Chicken A La King
Chicken a la king is a classic American creamed chicken dish made with diced cooked chicken, sweet peas, pimentos, and a from-scratch roux-based sauce built with chicken stock and heavy cream. Serve it over toast or fluffy biscuits for a satisfying weeknight dinner or easy weekend meal.
This easy king ranch chicken-style comfort dish comes together in one skillet with ingredients you likely already have. The roux base means no canned soups and no shortcuts — just a silky, flavorful sauce that coats every bite.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Chicken A La King
- One skillet, about 30 minutes from start to finish
- Creamy, savory sauce made entirely from scratch — no canned soup needed
- Uses cooked or leftover chicken, making it a smart fridge clean-out meal
- Pimentos and sweet peas add color and a gentle pop of sweetness
- Equally at home over buttered toast, biscuits, or egg noodles
Chicken A La King
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
Fat and Aromatics
- ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted butter Use salted butter if preferred and adjust additional salt to taste
- 1 medium Green bell pepper small diced
- 1 small Sweet onion small diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
Roux
- ½ cup All-purpose flour Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste
- ½ teaspoon Salt Adjust to taste at the end
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
Sauce
- 2 ½ cups Chicken stock Stream in slowly while whisking
- 1 cup Heavy cream Stream in slowly while whisking
Filling
- 3 cups Diced cooked chicken Rotisserie, leftover, or poached chicken
- 1 cup Frozen peas Add frozen; carry-over heat warms them through
- 1 4-ounce jar Diced pimentos drained
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the diced green bell pepper and sweet onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour, salt, and black pepper. Stir well so the flour dissolves into the butter and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly stream in the chicken stock while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Slowly stream in the heavy cream while continuing to whisk.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Add the diced cooked chicken, frozen peas, and drained diced pimentos. Stir to combine.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or black pepper as needed.
- Simmer for an additional 3 minutes until everything is heated through. Serve immediately over toast or fluffy biscuits.
Notes
What Ingredients Do You Need for Chicken A La King?
| Ingredient Group | Ingredient | Exact Amount | Purpose or Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat and Aromatics | Unsalted butter | 1/2 cup (1 stick) | Base for the roux; use salted and adjust additional salt to taste |
| Fat and Aromatics | Green bell pepper, small diced | 1 medium | Adds mild vegetal flavor and classic color |
| Fat and Aromatics | Sweet onion, small diced | 1 small | Builds savory depth as it softens |
| Fat and Aromatics | Garlic, minced | 2 cloves | Brief cook time keeps flavor bright, not bitter |
| Roux | All-purpose flour | 1/2 cup | Thickens the sauce; cook 1 minute to remove raw flour taste |
| Roux | Salt | 1/2 teaspoon | Season as you build; adjust at the end |
| Roux | Black pepper | 1/2 teaspoon | Background warmth throughout |
| Sauce | Chicken stock | 2 1/2 cups | Primary liquid; stream in slowly while whisking |
| Sauce | Heavy cream | 1 cup | Adds richness and body to the finished sauce |
| Filling | Diced cooked chicken | 3 cups | Rotisserie, leftover, or poached chicken all work well |
| Filling | Frozen peas | 1 cup | Go in frozen; carry-over heat warms them through |
| Filling | Diced pimentos, drained | 4-ounce jar | Adds mild sweetness and a pop of color |
The butter and flour roux is what gives this chicken a la king recipe its thick, velvety consistency. Streaming the chicken stock in slowly while whisking is the technique that keeps the sauce smooth and lump-free.
Pimentos are mild, sweet roasted red peppers — they have none of the heat of chili peppers, just a gentle, slightly fruity flavor that plays beautifully against the creamy sauce.
How to Make Chicken A La King Step by Step
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter. Add 1 medium green bell pepper, small diced, and 1 small sweet onion, small diced. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add 2 cloves garlic, minced, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine so the flour dissolves into the butter, and cook for 1 minute.
- Pro Tip: Slowly stream in 2 1/2 cups chicken stock while whisking constantly — adding it all at once can cause lumps that are hard to work out later.
- Repeat with 1 cup heavy cream, streaming it in slowly while whisking.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Add 3 cups diced cooked chicken, 1 cup frozen peas, and the drained 4-ounce jar of diced pimentos. Stir to combine.
