Chicken Ala King: A Keto-Friendly Comfort Food

Chicken à la King is a creamy, indulgent dish that has been enjoyed for generations. The classic recipe is not keto-friendly, but some simple swaps can make it low-carb. This versatile dish can be served with rice, pasta, or bread, but for a keto option, it's best to stick to zoodles, cauliflower rice, or steamed broccoli.

Chicken à la King recipe ingredients

Chicken à la King is a creamy, indulgent dish that's surprisingly easy to make. It's a great way to use up leftover chicken, and you can adapt the recipe to suit your tastes and what's in your fridge. Here's a list of ingredients to make a delicious Chicken à la King, with some optional extras thrown in for good measure.

Chicken à la King Ingredients:

• Chicken: Use cooked, leftover chicken or turkey, or start from scratch with fresh chicken breasts.
• Vegetables: Mushrooms, onion, garlic, and green bell peppers are the stars here. You can also add peas for a pop of colour and sweetness.
• Pimentos: These peppers give the dish its signature colour and a fruity, mild spice. You can use jarred or canned pimentos, or substitute finely diced red or green bell peppers.
• Seasoning: Salt and pepper are essential, but you can also add dried basil, parsley, thyme, onion powder, mustard powder, ground sage, and paprika for extra depth of flavour.
• Liquid: White wine is traditional, but you can also use chicken broth or stock.
• Dairy: Butter, cream or milk, and egg yolks create a rich, velvety sauce. For a truly indulgent dish, add some cream cheese!
• Thickening agent: Flour is commonly used to thicken the sauce, but for a keto-friendly option, you can use cream cheese or xanthan gum.

Optional Extras:

• Spices: A dash of hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce can add a subtle kick.
• Chicken bouillon: For extra chicken flavour.
• Herbs: Fresh herbs like parsley or thyme can be added at the end for a burst of flavour and colour.

Serving Suggestions:

Rice, pasta, toast, biscuits, or pastry: Choose something to soak up that delicious sauce!

Chicken à la King is a versatile and comforting dish that's perfect for a quick, tasty meal. It's a great way to use up leftover chicken and can be adapted to suit your taste preferences and dietary needs.

How to make Chicken à la King

Chicken à la King is a creamy, comforting dish that's easy to make and is perfect for using up leftover chicken. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make this delicious meal.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts or thighs
• Butter
• Mushrooms
• Onion
• Green bell pepper
• Garlic
• Chicken broth
• Cream or milk
• Cheese (optional)
• Peas
• Pimentos

Method:

Start by heating some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add your choice of vegetables—mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and garlic—and sauté until softened. This should take around 3-5 minutes.

Next, add your chicken, which should be cut into cubes or strips. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until the chicken is browned. If you're using cooked chicken, simply add it to the skillet and heat through.

Now, it's time to make the creamy sauce. Pour in your cream or milk, along with the chicken broth. If you're using cheese, add it now. Stir everything together and let it simmer until the sauce thickens.

Finally, add the peas and pimentos and cook until the peas are tender. Serve your Chicken à la King over rice, pasta, toast, biscuits, or even steamed broccoli for a low-carb option.

Keto-Friendly Tips:

To make Chicken à la King keto-friendly, there are a few simple swaps you can make. Instead of flour, use cream cheese to thicken the sauce. Avoid serving it with noodles, rice, or puff pastry. Instead, opt for low-carb alternatives like zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or keto bread.

Chicken à la King nutritional information

Chicken à la King is a meal that consists of chicken in a cream sauce with vegetables, usually served over rice, pasta, or bread. It is a popular dish for those on a keto diet as it is low-carb and gluten-free.

A keto-friendly version of the dish can be made by replacing flour with cream cheese to thicken the sauce, and serving it with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or keto bread instead of rice, pasta, or bread.

A single serving of Chicken à la King contains approximately 359 calories, 6.5g carbohydrates, 11g protein, 32.8g fat, 3.8g sugar, and 5.1g net carbs.

The nutritional value of Chicken à la King can vary depending on the ingredients used and the serving size. For example, the nutritional information for a single serving of Chicken à la King with rice (400g serving) is listed as follows: 330 calories, 6.8g fat, 44g carbohydrates, and 22.4g protein.

It's important to note that the nutritional information may change if ingredients are substituted or if a different serving size is used.

Chicken à la King recipe history

Chicken à la King is a meal consisting of chicken in a cream sauce with vegetables, usually served over rice, pasta, toast, or biscuits. It is a popular dish that was especially prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s, but its origins date back to the late 19th century, with various tales of its creation.

One story claims that the dish was created at the Brighton Beach Hotel in New York by Chef George Greenwald, who named it after the hotel owners, Clark King II and his wife. Another story suggests it was created in the 1880s by the New York City restaurant Delmonico's for one of their customers, Foxhall P. Keene. A third claim states that it originated at the London restaurant Claridge's and was named after James R. Keene to celebrate his Grand Prix win. Finally, an obituary in the New York Times in 1915 attributed the dish to William King, a cook at the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia in 1895.

Regardless of its exact origins, Chicken à la King became a very popular dish in the mid-20th century, appearing on menus everywhere from club dinners to weddings and featuring in numerous cookbooks of the time. It is a comforting and nostalgic dish that is easy to prepare, making it ideal for using leftover chicken or other meats. The basic recipe includes cubed chicken and mushrooms in a white sauce garnished with pimentos, often served over toast points, with the option of adding sherry or Madeira to the sauce. Later variations in the 1950s and 1960s introduced peas, carrots, and green peppers, and some recipes used canned soup and chicken to cater to the trend of convenience cooking.

Chicken à la King side dishes

Chicken à la King is a creamy, indulgent dish, so it is best paired with a simple side. Here are some ideas for side dishes that will complement, rather than overpower, the rich flavours of the main course:

Rice

Rice is a traditional side dish for Chicken à la King, and for good reason. The creamy sauce goes beautifully with plain rice, and the subtle floral aroma and sticky texture of jasmine rice is a particularly good pairing. Brown rice is also a great option, and you can bulk it out by adding some sautéed onions, peppers, and carrots.

Noodles

Like rice, noodles are a classic side for Chicken à la King. Buttered noodles are a simple, comforting option that will soak up the creamy sauce. Egg noodles are also a great choice, and you can even make zucchini noodles if you're looking for a low-carb option.

Bread

Bread is another good option for mopping up that delicious sauce. Fluffy biscuits are a perfect, comforting choice, and rosemary bread will add a fragrant touch with its aromatic flavour and crunchy texture. If you're looking for something a little lighter, a simple slice of toasted garlic bread will also go down a treat.

Salads

If you're looking for something a little lighter and fresher to balance out the richness of the Chicken à la King, a salad is a great choice. A Caprese salad, with its fresh burst of basil, sweet tomatoes, and rich mozzarella, will provide a refreshing contrast to the creamy dish. Or, for something a little more indulgent, an English pea salad with crunchy bits of bacon and cheddar cheese will add a delightful blend of sweet and savoury notes to your meal.

Vegetables

There are plenty of vegetable side dishes that will pair well with Chicken à la King. Green beans, sautéed with a touch of garlic, will add a fresh, crunchy texture. Or, for something a little heartier, roasted Brussels sprouts will add a robust, earthy element to your meal. Mashed potatoes are another classic side that will please just about everyone, and you can add a touch of garlic or cheese for some extra flavour.

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