Baked Chicken ala King

baked chicken ala king

Don't you think the picture captured the essense of this dish? Yes, dear friends this is baked chicken ala king and that serving right there is fit for a king. Chunky chicken bits w/oozing mozzarella cheese baked to give that delicious texture to the melted cheese. Honestly, I had unintentionally sprinkled more mozarella on the sauce than planned; but hey! that is how home cooking should be, it should be all about generosity and love <3. They don't call it labor of love for nothing. Chicken ala king is also best served with buttered noodles, toast, or crepes. Did I mention that I live in the Philippines, rice is a staple in our country so I used rice, carbo-load away! hahahaha.



The reason why I made chicken ala king at home was because I was not happy with how much commercial food chains scrimp on ingredients to fit the price. In my opinion, they should price it appropriately, maybe a tad bit higher than what the market dictates but deliver your money's worth. My disappointment is partly my fault as I was acting on impulse; it was that time of the month when your hormones get excited like crazy and end up craving like there is no tomorrow. I went home sad and unsatisfied.


This is my version on one of the famous casserole dishes and the only one that made me cry of a full stomach. One casserole might be about 8 inches in length and 2 1/2 inch deep. This is a very heavy dish to take in for one person but if you have a small appetite, one casserole is good for sharing.  


Ingredients
4 cups 1-inch cubed poached chicken
3 3/4 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large shallots, minced
1/2 pound canned mushrooms, cut into slices
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup green peas
1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 cup mozzarella cheese for topping
cooked rice


Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of the butter, and saute the shallots until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil while stirring. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the sauce for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid curdling.


Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce into mushrooms and season with the salt, pepper, cayenne, and green peas. Whisk in the heavy cream


Add the minced chicken to the sauce, and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 


I laid out cooked rice at the bottom of the small casserole, poured the sauce (make sure you have an ample amount of chicken bits) and finally topped the mozzarella cheese. 


Bake uncovered in casserole for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until mozzarella is slightly brown and melted.


Below is a step-by-step on how to poach a chicken
credits to http://www.foodnetwork.com/
POACHED CHICKEN
10 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small onion, halved
1 small carrot, halved
1 stalk celery, halved
3 pounds chicken breasts halves, on the bone and fat trimmed
5 to 6 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
Put the parsley, thyme, onion, carrot, celery, and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and cool the chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and reserve the liquid. Bone and skin the chicken and cut the meat into cubes. Discard the bones and skin.
Strain the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Remove any fat from the surface of the broth before using.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Bon a petit