Chicken a la king is a retro American staple that's been around since the 1800's, and when I was thinking of putting a 'modern Southern spin on it', well...I accidentally ended up turning it into a French favorite from the 1700's. Wild.
This is why I do so much research for my recipes, y'all. I was literally thinking 'omg, it's like cute little chicken pot pies in pastry shells!' Imagine if I said I invented this. Embarrassing!
Now y'all gotta understand: Southern food has a LOT of French influence and I'm not just talking Creole and Cajun. From French immigrants to the ancestors who were sent to France to learn the new cuisine techniques so that the Americans could try to keep up with the European fashions (that's how we got sweet potato pie!), French techniques helped shape Southern food into what we know it to be.
Which is how I ended up trying to update my cozy old-school chicken á la king recipe, attempting to make it a fun, fancy-retro, cozy dinner-party-style meal....and turning it into a version of Bouchée a la Reine!
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Cozy Chicken a la King
Chicken a la king is like the north's version of a bowl of chicken and dumplings; a stew of chicken and veggies, right?
Instead of ladling the creamy chicken and veggie filling over toast, biscuits, or noodles, I’m slipping it into puff pastry shells. Store-bought, because we’re keeping it simple.
It feels a lot like Bouchée à la Reine, the French vol-au-vent filled with chicken and vegetables in cream sauce. It's one pot American comfort meets French bistro chic.
I keep the Brighton Beach Hotel core of chicken, mushrooms, and pimientos in the cream sauce, but I sauté the chicken (thighs for juicy tenderness) instead of poaching.
There’s brandy in the sauce where you’d usually see sherry, which I think makes it a smidge more French, and I treat it like a “clean out the fridge” dish with frozen peas and fresh green beans I had left from smothered green beans and potatoes. Bell peppers, leeks, carrots, almost anything works here.
And as for the vol-au-vents...you're going to be absolutely shocked at how dang easy they are.
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken Thighs - use boneless and skinless ones for the easiest prep.
- Mushrooms and Veggies - the mushrooms are classic and I threw in frozen peas and fresh green beans I had on hand.
- Brandy - use one you'll drink!
- Diced Pimentos - these are tiny little sweet peppers you'll find jarred at the store.
- Onions and Garlic
- Fresh Herbs - I used fresh chives as a flavorful garnish, but you can grab parsley, thyme, or even basil.
- Flour and Fat - this makes the roux for our sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce - brings umami. You'll notice if it's missing, the sauce will not have that depth.
- Chicken Broth and Half and Half - use low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt and Pepper
- Pastry Sheets - get these from the grocery store; you'll need about 4 sheets, so two packs.
- Egg + Half and Half - for the egg wash
Ingredient Swaps
- No chicken thighs? Chicken breasts also work, but be careful! They can end up dry when overcooked.
- No fresh herbs? No worries; they add a great garnish but we can make do without them.
- No worcestershire sauce? Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for tang and umami.
- No half and half? Whole milk or cream work beautifully. You could also go with dairy free milks!
- Veggie suggestions? Don't use anything too strong tasting like broccoli or cabbage. Spinach is great, classic French stew veggies are perfect.
How to Make Chicken a la King in Vol-au-Vents
Make the Vol au Vents
Step 1
Cut out circles.
Cut puff pastry into 3–4 inch circles. Use a smaller cutter to remove centers from half to make rings.
Step 2
Layer + egg wash.
Place whole circles on the baking sheet. Brush edges with egg wash and top with a ring (for taller ones, egg wash the ring and add another). Brush the tops with more egg wash.
Step 3
Chill in fridge.
Great height comes from cold butter so let chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.
Step 4
Bake until tall + crispy.
Bake 15–20 minutes until puffed high, golden, and crispy. Gently press down the centers to make space for filling.
Make the Chicken a la King
Step 1
Sear the chicken.
Season thighs, sear in butter + oil until golden and just cooked. Remove.
Step 2
Sauté the veggies.
Cook mushrooms + onion with salt until browned. Stir in garlic.
Step 3
Deglaze with brandy.
Pour in brandy, scrape pan, simmer 1–2 min.
Step 4
Make the sauce.
Stir in flour to thicken everything, whisk in stock then cream. Add nutmeg, salt, pepper.
