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Home » Recipes » Chicken

Chicken a la King

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 11, 2025 | Published: Apr 25, 2022
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Chicken a la king is a creamy, rich and flavorful chicken dish with mushrooms, green peas and pimientos that’s ready in just 20 minutes! Great for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love!

Chicken a la King served in a low white bowl with cheddar biscuits to the side.


 

We are back from a weekend of camping and it was glorious!

The weather was so lovely - cool at night, highs in the low 70s during the day - and I just loved being outside with my kiddos for every minute of it. We did our favorite hike, had lots of campfires, relaxed and read some books, and just had a fun time together!

Alrighty though, let’s move along to the food.

Today, I’m so happy to be sharing this scrumptious Chicken a la King recipe.

This creamy, rich chicken dish is just killer with the mushrooms, peas and pimientos mixed in. So flavorful and delicious! You’ll be scraping up every last bit from your plate.

Even my kids love this creamy chicken! (OK, maybe they pick around some of the mushrooms and peas, but I’ll take it.)

Bonus: This recipe is ready in just 20 minutes, start to finish.

You can’t beat that! So let’s dive in a little more.

Close up of chicken a la King in a large dark skillet.

First things first, let’s tackle the basics.

What is Chicken a la King?

Chicken a la king is a creamy dish with diced chicken in a cream sauce, often with mushrooms and other vegetables.
The recipe, as it’s currently known, has been around for more than 100 years, but the origins of it are unclear. It’s not named for an actual king, and there are various theories as to the source and inspiration for the recipe.

To note, a lot of recipes use sherry in this dish.

However, I never have that on hand, so we’re skipping it today.

Cooked chicken a la King in a large dark skillet.

I kinda think this dish is reminiscent of a chicken and gravy. (Check out my quick chicken and gravy if you’re craving that type of recipe.)

For this one here, though, I think you’ll love the flavor and pops of color from the green peas, mushrooms and pimientos in this dish.

Such a good combination! And so pretty, too!

OK, let’s get cooking so you can dig in.

Sautéed onion and mushrooms in a large dark skillet.
Sautéed onion and mushrooms coated in flour in a large dark skillet.
Sautéed onion and mushrooms cooking in a cream sauce in a large dark skillet.
A large dark skillet with a creamy chicken mixture with green peas and pimientos mixed in.

Now, I’ve got those notes and tips coming up below on how to make chicken a la king. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked, so please plan accordingly. You can use a rotisserie chicken from the store (or homemade rotisserie chicken) or even use some extra Instant Pot or crock pot shredded chicken.
  • Mushrooms: Regular button mushrooms work great here. Go for the pre sliced ones if you want to speed things up even more. You could also try this with baby bella mushrooms if you prefer.
  • Half and half: I always use half and half, but you could substitute whole milk if you’d like.
  • Peas: Frozen green peas, that have been at least slightly thawed, work great here. You could also use canned peas if that’s what you prefer.
  • Pimientos: A 2 oz. jar is the smallest I can find for canned pimientos at the store, and you can use all of that size or part of a larger jar. Just be sure to drain them well.
Close up of a creamy chicken mixture in a large dark skillet with mushrooms, green peas and pimientos.

Really though, this is a super easy, all-in-one recipe to make.

Just saute the onion and mushrooms in butter. Sprinkle in the flour. Add the broth and half and half and bring to a boil then simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in the chicken, peas and pimientos until heated through and you are set.

Gotta love easy one-skillet meals on busy weeknights!

(And if you love these flavors like we do, try this ground chicken and mushroom skillet with peas and pimientos.)

OK, let’s get ready to eat.

A wooden spoon resting in a large dark skillet filled with a creamy mushroom and chicken mixture.

Serving Ideas:

  • Serve chicken a la king over steamed brown or white rice.
  • Or spoon it over some creamy mashed potatoes.
  • It would also work well over pasta, like egg noodles.
  • You can also just serve it up with some biscuits, homemade or store-bought.

Lots of options. Gotta love that.

Finally, let’s talk about what to do with any leftovers.

A fork resting in a low white bowl filled with chicken a la King with cheddar biscuits to the side.

How to store leftovers:

  • The leftovers, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Reheat the leftovers in a skillet or in the microwave until warmed through and hot.
  • I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers just because the creamy sauce might not stand up well to freezing and thawing.

If you’ve never had this dish before, I really hope you give it a try soon. And if it’s an old favorite, I hope this recipe helps you remember why you love it so much.

Happy cooking and enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

A creamy chicken dish with mushrooms, peas and pimientos served in a white bowl with two cheddar biscuits to the side.
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4 from 5 votes

Chicken a la King

Chicken a la king is a creamy, rich and flavorful chicken dish with mushrooms, green peas and pimientos that’s ready in just 20 minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup half-and-half (or whole milk)
  • 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
  • 1 cup peas (thawed if frozen)
  • ¼ cup pimientos

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Whisk in the flour and salt and stir for one minute.
  • Add the chicken broth and half-and-half. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.
  • Add the chicken, peas and pimientos. Stir until incorporated and everything is warmed through, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked, so please plan accordingly. You can use a rotisserie chicken from the store or leftover cooked, shredded chicken.
Mushrooms: Regular button mushrooms work great here. Go for the pre sliced ones if you want to speed things up even more. You could also try this with baby Bella mushrooms if you prefer.
Half and half: I always use half and half, but you could substitute whole milk if you’d like.
Peas: Frozen green peas, that have been at least slightly thawed, work great here. You could also use canned peas if that’s what you prefer.
Pimientos: A 2 oz. jar is the smallest you can find for canned pimientos at the store, and you can use all of that size or part of a larger jar. Just be sure to drain them well.
Serving ideas: Serve chicken a la king over steamed brown or white rice, mashed potatoes, pasta (such as egg noodles), or with biscuits or bread.
Leftovers: The leftovers, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the leftovers in a skillet or in the microwave.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 242mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol Knott

    April 27, 2022 at 8:11 pm

    Good to the last drop! Thank you for this simple delicious recipe. One I will make again and again.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      April 29, 2022 at 7:52 am

      I'm so glad you loved it Carol! (I just made it again this past week myself!) Thanks so much for sharing 😊

      Reply
  2. Kim

    May 22, 2022 at 11:08 am

    I made this, using Rotisserie chicken and used oatmilk instead of milk. OMG delish!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      May 24, 2022 at 8:04 am

      Yay, I'm so happy to hear you loved it Kim! Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
  3. Kate O Donoghue

    February 03, 2025 at 4:03 am

    Hello. Can you freeze leftovers?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      February 03, 2025 at 10:29 am

      Hi there! As I mentioned in the post, I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers just because the creamy sauce might not stand up very well to freezing and thawing.

      Reply
4 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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