Chef John's Chicken A La King

There is nothing better than a simple chicken gravy recipe.

Recipe Summary Chef John's Chicken A La King

Chicken à la King is one of my favorite classic comfort foods. This recipe is easy to adapt--you can make it thicker or thinner by changing the amount of roux and having a little extra stock on hand. Usually I make this with leftovers from a large roasted chicken. Serve over pasta, toast, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients | Simple Chicken And Mushroom Recipes

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ pound sliced mushrooms

2 large shallots, minced

1 cup diced sweet bell peppers

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup dry sherry

3 ½ cups chicken stock or broth

1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

⅓ cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

4 cups cubed roasted chicken

Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Directions

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and salt. Saute until mushrooms release their moisture. Continue cooking until moisture evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir just until shallots soften, 3 or 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in flour to coat the mushrooms; cook until flour begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes, to form roux. Add peppers; cook and stir about 1 minute. Pour in sherry wine; allow to sizzle about 30 seconds. Stir in stock. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. When it starts to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add nutmeg and cayenne pepper.

Stir in thyme, parsley, cream, and chicken. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Check seasonings and adjust as needed. Top each serving with some chopped fresh chives.

If you prefer your chicken a la king on the thicker side, increase the amount of flour in the roux from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup.

There is no substitute for the dry sherry in this, except maybe a little splash of mild, sweeter vinegar.

This recipe yields 4 small or 2 large servings.

Info | Simple Chicken And Mushroom Recipes

prep: 15 mins cook: 30 mins total: 45 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 4 servings

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Meat and Poultry Recipes, Chicken,