Description
Hearty Pioneer Woman Chicken Ala King elevates classic comfort cuisine with creamy sauce and tender chicken pieces. Comfort meets nostalgia in this simple, satisfying midwestern dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
- 8 oz (226 g) white mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (60 g) flour
- 2 cups (473 ml) chicken stock
- 1 cup (237 ml) half and half
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup petite frozen peas
- ½ cup (75 g) pimentos, drained and chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, melt butter, and sauté mushrooms and onions until they become tender and golden, releasing their aromatic essence.
- Season and Thicken: Sprinkle garlic powder, black pepper, and salt over the vegetables, then dust with flour to create a smooth roux, stirring continuously for two minutes without browning.
- Build the Sauce: Gradually pour half-and-half and chicken stock into the skillet, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and create a silky, uniform sauce. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Incorporate Proteins: Gently fold in pimentos, frozen peas, and shredded chicken, ensuring even distribution and heating throughout the creamy mixture.
- Finalize and Serve: Allow the Chicken à la King to warm thoroughly for an additional 3 minutes, then ladle over steaming pasta, fluffy rice, or freshly split, buttered biscuits for a comforting culinary experience.
Notes
- Prevent Roux Burning: Stir flour mixture constantly and keep heat moderate to avoid scorching, which can create bitter flavors and ruin sauce texture.
- Smooth Sauce Secret: Whisk half-and-half and stock gradually and consistently to eliminate potential lumpy sauce and ensure silky, uniform consistency.
- Strategic Vegetable Sautéing: Allow mushrooms and onions to caramelize properly by not overcrowding skillet, enabling deeper flavor development and perfect golden-brown edges.
- Temperature Control Matters: Maintain medium heat during sauce simmering to prevent separation and achieve ideal creamy thickness without burning delicate ingredients.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 760 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg