Friday, February 27, 2009

Chicken a la King

Okay, so this meal is quite cliche and everything, but I think it's yummy and so does my whole family. It traditionally has green pepper instead of the peas, but my family hates green pepper (I don't, but have succumbed to pressure and taken it out). It's a great freezer meal as it reheats beautifully. Honestly, I don't know where this recipe came from... maybe the internet years ago or a cookbook or maybe it's just been in our collective consciousnesses since the '50's and I never really had a recipe to begin with... Wow, that was quite existential for a recipe blog.:)

Chicken a la King

1, 4.5 oz can mushrooms, drained with juices reserved
1 green pepper, chopped (optional and we opt out)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules, or 2 cubed (crushed)
1, 12 oz can evaporated milk (or 1 1/2 cups milk for a thinner sauce)
1 can chicken broth
4 cups cooked and cubed chicken (or the good meat from a rotisserie chicken, cubed)
1, 4 oz jar pimentos, drained
1 cup frozen peas

Cook and stir drained mushrooms and green pepper (if desired) in butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and cook over low heat stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in bouillon, milk, chicken broth, and reserved mushroom juices. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, pimentos, and peas. Heat through. Serve over rice, noodles, baked crescent rolls, or in baked puff pastry shells.

Freezer Meal Directions:
Cook as it says above. Let cool and then put into freezer bags. I always make one recipe and freeze half of it for another night.

Heating:
Thaw. Dump into a pot and heat to boiling. Heat for another few minutes and add milk or chicken broth if sauce need to be thinned a bit.

2 comments:

free indeed said...

My recipe is very similar; it called for the green pepper and also some slivered almonds. I just add the rice to the rest and make a casserole of it. First time I served this, nearly 30 yrs ago, hubby said, "What is this slop?" Once he tasted it, it was the dinner he always wanted me to serve company! :) It is sooo tasty and great comfort food!

free indeed said...

I think my original recipe was called 'Chicken Club casserole' and I don't remember the source either :P