Chicken à la King over biscuits brings a creamy chicken dinner together with a tender, flaky base. The sauce combines chicken, mushrooms, peas, and red bell pepper with pimientos and thyme, then gets spooned over biscuits fresh from the oven.
The recipe pairs two textures: a savory, gently thickened sauce and biscuits with soft centers and golden tops. Keeping the biscuit dough light and stirring the sauce as it simmers help each part turn out as intended.
Keep the biscuit dough tender
Cold butter is key to the biscuit texture. Cut it into the dry ingredients until the pieces are about pea-sized, then stir in the buttermilk only until a shaggy dough forms. Working the dough lightly helps keep the biscuits tender; overmixing can make them dense.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it evenly thick before cutting. Use extra flour for shaping as needed, but avoid pressing or handling the dough more than necessary. Bake until the tops are golden, and split the biscuits while they are still warm for serving.
Brown the chicken and soften the vegetables
Cooking the chicken in a single layer gives the pieces room to cook evenly. Stir occasionally, and use the recipe card’s doneness cue before transferring the chicken to a plate. Letting it rest there while you build the sauce keeps it out of the skillet during the vegetable cooking stage.
Add the mushrooms, onion, and red bell pepper to the same skillet. Stir occasionally as they soften and the mushrooms begin to brown. Those browned bits and the vegetables’ savory flavor become part of the sauce, so scrape the skillet as you stir in the butter and flour.
Build a smooth, creamy sauce
Once the butter melts, stir in the flour and keep it moving as it cooks. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk to help the flour blend smoothly into the liquid. Stir until the sauce reaches a gentle simmer, then let it thicken until creamy. Keeping the heat moderate and stirring helps prevent scorching or lumps.
Return the chicken to the skillet with the peas and drained pimientos. Salt, black pepper, and dried thyme round out the creamy sauce. Simmer until the peas are hot, then spoon the mixture over the split biscuits so the biscuit centers catch the sauce while the flaky edges remain distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep the biscuits flaky?
Start with cold butter and cut it into the flour mixture until the pieces are about pea-sized. Stir in the buttermilk only until the dough comes together, then handle it lightly while shaping. These steps help preserve a tender texture.
Why cook the chicken before making the sauce?
Cooking the chicken first gives it direct contact with the hot skillet, while cooking the vegetables afterward softens them in the same pan. The chicken returns to the sauce near the end, where it simmers with the peas and pimientos.
How can you help keep the sauce smooth?
Stir the flour into the melted butter until combined, then gradually whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk. Keep stirring as the sauce heats to a gentle simmer and thickens. This helps the flour incorporate evenly into the liquid.
Chicken à la King over Biscuits
Course: Main CourseCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes38
minutes870
kcal1
hour3
minutesTender chicken, mushrooms, peas, and red bell pepper simmer in a creamy sauce with pimientos. Serve the mixture over warm, flaky biscuits.
Ingredients
- Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk
- Chicken à la King
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp diced pimientos, drained
Directions
- Biscuits
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the pieces are about pea-sized, then stir in the buttermilk just until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat it 3/4 inch thick, and cut 8 biscuits. Bake on a baking sheet for 15 minutes, until golden.
- Chicken à la King
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces reach 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add the mushrooms, onion, and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the mushrooms begin to brown.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, and when it melts, stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the broth and milk, then stir for about 3 minutes, until the sauce reaches a gentle simmer. Simmer for 4 minutes, stirring, until creamy and slightly thickened.
- Stir in the chicken, peas, pimientos, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the peas are hot. Split the warm biscuits and spoon the chicken mixture over them.
Notes
- Keep the biscuit butter cold and handle the dough lightly for flaky biscuits.