- Pro Tip: Taste and adjust seasoning at this stage — the pimentos add a little sweetness, so a pinch more salt often sharpens everything up nicely.
- Simmer for an additional 3 minutes until everything is warmed through. Serve immediately over toast or fluffy biscuits.
Expert Tips, Variations, and Troubleshooting for Chicken A La King
Pro Tips for Success
Give your bell pepper and onion the full 10 minutes over medium heat. Rushing this step leaves them slightly crunchy and less sweet — both of which stand out in a creamy sauce.
Cook the flour for a full minute after stirring it in. That one minute is what removes the raw, pasty flavor that would otherwise come through in the finished dish.
Keep your heat at medium throughout. High heat can cause the cream sauce to break or scorch on the bottom of the skillet before the chicken is warmed through.
Rotisserie chicken is your best friend here. It’s already seasoned and tender, and it makes this an even faster weeknight meal without any extra prep.
If you’re using salted butter, hold back on any added salt until you’ve tasted the finished sauce — then adjust from there rather than seasoning twice at the start.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Problem: The sauce has lumps after adding the stock.
Solution: Whisk vigorously off the heat for a moment, then return to medium and keep whisking as it heats. Streaming the liquid in very slowly next time is the key prevention step.
Problem: The sauce is thinner than expected after 5 minutes.
Solution: Keep simmering — the sauce continues to thicken as it reduces. Make sure you’re at a true simmer, not just a gentle warm.
Problem: The dish tastes flat after combining everything.
Solution: Taste and adjust salt before serving. Pimentos and frozen peas can dilute seasoning slightly, so a pinch more salt or a crack of black pepper usually fixes it.
How to Store and Reheat Chicken A La King
| Storage Method | Duration | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 3–4 days | Store in an airtight container; the sauce will thicken as it cools |
| Freezer | Not recommended | Cream-based sauces tend to separate and become grainy after thawing |
To reheat, warm the chicken a la king in a skillet over low to medium-low heat, stirring gently. Add a splash of chicken stock or a little cream to loosen the sauce back to its original consistency — it will thicken considerably in the fridge.
Leftover chicken a la king is also excellent spooned over scrambled eggs for a hearty brunch, tucked into a baked potato, or used as a filling for a savory hand pie. If you enjoy cozy, hearty one-pot meals like this, you might also like this cozy sausage, kale, and white bean soup or this crockpot white bean chicken chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chicken a la king made of?
Chicken a la king is a creamed chicken dish built on a butter-and-flour roux, chicken stock, and heavy cream. This version includes diced cooked chicken, frozen peas, and diced pimentos stirred into the finished sauce. It’s traditionally served over toast or biscuits.
What kind of chicken works best in this recipe?
Any diced cooked chicken works well — rotisserie chicken is the most convenient option since it’s already seasoned and tender. Leftover roasted chicken or poached chicken breast are both great choices too.
Can I make chicken a la king ahead of time?
You can make the sauce and refrigerate it for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of chicken stock or cream to restore the consistency, then stir in the chicken, peas, and pimentos just before serving.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes. If you use salted butter, simply reduce or skip the added salt in the recipe and adjust to taste at the end, once everything is combined.
What do I serve with chicken a la king?
The recipe calls for serving over toast or fluffy biscuits, both of which soak up the cream sauce beautifully. Egg noodles or cooked rice are also classic pairings if you prefer something heartier.
Ready to Give This a Try?
This chicken a la king recipe is the kind of dinner that earns a permanent spot in your rotation — one skillet, straightforward technique, and a sauce that genuinely tastes like you worked a lot harder than you did.
If you make it, leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out. A star rating helps others find the recipe too, and it means a lot.
Save this recipe to your dinner ideas board on Pinterest so you can come back to it on a busy weeknight. And if you love hearty, from-scratch comfort food, don’t miss this Traeger brisket flat — another crowd-pleasing recipe worth bookmarking.
Creamy chicken a la king made from scratch in one skillet — rich sauce, sweet peas, and pimentos over buttery biscuits or toast. Save this easy recipe for your next cozy dinner night.
