Chicken a la King
Try this easy and budget-friendly Chicken a la King recipe. It's a simple yet satisfying dish that can be prepared in just a few minutes. You can serve it over rice, pasta, or your favorite bread.
Try this easy and budget-friendly Chicken a la King recipe. It's a simple yet satisfying dish that can be prepared in just a few minutes. You can serve it over rice, pasta, or your favorite bread.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms drained, liquid reserved
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1 1/4 cups hot water
- 4 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves chopped
- 4 ounces chopped pimento
- Carbohydrate 10.9924048803005 g
- Cholesterol 40.0760000486198 mg
- Fat 15.0670875670604 g
- Fiber 0.8614082577521 g
- Protein 3.10356698345976 g
- Saturated Fat 9.33895306534559 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (153g)
- Sodium 237.81134645525 mg
- Sugar 10.1309966225484 g
- Trans Fat 1.16624727568256 g
- Calories 189 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook and stir drained mushrooms and green pepper in butter or margarine over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat.
- Stir in instant bouillon, milk, water, and reserved mushroom liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken and pimiento. Heat through.
Standard printed proportions mask the precise chemistry required to build a stable roux. Equal parts butter and all-purpose flour by weight provide the necessary thickening matrix, meaning doubling the butter demands exactly doubling the flour to prevent fat separation during the simmer. Whisking cold milk into a hot flour-and-butter paste helps prevent lumps from forming because the gradual temperature change hydrates the starch granules evenly. Keeping the heat at medium-low while cooking the initial vegetable mixture ensures the green bell peppers soften without scorching the milk solids in the butter.
Adjusting yields upward requires monitoring saucepan capacity and heat distribution closely. Doubling liquids beyond standard batch sizes increases evaporation time significantly, meaning a wide-bottomed skillet works better than a narrow saucepan to maintain proper boiling and thickening rates. Storing leftovers safely requires chilling the sauce within two hours of preparation in shallow airtight containers to bring the internal temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit quickly. Reheating stored portions calls for adding a tablespoon of water or milk to reconstitute the thickened starch network without burning the dairy.
Substitutions demand attention to liquid ratios and fat content. Using heavy cream instead of whole milk yields a richer emulsion that holds up longer under sustained heat without breaking. Gluten-free flour blends substitute directly for all-purpose wheat flour at a one-to-one ratio, though xanthan gum must be present in the blend to mimic the elasticity of gluten and maintain sauce viscosity. Replacing the chicken bouillon powder with reduced sodium broth requires scaling back the added salt by half to keep the final seasoning balanced.
Serving this rich sauce over dense starches like buttered egg noodles or toasted French bread provides a structural counterweight to the creamy texture. Starch absorption varies by type, so spooning the hot mixture directly onto the plate just before serving prevents the base from becoming soggy. Pairing the dish with a sharp, acidic side salad cuts through the heavy butter and dairy fats present in the sauce.
