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Recipe

1950s Chicken à la King

Creamed chicken with peppers and mushrooms on toast or pastry: a weeknight and ladies'-lunch favorite of the 1950s.

Whole roasted chicken in a cast-iron skillet with parsley
Photo by Hayley Ryczek on Unsplash

Context

Leftover roast chicken found a cream sauce and a piece of toast.

à la king cookery (chicken or turkey in a rich white sauce with peppers) was already older, but 1950s homes made it a standard hot lunch. Serve over toast, rice, or canned biscuits.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ½ green pepper, diced
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups milk or half-and-half
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
  • 2 tbsp chopped pimiento or red pepper
  • to taste salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika
  • 4 slices toast, for serving

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a skillet. Soften green pepper and mushrooms 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk until thickened.
  3. Add chicken and pimiento; heat through. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  4. Spoon over toast and serve at once.