When I am craving comfort food, I think back to the dinners my Mom would prepare for our family when I was growing up. Dinner was always served at 6 p.m. and was the typical 1970s fare with a meat, a vegetable, and a starch. Meals such as grilled steak with mashed potatoes and peas, spaghetti and meatballs, and pork roast with white rice and corn were commonplace at our dinner table. Being that my Dad was a meat and potatoes type of guy, my Mom would make us comfort food dinners when he was travelling for business. One of my favorite home cooked suppers was Chicken a la King.
The origin of Chicken a la King
I did a little research to find out the origin of Chicken a la King. There are many stories about who first made this chicken dish. The most likely scenario is that the entree was concocted by Chef George Greenwald at the Brighton Beach Hotel in Brooklyn the early 1900s. He made this special meal one evening for the owners Mr. and Mrs. E. Clark King II. It was such a hit that it was added to the restaurant’s menu and was a great success.
Similar to the filling for chicken pot pie, Chicken a la King consists of cooked and shredded chicken along with mushrooms, carrots and tender green peas in a cream sauce. My childhood version was served over white toast, but this feel good meal is also delicious served on top of wide egg noodles, rice, or fluffy biscuits.
A one pot meal that is no stress and no mess, Chicken a la King is a comforting dinner perfect for a cool fall evening.
Chicken a la King
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped, about 1 cup)
- 2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
- 2 large carrots (cut into matchsticks, about 1 ½ cups)
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt – depending on how salty the chicken stock is dash of allspice
- 1 cup peas (frozen)
- 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- Wide egg noodles (rice, biscuits or toast points for serving)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium high heat, add the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion, mushrooms, and carrots. Sauté for about 8 – 10 minutes or until the vegetables are just beginning to brown.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and chicken stock, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Continue cooking for 3 – 4 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Add pepper, salt and allspice. Stir in the peas, chicken, and parsley. Continue cooking until heated through, about 1 – 2 minutes.
- Serve over noodles, rice, biscuits or toast.
Notes
Recipe by Amy Casey
www.amycaseycooks.com
Always a hit with my family!