American Chicken Stew

American Chicken Stew © kvalifood.com

American Chicken Stew — or Chicken à la King — is a creamy stew of cooked chicken with mushrooms, bell pepper and peas in a cream sauce. The dish is perfect for using up leftover cooked or roast chicken and can be put together in under half an hour. Serve on toasted bread or in tartlet shells.

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 300-400 g cooked chicken, deboned, cut into large chunks
  • 1 bell pepper, preferably red, finely diced
  • 125 g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 dl onion, finely chopped
  • 20 g butter
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1½-2 dl stock
  • 1-1½ dl double cream
  • 1 dl frozen peas
  • salt
  • white pepper
  • 2-4 tbsp sherry, optional

To serve

  • toasted bread (or tartlet shells)

Directions

Prepare the vegetables

Dice the bell pepper finely and set a little aside for garnish. Slice the mushrooms.

Make the stew

Sweat the bell pepper and onion in the butter in a saucepan without letting them colour. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well. Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly. Add the mushrooms and cream. Let it simmer over low heat for 8 minutes.

Add the chicken and peas

Add the chicken and frozen peas to the stew and heat everything through. Season with salt, white pepper and sherry if using.

Serving

Spoon the stew onto toasted bread slices or into tartlet shells. Scatter over the reserved diced bell pepper.

Notes

  • The dish works equally well with leftover roast chicken, turkey or boiled hen.
  • White pepper is used traditionally to avoid black specks in the pale sauce.
  • Sherry adds a nice depth but can be left out when serving to children.
  • A mild paprika stirred into the sauce is a good addition for a little colour and flavour.
  • The dish can be served in tartlet shells as an elegant starter or lunch dish.
  • Suitable for freezing for up to 3 months.