This easy chicken a la king recipe features tender chicken pieces, red pepper and mushrooms in a silky, creamy sauce. It’s ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish and works beautifully with leftover roast or rotisserie chicken.
Who can resist a comforting plate of chicken a la king? Juicy chunks of chicken combine with mushrooms and bright diced red pepper in a creamy white sauce. Spoon it over fluffy white rice or your favourite pasta for a satisfying main course.
This classic dish has been made in many ways over the years. Traditional versions often used green peppers; I prefer red for the sweeter flavour and the extra colour. A handful of peas adds small pops of sweetness and visual contrast.
Because it’s easy to make from cooked chicken, this dish comes together quickly: sauté the vegetables, make a simple sauce, add the chicken and warm through. Dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
This recipe serves four.
You can find exact measurements in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken breast – leftover cooked or shredded rotisserie chicken works perfectly. If you don’t have leftovers, poach fresh breasts and shred them.
- Red pepper – any bell pepper will do, but red gives sweetness and colour.
- Onion – peeled and cut into roughly 1 cm (½ inch) pieces.
- Mushrooms – white mushrooms keep the sauce light in colour; chestnut or portobello pieces also work.
- Frozen peas – for sweetness and colour.
- For the sauce: butter, milk, cornflour (cornstarch) and single cream. Use full-fat or semi-skimmed milk as you prefer.
- Sunflower or olive oil for frying, freshly chopped parsley to garnish, and salt and black pepper to season.
Instructions
The first three steps below describe how to poach raw chicken. If you’re using leftover cooked chicken, skip to the vegetable and sauce steps and simply add the shredded chicken later.
Poach the chicken
Step 1: Place chicken breasts in a saucepan with about ½ teaspoon salt and a few black peppercorns (or a generous grinding of black pepper). Add enough water to cover the chicken, put on the lid and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove the pan from the heat and leave it covered to cool; the residual heat will finish cooking the chicken.
Step 2: When cool, remove the chicken from the water. It should be mostly white inside; a slight pink tint is fine since it will continue to cook in the sauce.
Step 3: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside while you cook the vegetables and prepare the sauce.
Cook the vegetables
Remove seeds and membranes from the pepper and cut into half-inch pieces. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth and slice or quarter them.
Step 4: Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the red pepper and onion and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent.
Step 5: Add the mushrooms and cook another 3–4 minutes until they soften and release their moisture.
Make the sauce
Step 6: Add the butter and let it melt, then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cornflour (cornstarch) and mix well to eliminate lumps.
Step 7: Pour in the milk and return the pan to the heat. Stir continuously and bring to a gentle boil until the mixture thickens.
Step 8: Add the peas and return the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes to heat everything through and meld the flavours.
Step 9: The sauce is ready when it’s thick enough to leave a trail when you draw a spoon through it.
Step 10: Season to taste with salt and black pepper, stir in the cream, then transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately with white rice or pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.
Tips for a perfect outcome
Simple tips to ensure the best results:
- When poaching, remove the pan from the heat as soon as the water boils and keep it covered while it cools; this ensures tender, evenly cooked chicken.
- Avoid browning the pepper and onion. If they start to colour, reduce the heat—keeping them pale preserves the sauce’s creamy appearance.
- If the sauce is too thin, whisk a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornflour and 2 tablespoons milk or water, then drizzle it into the simmering sauce and stir until it thickens.
Save time and money
Don’t toss leftover roast chicken or extra rice. Small saving habits add up to quick, inexpensive meals later.
Handy tips to reduce waste and speed up future meals
- Shred and freeze leftover roast chicken in portions. After saving meat from a couple of roasts you’ll have plenty for dishes like chicken a la king.
- Freeze leftover cooked rice in labeled bags. Add portions to the microwave and reheat for a fast side when serving this dish.
Equipment
For poaching: a small saucepan with a lid.
For the sauce: a large sauté pan or large saucepan with a lid is ideal. You’ll also need a spatula, a sharp knife and a chopping board.
FAQ
Yes. Cool it completely and freeze in a suitable container for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave until piping hot. If your cooked chicken was previously frozen, avoid freezing the finished dish a second time to preserve texture and food safety.
You can make it up to three days ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator, then reheat gently. If you’re using already frozen then thawed chicken, it’s best to prepare and eat the dish the same day for best texture.
Save for later
Save this recipe to a board or bookmark the page so you can return to it easily when you want to cook.
You can also save the recipe with your favourite saving tool or app for easy access at mealtimes.
Related recipes
If you enjoy this chicken a la king, you might like other chicken and poultry recipes from the same collection.
- Salt and pepper chicken
- Chutney and mayonnaise chicken bake
- Creamy garlic mushroom chicken
- Creamy chicken, leek and mushroom pie
📋The recipe
Easy Chicken a la king
Equipment
- Frying pan with lid
- Saucepan
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Spatula
Ingredients
Chicken mixture
- 1 large red pepper or capsicum, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- ¼ pound / 115 grams mushrooms, diced or quartered
- ½ cup frozen peas, defrosted
- 14 ounces / 400 grams cooked chicken, shredded
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups / 480 ml milk
- 2–3 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
- ½ cup / 120 ml single cream
Other
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: remove seeds from the capsicum and dice, peel and chop the onion, wipe and slice or quarter the mushrooms.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan.
- Add the chopped onion and red pepper and sauté gently until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 3 minutes until softened.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter and let it melt. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2–3 tablespoons cornflour to combine.
- Pour in 2 cups (480 ml) milk and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir until the mixture thickens.
- Stir in ½ cup frozen peas and 14 ounces (400 g) cooked chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.
- Stir in ½ cup (120 ml) single cream and warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over rice or pasta with a simple green salad.
Notes
Chicken: If using pre-cooked chicken, allow about 100 g per person. If poaching raw chicken, allow about 115 g per person (about 450 g / 1 lb for 4 people).
Top tips:
- Prevent the capsicum and onion from browning; browning will darken the sauce.
- If the sauce needs more thickening, mix 1 teaspoon cornflour with 2 tablespoons milk or water and stir into the simmering sauce until it reaches the desired consistency.
Quick poaching method:
- Place chicken breasts in a saucepan with a teaspoon of salt and a few peppercorns (or a good grind of black pepper). Add just enough water to cover.
- Cover and bring to the boil. As soon as the water boils, remove from the heat and leave covered to cool; residual heat will finish the cooking.
- When cool, remove the chicken (it should be mostly white inside), then slice or shred before adding to the sauce.
Nutrition: Nutrition values do not include rice or side dishes.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates – 15.5 g
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Protein – 22.1 g
|
Fat – 17.6 g
Nutrition information is provided for guidance only and was calculated using an online tool. If precise nutrition data is important to you, consider calculating it using your preferred method.