Chicken ala King
Chicken ala King is a classic comfort dish.
Growing up, chicken ala king was usually served at rosaries, after the prayers were completed, of course. It was chicken ala king, beef vegetable soup with glass noodles or long rice, rosketti, and custard pie that I remember being served most often after rosaries.
Now you don’t have to wait for those somber occasions to enjoy this comfort meal. My recipe and step-by-step photos show how easy it is to prepare yourself.
My daughter calls it chicken pot pie without the crust. I wouldn’t say it’s quite like chicken pot pie, however. I think it’s BETTER than chicken pot pie. Who agrees with me? Give my recipe a try and I think you’ll agree too. 🙂
CHICKEN ALA KING
MAKE THE FILLING:
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 to 4 tablespoons powdered chicken bouillon, more or less to taste
- 2 cups flour
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 16-ounce bags frozen corn
- 2 12-ounce bags frozen peas and carrots
- 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
This is what heavy cream looks like. You can find it in the dairy section of your grocery store.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut the chicken breasts into very small pieces then place into a large soup pot.
2. Add the butter, garlic and chopped onions to the pot. Cook over medium high heat until the chicken is done. Add in the powdered chicken bouillon. Stir to combine.
This is the powdered chicken bouillon I use. You can find it in most grocery stores.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour all at once; stir.
4. Pour in the water, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps from forming — the mixture should be very thick at this point. Mix in the heavy cream and evaporated milk. Keep stirring until there are no more lumps.
5. Stir in the frozen corn, peas and carrots. Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook over medium high heat until the mixture has thickened once again.
6. After the mixture has thickened, stir in the chopped eggs. Pour the filling into the pastry shells and enjoy!
MAKE THE SHELLS:
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SHELLS:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a shallow bowl, beat the two eggs. Mix in the milk and water.
2. Mix in the flour, corn starch, sugar, salt and garlic powder.
3. Whisk until there are no more lumps. The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter.
4. Place the molds in the oil while the oil is heating up.
5. When the oil and molds are hot, lift the molds out of the oil. Let as much of the oil drip off as possible (if you still have oil on the molds, the batter won’t stick to it). Dip the molds into the batter, but careful not to submerge the molds. Dip the molds only to just below the rim (if the batter goes over the rim, it won’t release into the hot oil).
6. Lift the molds up out of the batter. Allow any excess batter to drip off.
7. Place the batter-covered molds into the hot oil.
8. Keep the molds submerged in the oil for about a minute or so — the shells/cups should drop right off the molds all by themselves. If they don’t drop off by themselves, use a chopstick or fork to nudge the shell/cup off the mold.
9. Lift the molds out of the oil. Fry the shells/cups until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place in a metal colander to drip off any excess oil.
NOTE: The molds must be hot before dipping them in batter. If the molds have cooled off (while you’re waiting for a batch of cups to fry), dip them back in the hot oil to reheat then repeat the process again.
10. Let the shells/cups cool then fill with Chicken ala King and enjoy!
Hello Annie,
Chicken A-La-King, one of my favorite foods especially when a family needs some comfort. I have tried several times to make the pastry cups but have failed. I usually order the cups or serve with rice (a full meal). Your presentation looks perfect. Btw, do I need to keep the oil heat on HIGH or just make sure the molds are hot enough to dip into the batter? I guess it’s a trial-and-error process. I am terrible at this and hope to master the crispy cups. Thank you!
I recommend keeping the oil on medium to medium-high heat, and definitely hot enough to heat the irons to allow the batter to adhere to them.
Hello Anni,
Can you tell me what is the metal cup makers called that makes the cups for Chicken Ala King? I am looking for a place where I can find it or maybe order online.
Just need the name for the metal equipment to make the cups?
Vincent
915-888-5242
Call me also if possible. My sister Bobbie and Jessie Sannicolas is going to make some for me, but she does not have the cup metal maker equipment.
So sorry for not replying to your comment sooner! The metal moms are called timbale molds or rosette irons. Many places online sell them.
One of my favorite dishes! Thanks for your recipe Annie and for the info on where you can purchase the irons for the pastry cup. I will definitely have to try it.
You can find them on Amazon. Look for rosette irons.
Annie this is Frances Hernandez I do believe Amazon sells it, but locally (Guam) I bought my set at the A&E store in Dededo behind winchells. Don’t remember the price but for 2 sets of the iron in one box the price was worth it.
Hi Annie, I’ve not been able to find rosette irons shaped at cups. I did find phyllo cups at my local Walmart. Do you think this would be an acceptable substitute?
I don’t see why not.
You can find the rosette irons on Amazon.
Thank you for sharing your recipe! Ive never made these before and offered to make it for Thanksgiving. Wish me luck! I’ll let you know how it turns out
How’d your chicken ala king turn out?
Hi Annie, Do you use whole milk or evaporated milk for the cups.
I use regular milk, whole or reduced fat.
How many miniature pot pies will this recipe make. I do like this, but I don’t want to be eating it all week. It’s just me. Can you freeze this once it’s made?
I’ve never used the filling to make pot pies so I can’t tell you how many it’ll make unfortunately. You can freeze the filling.
How many of these miniature pot pies will this recipe make. I like this but I don’t want to be eating it all week. It’s just me.
