Who remembers those Banquet boiling bags of the 80’s?  The Chicken Ala King was my favorite.  The year I got married — 1988 — my office bosses bought me a large Sharp Carousel microwave (which, at that time, microwaves cost a pretty penny and mine was close to $500.00!)  That particular model came with a full page colored cookbook.  I’ll be married 30 years in May 2018 and I still have that cookbook.  In it was a recipe for Chicken Ala King.  My how my eyes lit up when I saw this!  I soon made the recipe not only once, but again and again and again!  I did add seasonings and more than doubled the original recipe. It’s a wonderful comfort meal and takes me back to childhood days.  Although I no longer do it in the microwave, it is a great stove top recipe.  Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cubed cooked chicken (I boil 2 boneless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder & dried parsley)

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp pepper

1 cup chicken flavored broth

1 pint half and half (picture shows 2 but 2 makes a huge recipe so I edited this and cut recipe in half)

1 can mushrooms

3 tbsp sliced or chopped pimento

1 bag Steamfresh frozen peas, cooked according to package instructions

2 packs Pillsbury Crescent rolls

DIRECTIONS:

Place butter in a Dutch oven.  Once butter melts, whisk in flour, salt and pepper.  Gradually stir in half and half, a little at a time, whisking until it bubbles.  Add more half and half and whisk as above.  When all half and half is added in and it starts to thicken,  add the chicken broth a little at a time, whisking well after each addition until all is incorporated into the cream. Should be thick & creamy.  If not, add a tbsp cornstarch to a tbsp water and dissolve.  Pour into the cream mixture.  I have never had to do this.

Stir in cooked chicken, pimento, mushrooms and peas.   Warm on stove on low setting 5-7 minutes.

Serve over freshly baked Pepperidge Farm crescent rolls or biscuits, which have been doubled. Bake according to packing instructions. I take two pieces and put them side by side, pressing down middle to stick together and roll wide side down to skinny tips. Spray bake pan with PAM.   See pictures below.