Step 5
Add the chicken and green beans.
If you're using fresh or frozen green beans, add them in 15 minutes before the pimentos and peas so they can get tender. Simmer until the sauce is thickened and the beans are tender.
Step 6
Warm up the peas.
Add in the peas, and pimientos. Simmer until they're heated through.
Step 7
Fill shells + serve.
Spoon chicken mixture into shells, top with parsley or chives.
Equipment I Used
Chef's Tips for the Coziest Comfort Food
- Don’t rush the mushrooms. Let them release their liquid and really brown, that’s where a ton of flavor for the sauce comes from.
- Gentle simmer = silky sauce. Once the cream is in, keep the heat at a simmer. Boiling can make the sauce split or feel grainy.
- Make it ahead. The filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Reheat gently on low, adding a splash of stock or cream if it thickens. Fill the pastry shells just before serving so they stay crisp.
- Serve any way you want. Vol au Vents are small; they're completely optional, it's really all about the chicken a la king. Serve over toast, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or pasta!
Troubleshooting/FAQs
This one is fun, so full of drama! So the wife of King Louis XV wanted him to stop cheating on her and spied on his mistress, the famous Madame de Pompadour, to see ways to gain back his favor.
She saw that the mistress would get these sweet pastries from a local chef called 'The Wells of Love', so Queen Marie ordered the Palace chefs to make their own version. Savory of course, we aren't copying the mistress here, and full of aphrodisiacs. Lambs' testicles, pureed poultry, truffles, sweetbreads, bone marrow, bound in a sauce in a puff pastry shell.
It didn't stop Louis XV's adulterous ways, but the Bouchée a la Reine became a huge hit as a beloved appetizer and party dish in France.
Season in layers with salt and pepper, and add a splash of Worcestershire, Dijon, or an extra hit of brandy for depth. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end also brightens it up.
Always sauté them until they release their liquid and start to brown before adding flour or liquid.
That happens if cream boils too hard. Take it off the heat and whisk in a little more cream to smooth it out.
Gently in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, with a splash of stock or cream if it thickens.
More Old-School Comfort Food Made Fresh
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Chicken à la King Recipe in Vol-au-Vents
Ingredients
Vol-au-Vent Shells
- 2 puff pastry sheets, store bought and slightly thawed
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon half and half, or milk/water
Chicken a la King
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup brandy, or dry sherry
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock, warmed
- 1 cup heavy cream, or half-and-half for lighter
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, a small pinch goes a long way
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, blanched 2 minutes
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup pimientos, diced
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley or chives, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the half and half to make an egg wash.1 egg, 1 tablespoon half and half
- On a lightly floured surface, cut the thawed puff pastry into 3–4 inch circles with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Use a smaller cutter to cut the centers out of half the circles to create pastry rings.2 puff pastry sheets
- Place the whole circles on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash (avoid the sides), then stack a pastry ring on top of each circle to form a shell. Brush the tops with more egg wash.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and gently press down the centers with the back of a spoon to make room for the filling.
- While the pastry bakes, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the mushrooms and onion to the skillet with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and browned, about 6–7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.8 oz cremini mushrooms, 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Pour in the brandy, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 1–2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.½ cup brandy
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the chicken stock until smooth. Stir in the cream, season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 4–5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.3 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 cup heavy cream, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the green beans and simmer for 15 minutes, until the beans are tender and the filling is heated through. Add pimentos and peas at the last 5 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.1 cup green beans, 1 cup frozen peas, ½ cup pimientos, Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Spoon the hot filling into the baked puff pastry shells. Garnish with parsley or chives and serve immediately so the pastry stays crisp.2 tablespoon fresh parsley or chives
Recipe Notes
Ingredient Swaps
- No chicken thighs? Chicken breasts also work, but be careful! They can end up dry when overcooked.
- No raw chicken? Swap in 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken, leftovers/rotisserie chicken is your friend here!
- No fresh herbs? No worries; they add a great garnish but we can make do without them.
- No worcestershire sauce? Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for tang and umami.
- No half and half? Whole milk or cream work beautifully. You could also go with dairy free milks!
- Veggie suggestions? Don't use anything too strong tasting like broccoli or cabbage. Spinach is great, classic French stew veggies are perfect.
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