It’as Awsome, My Mother Thought me How to make It.. And I still do make it for Fmily Party,,
Thank You! I’ll order the rosette iron first.
though this looks more like original than others i searched, it probably feeds 8-10 and i only want for 3. sometimes in the breakdown, the recipe fails. any tips/measures
Hi, Joyce! If you follow my recipe exactly, you can’t go wrong. If this is going to be your meal, it will feed around 6-8 people.
Where can I get molds like yours
How many servings does this make? I have a family of 6 and was wondering is this a lot and should I half it?
If this is your main meal, this recipe feeds 6 people with just a little leftover.
Hafa Adai Annie.
I sell rosette molds and empanda/tortilla press at the Maniglao Nite Market, I refer your empanda receipe and chicken ala king receipe to them.
Judy Aguigui
Jarra’s Party To Go
Owner
Hafa Adai, Judy! Thank you!
Thank you this helped a lot.
You’re welcome! 🙂
I bought my rosette iron mold at world market, but now they ran out it cost only $14.99 went on sell but ran out try again. Thanks for the recipe used to make it lost my recipe and my mold now will make this Sarurday. Happy N ew Year Annie.
Thanks, Angelina! Happy New Year!
Hi Annie where can I order the cups?
By “cups,” are you referring to the molds? If so, you can order them from Amazon. Search for rosette or timbale irons.
Hi Annie, just wondering how long can the shells last if made in advance, and how many, here in Guam climate, thanks
It you store the shells in an airtight container, it will stay crispy for several days.
Where can I get some molds for the shell
You can order it off Amazon. Search for rosette irons.
Hello Annie
Thank you so much for this website I love and miss food from home. I come here to your site often to see if I’m doing stuff right. Lol
I just had a question about the shells..is there any other shell we can use?! I mean I don’t have that tool to make it.. Or what can u advice?
_miss home, Kansas military wife
Hafa Adai! You can buy the rosette irons through Amazon; they’re relatively inexpensive. You can use puff pastry shells or biscuits as well instead of the pastry cups/shells.
Hi Annie, my name is Annie also and your recipes are really very helpful to the ones living in the States like my kids they love Chamorro food and you put everything in details. Great job and thank you very much.my daughter just love all your recipes.
Hi Anita! Thank you for visiting my “kitchen” and for your kind words. Please tell your daughter I’m glad to hear she loves my recipes. 🙂
I live in WA. Where can I GET the mold? Haven’t had this since Guam. Really would to make this. I believe my kids would love to try this. Thank you.
You can buy rosette irons at most stores that sell kitchen/bakeware. Or, you can search for “rosette irons” on Amazon to purchase a set online.
I think is great
Thank you, Cecilia! 🙂
Going to try to make where do i get the molds for the shells?
You can buy rosette irons at most stores that sell kitchen/bakeware. Or, you can search for “rosette irons” on Amazon to purchase a set online.
yummy!!! Annie, you need an iphone app for all your recipes! :)))
Thanks! I’m working on an app. 🙂
Hi Annie! My grandma used to make this all the time when I was a kid in her older years, has completely forgotten about how to make this. Her birthday is coming up in 2 weeks and I plan on surprising her with these! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Hi Keith! You’re welcome…and what a nice surprise you’re giving your grandma for her birthday! Let me know how it turns out. Please wish her a happy birthday for me. 🙂
Hi Annie, I made your recipe tonight and it was delicious. Will the cups stay crispy in an airtight container for a few hours or even longer?
Hi Susan! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for your feedback! 🙂
These cups will stay crispy for a few days, as long as you keep them in an airtight container. A ziplock bag works really well.
Hafa Adai Annie. I was just reading the ingredients and I have to ask: what exactly is ‘heavy cream’? Thank you.
Hafa Adai, Bobbie. Heavy cream is a dairy product also called whipping cream. You can find it in the dairy section next to milk and half-and-half. I just added a photo of it to my recipe.
where can we purchase the molds?
Patty, you can order them from Amazon or Ebay. Try looking here: http://alturl.com/afg69
Thank you Annie, I look forward to purchasing the molds and trying your recipes.
I was successful in the Yeast donuts. 🙂
That’s great to hear (about the yeast donuts). Drop me a line to let me know about how my other recipes turned out for you. 🙂
Thanks Annie for the wonderful recipes. It has brought back lots of memories from my childhood off many moons ago.
You’re welcome, Wenie! I’m glad my recipes are bringing back great memories of your childhood! 🙂
Annie! You’ve brought back so many memories with your beautiful food postings on Facebook! This one, especially; I had this charming dish at my bridal shower. My mom made the filling but she ordered the pastry cups from a Guamanian lady in South San Francisco, about 25 miles away. It was a very special time for me and my memories of my mother; even if my bridesmaids were having the shower for me, this was my mom’s special contribution. We drove to South San Francisco together to get the pastry cups and I remember feeling the joy of bonding with my mother in this way. PLUS! I totally appreciated her special touch to my AWESOME bridal shower!
Oh, Jeanne, I’m so glad my recipes are bringing back good memories for you! Your memory of your mom and your wedding shower made me smile…what a special time that must have been. Now you can make this recipe and feel as if your mom is with you. 🙂
One of my favorite dishes…thanks 🙂
You’re welcome, Faye! 🙂