Easy Dairy Free Chicken A La King (Whole30)

 Dairy-free Chicken a la King is rich and creamy and completely made from scratch. This easy skillet chicken dinner is a great recipe for using up leftover rotisserie chicken! Served over rice, pasta or biscuits!

Hello sweater weather, hello creamy and hearty soul-warming CHICKEN A LA KING! Friends, this is the dish you’ll find yourself craving every time you’re looking for an easy cozy chicken dinner.

It’s packed with flavor and the creaminess of the sauce paired with tender chicken and the pleasant heat from the pimiento peppers will leave you speechless.

What is chicken a la king?

Chicken (or turkey) a la king  - along with my chicken pot pie soup - is my favorite way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken and it's THE BEST fall and winter comfort food.

Traditionally, it is a dish made of chicken, cream, pimientos, mushrooms, and sometimes sherry. My dairy-free version uses Dairy-free Cashew Cream instead! Dairy-free and comfort food may not sound like they mix, but it is possible thanks to magic cashew cream. The creamy white sauce is the signature part of this classic American dish.

Chicken a la king is traditionally served over rice, pasta or biscuits but you can serve it over cauliflower rice for a low carb/Whole30 version.

Would this be as amazing served over pasta? Or as a filling for a baked potato? I bet it is, but today I went with steamed rice because then I can just gobble it all up with a spoon on the sofa. I mean we got to put the comfort in comfort food, right?

How to make dairy-free chicken a la king

Step 1 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with garlic powder and salt + pepper to taste.

Step 2 - Lower the heat to low and stir in cashew cream and chicken stock. Cook until thickened a bit, just a minute or two tops (it will continue thickening as you add the other ingredients and as it cools down).

Step 3 - Stir in peas, pimentos, and cooked chicken.

Step 4 -Serve immediately over rice, cauliflower rice, pasta or biscuits.

How to make this dish without rotisserie chicken leftovers?

The quickest and easiest option to make this recipe for chicken a la king is to use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken or (Thanksgiving) turkey.

But if you don't have leftovers (booo) you can quickly prep some chicken from scratch:

• My favorite skillet method: rub 3 chicken breasts with some sweet paprika, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and cook until it’s charred on the outside and fully cooked on the outside (about 7-9 minutes per side depending on the size of the breasts).
• Baked chicken: place 3 chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of oil, season with salt and pepper and bake at 350F/180C for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken)
• Boiled chicken: place 3 chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with chicken stock or water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until no longer pink outside.

Can I make chicken a la king ahead of time?

Yes, in theory! But bear in mind that cashew cream-based sauces thicken quickly so it’s best to serve them straight away. However, if you prep the chicken and cashew cream ahead, it comes together in a matter of minutes.

To reheat leftovers, add a bit of nut milk or chicken stock.

Tips:

• Got little ones that don't like peas? Skip them or add sweet corn.

• About pimiento peppers: In grocery stores, they are typically found jarred, stocked with the olives and pickles. However, if your grocery store has a deli or olive bar, it's possible they're available there! In larger supermarkets, you can purchase fresh cherry peppers/ pimiento peppers.

• Feel free to add some cubed carrots to this dish for even more color.

• Fresh Thyme naturally complements the taste of chicken meat and is always a great addition, if you have some.

5 from 5 votes

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Easy Dairy-Free Chicken A La King

 Dairy-free Chicken a la King is rich and creamy and completely made from scratch. This easy skillet chicken dinner is a great recipe for using up leftover rotisserie chicken! Served over rice, pasta or biscuits!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken a la king, creamy dairyfree chicken, dairyfree chicken king

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 474 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz white mushrooms sliced - 250 grams - 3 heaped cup
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup cashew cream one batch of my quick and easy recipe
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup small frozen peas
• ½ cup pimentos drained and chopped
• 3 cups cooked chicken shredded or cubed – see all the options below - leftovers Thanksgiving turkey would be perfect here too!
• chopped parsley, to garnish - optional

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with garlic powder and salt + pepper to taste.

2. Lower the heat to low and stir in cashew cream and chicken stock. Cook until thickened a bit, just a minute or two tops (it will continue thickening as you add the other ingredients and as it cools down). Stir in peas, pimentos and cooked chicken.

3. Serve immediately over rice, cauliflower rice, pasta or biscuits.

Recipe Notes

Make Ahead/Leftovers:

Cashew cream-based sauces thicken quickly so it’s best to serve them straight away. However, if you prep the chicken and cashew cream ahead, it comes together in a matter of minutes.
To reheat leftovers, add a bit of nut milk or chicken stock.

Pre-cooked chicken options:

The quickest and easiest option to make this recipe for chicken a la king is to use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken or (Thanksgiving) turkey.

But if you don't have leftovers (booo) you can quickly prep some chicken from scratch:

• My favorite skillet method: rub 3 chicken breasts with some sweet paprika, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and cook until it’s charred on the outside and fully cooked on the outside (about 7-9 minutes per side depending on the size of the breasts).
• Baked chicken: place 3 chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of oil, season with salt and pepper and bake at 350F/180C for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken)
• Boiled chicken: place 3 chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with chicken stock or water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until no longer pink outside.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Dairy-Free Chicken A La King

Amount Per Serving (1 /4)

Calories 474 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g51%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 160mg53%

Sodium 616mg27%

Potassium 679mg19%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 1832IU37%

Vitamin C 43mg52%

Calcium 70mg7%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you tried this Dairy-free Chicken a la King recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

More healthy comfort food recipes from the blog:

• Vegan Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup
• Creamy Mushroom and Rice Soup
• Healthy Turkey Taco Soup
• Beef and Sweet Potato Chili