Chicken a la King

September 20, 2009 at 4:31 pm (Cereals, Grains, Legumes, Comfort food, Dairy, Fats, Oils, Fruits, Vegetables, Plants, Meat, Poultry, Game, Real Food) (Chicken à la King, chicken stock, cream, mushrooms, pearl onions, peas, retro, roux, sherry, thyme)

Tender pieces of pastured chicken simmered in bone broth with fresh cream, sherry, nutmeg, peas and mushrooms. Invented in the late 1800′s, this retro dish is every bit as good now as it was then..

Chicken à la King

To make roux, melt 4 oz. pastured butter over medium-low heat until it just begins to sizzle. Add 5 oz. by weight sprouted wheat or spelt flour and whisk to combine. Stirring continuously, continue to cook until it smells like baked bread, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

To make topping, toast a piece of sprouted wheat or spelt bread in the toaster, then tear it up into small pieces and sauté in butter and parsley until golden brown.

Gently simmer chunks of pastured chicken (I’m using thighs, skin removed) in chicken stock with a little sherry and fresh thyme until just done.

Lightly sauté halved pearl onions, wild mushrooms and a bit of red bell pepper, then stir into the chicken.

Add fresh cream, green peas and freshly-grated nutmeg and simmer 5 minutes.

Whisk roux into the chicken and simmer, stirring continuously until thickened, 3-5 minutes.

Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

To serve, simply spoon chicken mixture into a deep dish and top with toasted bread crumbs.

: Chicken à la King

8 Comments

Dink said,

September 20, 2009 at 4:44 pm

If I ate it once, I ate it a hundred times at the cotillion dances. I feel quite confident that it was really a totally different dish. I will try it again.

Reply
- Ren said,
  
  September 20, 2009 at 5:02 pm
  
  I’ve made this a little lighter and fresher than what you débutantes had at Delmonico’s back in 1907 :-)
  
  Reply
maybelles mom said,

September 20, 2009 at 5:47 pm

Oh, it looks lovely. Lovely.

Reply
Dink said,

September 20, 2009 at 6:49 pm

I beg your pardon It was the country club and it was 1952 and3 (or there abouts)

Reply
- Ren said,
  
  September 20, 2009 at 7:17 pm
  
  Oh, I know. I was just kidding you :-)
  
  Reply
Ann said,

September 20, 2009 at 7:50 pm

That looks so much yummier than any I’ve ever made.

Reply
Leopoldo Mccann said,

May 26, 2010 at 4:53 pm

If only I had a penny for each time I came to ediblearia.com… Amazing read!

Reply
Dale Mcgee said,

May 30, 2010 at 7:14 am

Haha I’m actually the only comment to this amazing post?

Reply