Magnificent News: Eat Voraciously: Chicken à la king

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Here's what's for dinner tonight.

By G. Daniela Galarza

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Chicken à la king

A couple of months ago I wrote about Calvin Trillin, and I got lots of emails from fellow fans of his writing. So, when I saw this recipe for Chicken à la King in the archives, I knew I had to mention Trillin again.

In 1985, Trillin wrote a memorable, humorous essay about the saucy chicken dish, rich with cream, studded with mushrooms and peas. It was popular for several decades in the latter part of the 20th century, and Trillin's essay was about the dish's ubiquity and subsequent fall from reigning trend among peddlers of continental cuisine. It was also about his mother's cooking, his college years and, as was a lot of his food writing, Kansas City. Here's an excerpt:

A few years ago, I realized that chicken à la king had disappeared. This country was once awash in chicken à la king. ...

Chicken à la king was a multi-regional, multi-class dish. On the north shore of Long Island, old-money society people used to eat chicken à la king at their parties. I know some of you are wondering how I would know what old-money society people ate at their parties. Well, it happened that I went to Yale at a time when old-money society people were thick on the ground. Most of them had three last names. My roommate was named Thatcher Baxter Hatcher. They never actually used those names, of course; they all had nicknames, like Mutt and Pudge and Chip.

Trillin went on to write about how his old-money friends would take him to coming-out parties at private clubs, and inevitably, after a series of hors d'oeuvres, the club would serve bowls of chicken à la king. It's implied that he got sick of the stuff. But you know what? I think it's time to revisit this once-beloved dish. It's especially great as a way to turn leftover chicken into a whole new meal.

The easiest way to serve it is in a bowl over a piece of toast. A more elegant variation? In a puff pastry cup, which you can buy in the freezer section of most large supermarkets.

Today's recipe

Photos by Rey Lopez for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post

Chicken à la King

Find substitution suggestions and other tips below the recipe.

Serve over rice, puff pastry shells or toast.

Storage: Refrigerate in a resealable container for up to 4 months; freeze for up to 1 month. Seal with as much air out of the container as possible.

For easy printing and scaling, view this recipe in our Recipe Finder.

Servings: 8
Active time: 35 mins
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
Hot water
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
2 whole chicken breasts, poached (see NOTES), cooled, then skinned, deboned and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 4 cups; may substitute 4 cups diced cooked chicken)
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon dry sherry or amontillado sherry
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps

1. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl, add enough hot water to cover and let soak for 20 minutes. Remove the reconstituted mushrooms from the water and squeeze them over the bowl.

2. Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth, then strain the mushroom soaking water, reserving 1/2 cup. Rinse the reconstituted mushrooms.

3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the salt and the reconstituted mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the flour and cook, stirring, until combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in the broth, the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until smooth and thick, 10 to 15 minutes; there should be no lingering raw flour taste.

5. Add the chicken and peas, stir to combine and just heat through.

6. Shortly before serving, in a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with the cream until combined. Transfer 1/2 cup of the sauce from the saucepan into the mixture and quickly whisk them together; when it is incorporated, add the egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook, being careful not to let the sauce get too hot or start to simmer (or the eggs might curdle), about 5 minutes.

7. Add the 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, sherry, tarragon and parsley. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

NOTES: To poach the chicken on the stovetop, cut the chicken in half crosswise, depending on how large the pieces are. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the chicken, cover with lightly salted water and a couple of bay leaves, if desired. Stir once or twice and slowly bring to barely a simmer — do not let the water come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and gently cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.

Adapted from "New Classic Family Dinners," by Mark Peel with Martha Rose Shulman (Wiley, 2009). Tested by Christopher Stanford.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 271; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Cholesterol: 139 mg; Sodium: 486 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 3 g; Protein: 26 g.

Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas: