An absolute classic. I’ve been making this Chicken a la King for years — the recipe came from my mum. It’s a brilliant way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken. I love how the sauce soaks into the rice, making every bite creamy, savoury and comforting.
“A quick and easy recipe that uses simple ingredients. The outcome was wonderful. Clean up was hassle free. Will make this again.”
– Kurium
Sherry? with Milk?
Chicken a la King has been a family favourite since I was a child. When I finally got the recipe from my mum I was surprised to learn the secret was a small splash of dry sherry added to a milk-based sauce.
It might sound odd at first, but the sherry does three useful things:
- It lifts and deepens the sauce’s flavour without making it boozy.
- It balances creaminess with a touch of acidity and savoury complexity.
- It adds a subtle aroma that makes the dish feel more luxurious.
You only need a little — too much will dominate the sauce — so measure carefully and don’t skip it.
Table of Contents
- Sherry? with Milk?
- 📋 Ingredients
- Abbreviated Recipe
- Recipe Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Chicken ala King Recipe
- Can I make this ahead?
- 🍲 More recipes with rotisserie chicken
📋 Ingredients
***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***
- Chicken – 2 large cooked chicken breasts (or leftover roast or rotisserie chicken) to serve 4.
- Mushrooms – baby chestnut, cremini or portobello work well; brown mushrooms have more flavour than white button mushrooms.
- Chicken stock – homemade is great, but hot water with stock cubes is fine.
- Milk – full-fat gives the creamiest result; semi-skimmed will work too.
- Dry sherry – just 2 tablespoons for a noticeable lift without overpowering the sauce.
Can you make chicken a la king without sherry?
Sherry plays a key role in the flavour profile, so omitting it will change the taste. If you must avoid alcohol, use a splash of white wine vinegar diluted with water or a little extra stock for brightness, but the result won’t be identical.
Abbreviated Recipe
Fry the mushrooms and set them aside. Fry the onions, stir in flour, then gradually whisk in hot stock until smooth. Add milk and thyme, heat until the sauce thickens, then stir in sherry, seasoning, cooked chicken and the mushrooms. Simmer briefly until everything is hot. Serve over rice or pasta, and finish with parsley.
Recipe Tips
- Fry the mushrooms first and add them back at the end to keep their flavour concentrated and slightly caramelised.
- Use full-fat milk for the richest sauce; semi-skimmed is fine if you prefer a lighter finish.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Over fluffy boiled rice — my favourite way to serve it.
- With crispy roast potatoes or sautéed potatoes for a heartier meal.
- On top of pasta — penne or tagliatelle both work well.
📺 Watch how to make it
Chicken ala King
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 12 baby chestnut mushrooms, halved (or 5–6 regular mushrooms, sliced)
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
- 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 280 ml (1 cup + 3 tbsp) hot chicken stock
- 200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
- ½ tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)
- 2 tbsp dry sherry (measure carefully)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 large cooked chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 250g/9oz)
To Serve:
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Boiled rice or pasta
Instructions
- Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the mushrooms and cook 3–4 minutes until golden. Remove to a bowl.
- Heat the remaining 1½ tbsp oil, add the onion and fry 5–6 minutes until edges brown slightly, moving them around so they don’t burn.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add a splash of hot stock and whisk into the onion–flour to form a paste. Gradually add the rest of the stock in large splashes, whisking to keep the sauce smooth.
- When the stock is incorporated, add the milk and thyme. Heat and stir until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the sherry, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan, stir and cook for a couple of minutes until heated through.
- Serve over fluffy rice or pasta and finish with chopped parsley.
Notes
Ingredient swaps
You can swap shredded chicken breast for cooked thigh meat. For extra veg, add peas or chopped green peppers — fry them with the mushrooms and add them back to the sauce at the end.
Scaling
You can halve or double the recipe using the same ingredient ratios.
Nutritional information is approximate, per serving, not including rice.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 11 g |
Protein: 31 g |
Fat: 16 g
Nutrition information is approximate and should be used as a guide only.
This Chicken a la King recipe was first posted in January 2015 and has been updated with improvements, new photos and video.
Can I make this ahead?
I don’t recommend making this far ahead. The dish reheats the cooked chicken in the sauce, and reheating food more than once is not ideal. For best results, cook and serve on the same day.
🍲 More recipes with rotisserie chicken
Asian
Chicken Fried Rice
Dinner
Creamy Chicken and Potato Bake
Pasta
One Pot Garlic Chicken Pasta
Soups
Tuscan Style Chicken Soup
Dinner
Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Soups
Quick Chicken Laksa
Some links in this post may be affiliate links which help support the site at no extra cost to you. Nutrition information is approximate and can vary.