Chef John's Chicken a la King
Description
This classic comfort food recipe is easy to adapt to your taste. Use leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken, and serve the creamy sauce over pasta, toast, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
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2 large shallots, minced
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1 cup diced sweet bell peppers
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
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1/3 cup all-purpose flour
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1/4 cup dry sherry
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3 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
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1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
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1 pinch cayenne pepper
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2 teaspoons fresh thyme
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
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1/3 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
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4 cups cubed roasted chicken
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Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Directions
1
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.
2
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.
3
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.