Chicken a la King Recipe

How To Cook Chicken a la King Recipe

Chicken a la King Recipe - Chicken a la King Franglais "King-style Chicken" is a dish consisting of diced chicken in a cream sauce, and often with sherry, mushrooms, and vegetables, served over rice, pasta, or bread.Chicken a la King is a creamy chicken recipe made from diced chicken breasts, cream sauce, and vegetables. This is served along with (or on top of) bread or pasta. The rich cream sauce is usually made from milk, flour and butter. This recipe is richer than most because of the use of heavy whipping cream.
I know that some of you are intimidated to try this dish. You might be thinking that the cooking process is complex and the ingredients are hard to find. That is what I thought too when I first tried this dish several years back. Well, I was wrong. It appears that this dish is not that complex. All we need is a clear and straight forward Chicken a la King Recipe, which is what we have here.

I love eating chicken a la King on top of puff pastry. The flaky texture of the pastry blends well with this dish. I also use this chicken a la king recipe to make the same dish eaten on top of spaghetti noodles or fetuccine. Enjoy this dish in any way that pleases you. Happy cooking! Try this Chicken a la King Recipe and let me know what you think.

Chicken a la King Recipe 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
• ¼ cup flour
• 1½ cups milk
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ to 1 teaspoon salt – depending on how salty the chicken stock is dash of allspice
• 1 cup peas, frozen
• 6 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Wide egg noodles, rice, biscuits or toast points for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 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. Saute for about 8 – 10 minutes or until the vegetables are just beginning to brown.
2. 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.
3. Serve over noodles, rice, biscuits or toast.

Additional Information About Chicken a la King

History

Several competing accounts about its origin have circulated. One claims it was created by Delmonico's chef Charles Ranhofer as Chicken à la Keene in the 1880s, named after Foxhall Parker Keene. Another version claims it was created in 1881 at Claridge's Hotel in London and named for James R. Keene, father of Foxhall. Another account claims chef George Greenwald of the Brighton Beach Hotel in Brighton Beach created it in 1898, naming it after patron E. Clarke King II and his wife.

The most likely account is that Chicken à la King was created in the 1890s by hotel cook William "Bill" King of the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia. Several obituaries in early March 1915 credited King after he died on March 4, 1915. A New York Tribune editorial at the time of King's death stated:
The name of William King is not listed among the great ones of the earth. No monuments will ever be erected to his memory, for he was only a cook. Yet what a cook! In him blazed the fire of genius which, at the white heat of inspiration, drove him one day, in the old Bellevue, in Philadelphia, to combine bits of chicken, mushrooms, truffles, red and green peppers and cream in that delight-some mixture which ever after has been known as "Chicken a la King."

The recipe was mentioned in the New York Times in 1893 and early published recipes appeared in 1900 and 1905. Fannie Merritt Farmer included a recipe in her 1911 publication on catering.The Fannie Farmer Cookbook includes a recipe for Chicken à la King in the 1906 update. It became a popular dish during the middle to late 20th century. Source: Chicken a la King

Image Source: Chicken a la King

Learn How To Cook Chicken a la King Recipe