The Easiest Way to Make Chicken A La King

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Chicken a la King is a classic dish that has been around for decades. It’s traditionally made with canned soup to speed up time, making it easy to whip up at the last minute when you need something quick and satisfying.

But have you ever tried this recipe? You will find that you have most ingredients in your pantry – one of them being a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. The best part is that the flavor in this dish comes from sautéed vegetables instead of a processed soup, meaning that it has a fresh taste and a lot more nutrients than the traditional speedy version. Give this recipe a try next time you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal idea!

This is yummy comfort food at its best! Warm, creamy sauce, wrapped around chunks of tender breast meat and assorted veggies…ladled over something like popovers, mashed potatoes, or even toast points. This will warm any soul on a cold day.

If it helps to think of it as a crustless poultry pot pie, this creamy chicken dish is the ultimate comfort food.

Where did This Chicken Dish come from?

There are so many different origin stories out there for the first version of this recipe, but the common thread? They all start in the early 1900s. Chicken A la Keene is just one of the many stories out there, regardless, this easy recipe is perfect for that busy weeknight and is easy to customize.

Why use frozen Vegetables?

First of all, it is a huge time saver. They have already been cleaned, cut, and even blanched before they were frozen. It is also budget-friendly as you can pick up a 12-16 ounce bag for about a buck. Just the cost of fresh carrots, onion, and celery alone is more than that normally.

Why don’t you use chicken stock?

Honestly, too much broth will water down your chicken ala king. Skip the chicken broth and toss in a chicken bouillon cube

Can I replace the chicken with tuna?

Yes. It seems more like a tuna tetrazzini than tuna a la king. I like to use a good name-brand white tuna in water – Starkist seems to be my normal go-to. You will need about 40-48 ounces of tuna to replace the 2 chicken breasts. We also like to top it with some freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese then.

Can I use canned chicken?

Yes, but I would suggest you don’t. It seems to alter the taste and texture a bit.

I like to whip this up when I have leftover chicken for a dinner a night or two ago – or even if I am still looking at some rotisserie chicken.

You can get pre-cooked chicken strips or diced in the freezer section of your grocery store, but I prefer to batch cook boneless skinless chicken breasts myself and then portion and freeze them for later use on a recipe like this.

It is really easy to do – I just use a baking sheet and pop the chicken breasts on it and bake for 25 minutes or so at 350 degrees. Just let them cool and you can cut them into strips or chunks for future use. Occasionally I pop some in the stand mixer and run a bit on low to shred it for future BBQ chicken sandwiches.

What is the deal with the tarragon?

Tarragon is a really under-used herb. It has a flavor that pairs well with chicken and some creamy sauces. It has always been our secret ingredient for any chicken dish – from this dish to chicken noodle soup, to Chicken Pot Pie.

Why don’t you use Green Peppers?

I know several recipes out there do use green or red bell pepper, or they use pimento, which is the same family. Personally, I think it overpowers the flavors. We also have a family member who is allergic to green bell peppers and red pepper- so we want to make it totally family-friendly in our home.

What can you serve Chicken a la King on?

While you can eat this by itself as we show in the pictures, it is usually served up on top of something else. That is a great way to stretch it a little further and to feed more people.

People serve it over mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, rice, egg noodles, toast points, puff pastry shells to make it fancy, buttermilk biscuits, or even popovers. Basically just pick your favorite starch

Can I make this in advance and freeze it?

Yes, you can make this dish in advance and freeze it but as with any creamy style sauce, it might break when you reheat it. It isn’t one of the best recipes for when you are whipping up that large batch of freezer meals.

When you are ready to eat, just let it thaw completely and then heat up in the oven or microwave.

Chicken A La King Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
• Mixed vegetables, 1 bag frozen – you can substitute a simple mix of peas and carrots if you wish.
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, diced
• 1 tablespoon dry minced onion – or a small onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk – you don’t need the heavy cream or sour cream for this recipe, honest! You can go with whole milk if you wish, but we use skim.
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• Optional: 2-3 ounces of White Wine or dry sherry

How to make our Chicken A La King Recipe

In a large saucepan cook the vegetable mix, celery, diced onion, and mushrooms until soft over medium heat

Add the chicken until hot.

Remove all from the pan, set aside

In the same skillet, melt butter and add flour, stirring until golden brown to make your cream sauce

Slowly add in milk and cook until it starts to thicken and make that rich creamy sauce. Then, add a little wine. I don’t mean a cup or two I mean a shot or two.

Add cooked mushrooms, veggies, and chicken mixture back to the skillet and stir until well combined

Season with salt & pepper to taste

Cook for 5 minutes then remove from heat and allow to rest briefly

While you can eat this by itself, as shown, you can serve your easy chicken dish over mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, toast, puffed pastry, etc.

Do you have any leftovers from this great recipe? Simply pop them into an airtight container and they should keep for up to four days in your fridge.

Other chicken recipes you may like:

• The Best Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe Cast Iron
• How to Make a Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Caeser Dressing
• 7 Ways to Use Aldi Red Bag Chicken
• Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Recipe