continue to cook until the mixture boils and thickens. Once thickened, stir in the chicken, peas, mushrooms and pimientos. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until thoroughly heated.
- To serve, split the biscuits in half and place on serving plates. Spoon the hot chicken mixture over the biscuits.
Recipe Notes:
adapted from Pillsbury 30 Minute Meals
Nutrition
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 882 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 39 mg
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Happy cook says
I love this chicken dish.
A tru comfort food.
Ruth Elkin says
What a great dish! I can see why you would cook it again and again… and it only takes 30mins, great weeknight dish.
Augustina says
Hey Deborah, the picture actually looks quite yummy! I’m always on the lookout for a quick weekday meal recipe too. I think i’m gonna give this one a try.
Carla says
This is a great chicken dish, kind of like a lazy pot pie. Too bad the weather is warming up.
I made Rachael Ray’s take on it a few months back(never blogged, but posted a picture; link below to make up for lack of linkage with my last comment on your leek post).
http://fourfoodies.blogspot.com/2007/12/im-back.html
It was very good. The puff pastry makes it a little different and a little more special. If you make it, I’d knock back the amount of stock by a cup, maybe cup and a half. It made a TON of filling and took quote a bit of time to thicken up. I had enough for all of the pastry shells plus to fill a pot pie!#$@#&! But, I wasn’t complaining.
I can’t remember which cookbook it came from, I want to say 30 Minute Meals 2, but don’t quote me on that. Either way I googled the recipe name and it was in her magazine.
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/30-minute-meals/chicken–la-queen/article.html
Carla says
Geez, do I win for longest comment ever? I should’ve blogged on the recipe rather than post a picture only, lol.
Grace says
those biscuits are one of my guilty pleasures. i love peeling them apart layer by layer. 🙂
Katie B. says
The dishes that aren’t “anything special” are always the best! Looks delicious!
Mary says
Your chicken looks totally yummy! I love those silly pillsbury bisquits. I even love the pop when the tube breaks!
Bridget says
I have a Pillsbury cookbook that has some surprisingly great stuff too. It was my first cookbook ever, so even though I’ve progressed a lot since I first used it, a lot of recipes from there have become staples.
dabooklady says
Looks so great…be sure to hop over and check out my recipe contest
http://dabookrecipe.blogspot.com/2008/03/march-contest-all-about-recipes.html
I just love chicken
Cookie baker Lynn says
This looks like a family favorite dish. I stopped buying the Pillsbury cookbooks when all the recipes called for pre-packaged ingredients.
Gabi says
Comfort food- oh I am SO there today! Thanks for a great idea.
cheers,
Gabi
DabookLady says
I love Chicken a la King. this will be a great one to make for a luncheon.
Kevin says
That does sound both easy and tasty.
Emiline says
I’d eat that. It looks comforting. Didn’t they make this on Top Chef? This season or last.
Katie says
Oh yummm! What a comforting meal!
Tarah says
Ohhh, I use to make something like this. I would except add the biscuits on top of the chicken when it’s almost done cooking in the oven. So good :]
StickyGooeyCreamyChewy says
This is great comfort food to me. When I need comfort, I need it quick! I love it!
Patricia Scarpin says
Deb, this is a delicious recipe. I think that some simple recipes are very worth blogging about – I get emails all the time from people who did not know how to boil water and they tell me they started cooking by using my simpler recipes are a guide.
Keep them coming, sweetie!
kat says
You know I think recipes like this are totally blog worthy, most of us aren’t entertaining every night & really need ideas for normal days
PheMom says
Looks and sounds great to me! This is probably the same reason there is a lot more baking and a lot less cooking on my blog too. The food hasn’t been all that exciting this winter. Soon…
Anyway I’m sure I’ll be making this soon. Thanks for sharing!
Rosie says
Oh wow what a great chicken dish Deborah!! Just love your photo of this dish.
Such pure comfort food to eat – yum!
Rosie x
EAT! says
We used to have this all the time growing up. I think it’s about time to introduce it to my kids.
Ryley says
So i realize this post was like a year ago.. but i had this UNBELIEVABLE craving for chicken and dumplings last night. (Even though i’ve never made chicken and dumplings..) BUT.. all i had for veggies was a can of peas! (I know.. horrible cook..) So my mind flashed back to this picture with peas. I made this dish (with a little more sauce) Found a recipe for Dumplings and dropped them ontop. 10 minutes later this was the most delicious dinner we’d had in MONTHS! It totally hit the spot. And the dumplings we’re not hard (1 cup flour, 1/2 tbsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 cup of milk 2 tbsp butter – warm the butter and milk, mix into the dry ingredients until smooth and slightly runny. (i added a bit more liquid) drop golf ball sized balls about 2 inches apart cover simmer about 10-15 minutes) Pretty much just as easy as the refridgerator kind.. and SOOO good!
Thanks for posting this and making a yummmy dinner! 🙂
keersten says
I can’t wait to make this–any staple of yours has got to be rockin’ awesome!
Denise says
This was soo easy. I didn’t have mushrooms so i used frozen mixed Vegetables and about a half cup of frozen spinach. I also added minced garlic and poultry seasoning to the chicken while cooking it.
My husband said whenever I open my restaurant (family joke) it HAS to be a weekly special 👍
★★★★★