Dairy-Free Chicken à la King Recipe (2024)

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Updated on March 11, 2022

Medically reviewed

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Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN

Medically reviewed byKristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN

Kristy is a licensed registered dietitian nutritionist and trained culinary professional. She has worked in a variety of settings, including MSKCC and Rouge Tomate.

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Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

190 calories

7g fat

14g carbs

17g protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	190
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g	9%
Saturated Fat 1g	5%
Cholesterol 44mg	15%
Sodium 471mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 4g
Includes 2g Added Sugars	4%
Protein 17g
Vitamin D 1mcg	5%
Calcium 85mg	7%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 354mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Ah, Chicken (or turkey) à la King—comfort food indeed. It's a dish made of chicken, cream, mushrooms, and sometimes sherry. Dairy-free and comfort food may not sound like they mix, but it is possible by simply substituting soy or almond milk for regular milk and cream. Combined with the flour and chicken broth, it makes the white sauce that is a signature part of this classic dish. Pimentos add a bit of unexpected flavor and a burst of color.

Chicken is an excellent source of highly digestible proteins, unsaturated fats, B vitamins including thiamin, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid, and the minerals iron, zinc, and copper.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup onion (chopped)
1 small green pepper (chopped)
1 small (2-oz.) can mushrooms (or 4 to 6 oz. fresh mushrooms, chopped)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups soy milk (unsweetened or almond milk)
1 1/4cups chicken stock (or water with chicken Better than Bouillon or regular bouillon)
Salt to taste ifusing chicken stock (but not bouillon)
2 cups chicken (cooked, diced or shredded; or turkey)
1 (4-oz. jar chopped pimentos

Preparation

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the green pepper and mushrooms, and cook another 5 minutes or so, until softening. Add black pepper and combine.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Add soy milk and chicken stock. Add salt if needed. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add cooked chicken or turkey and pimento. Heat through and serve.

Variations and Substitutions

While keeping this dish dairy-free, you can use coconut milk in place of soy or almond milk. It will not impart a coconut flavor to the dish but will make it nice and creamy.

Replace peppers and onions with carrots and peas if you prefer, or use any vegetables you enjoy.

This is an ideal dish to make when you haveleftover cooked chicken or turkey or a fresh rotisserie chicken in the fridge.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Try topping with fresh parsley.
To keep this meal healthy and add some nutrition, serve this dairy-free Chicken à la King over "cauli-rice" ortoastedflaxseedfocaccia bread. Chicken à la King is traditionally served over rice, pasta, or bread.
As an alternative to pasta, try quinoa pasta or chickpea pasta.
This dish is best eaten fresh as soy milk doesn't freeze well, but if you'd like to freeze it, place it in an air tight container and freeze for up to one month for best results. Defrost before reheating gently over the stovetop.

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1 Source

Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Marangoni F, Corsello G, Cricelli C, et al. Role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed at maintaining health and wellbeing: an Italian consensus document.Food Nutr Res. 2015;59:27606. Published 2015 Jun 9. doi:10.3402/fnr.v59.27606

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FAQs

What is chicken a la king made of? ›

Chicken à la King has an unclear origin, but some very clear requirements and this recipe meets them all, including: chicken (of course), creamy sauce, pimientos and cooked vegetables.

Know More ›

How long do I boil chicken? ›

Thin cutlets will cook in about 8 minutes; large chicken breasts will need up to 15 minutes. The chicken is done when it registers 165°F in the thickest part of the meat with an instant read thermometer. You can also cut into the chicken to see if it's cooked through.

Learn More Now ›

What is Ala King sauce made of? ›

Wheat flour, Sugars (corn syrup solids, sugar, maltodextrin), Modified milk ingredients, Salt, Corn starch, Sunflower oil, Hydrolyzed corn protein, Yeast extract, Onion powder, Cream cheese, Natural flavour, Chicken fat, Cooked chicken skin, Cooked chicken, Modified corn starch, Silicon dioxide, Sodium citrate, ...

Read The Full Story ›

Why is it called chicken à la king? ›

The origin of chicken à la king's name is a subject of debate. Some say it was created at New York's Brighton Beach Hotel in the 1890s and named after its proprietor E. Clark King II. Some claim it originated in England, while others say it's from Philadelphia.

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What happens if I boil chicken too long? ›

Don't let them overcook—they'll start to become rubbery. — Shred it up. After removing your chicken from the pot, let it rest for about 10 minutes. This will cool them down enough to shred, and will help keep some of the moisture in so that they don't dry out.

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How do you boil chicken without drying it out? ›

Brine the chicken: Before boiling the chicken, soak it in a brine solution for a few hours. The salt in the brine will help the chicken retain moisture, making it more tender and juicy. Cook at a gentle simmer: Boil the chicken at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, to avoid overcooking and drying out the meat.

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How do you boil chicken so it's tender? ›

Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook boneless chicken breasts for about 12-15 minutes or bone in chicken breasts for 25-30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the cooking liquid and rest at least 5 minutes before cutting or shredding.

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What does a la king mean in cooking? ›

à la king in American English

(ˌɑː lə ˈkɪŋ, ˌæ lə) adjective. (of cooked fowl, fish, etc.) diced and served in a cream sauce containing mushrooms, pimiento, or green pepper.

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Where is chicken a la king from? ›

1890s: Created by William “Bill” King of the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia. Following King's death in 1915 numerous newspapers credited him with the creation. 1898: Created by chef George Greenwald of the Brighton Beach Hotel in Brighton Beach, New York, in honor of proprietor E. Clarke King II and his wife.

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What is Swanson Chicken a la King? ›

Enjoy Swanson® Chicken á la King Made with White & Dark Chicken Meat in all its glory, with chunks of white meat and vegetables in every bite. The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet.

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Dairy-Free Chicken à la King Recipe (2024)

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

Ingredients

Preparation

Variations and Substitutions

Cooking and Serving Tips

Rate this Recipe

FAQs

What is chicken a la king made of? ›

References